What does business (the workplace) have to do with the kingdom of God?
The pedestrian assumption is that the workplace and the kingdom of God are mutually exclusive. The workplace is about the tangible realm and the kingdom of God is about the spiritual realm. And, it is further assumed there is little to no connection between the tangible and the spiritual realms.
These assumptions are, arguably, corollaries of the axiomatic principle articulated by the redoubtable Greek philosopher Plato who famously claimed that the intangible realm was good and the tangible realm was not good. Given this, it is further assumed that activity in the spiritual realm is not meaningful but activity in the intangible is meaningful.
Many Christians apply this Platonic thinking to the workplace. They view the tangible and intangible realms as bifurcated realities. Therefore, work in the tangible realm is little more than something they have to do to survive. But work in the tangible realm can be somewhat meaningful if they invest in work in the intangible realm.
The foundation of this reasoning is, however, inconsistent with Scripture, which clearly states that the tangible realm is not evil but good—in fact, it is very good (Genesis 1:31). The seminal idea behind the erroneous Platonic thinking (Greek dualism) is inconsistent with Scripture. Therefore, corollaries that flow from Greek dualism are flawed.
Given that both the tangible and intangible realms were designed by God and therefore reflect his goodness, then these realms are not bifurcated; rather, they are connected. The connection is God himself—the Creator of all.
If one recognizes the goodness of God in the original creation of physical reality, then why do sin, death, disease, dysfunction, inefficiency, and decay exist? All these traits are inconsistent with God’s goodness. The Christian answer is that all these attributes are the by-products of the rebellion of mankind. God’s response to man’s rebellion was judgment. Therefore, physical reality displays traits inconsistent with God’s goodness because of the consequences of man’s sin.
The above text delineates some of the implications of this judgment and specifically how it impacts the workplace. The antidote to the consequences of sin in the workplace is Christ. This means that the spiritual reality of Christ is the key to overcoming sin in the workplace and facilitating excellence individually and organizationally.
Contrary to the pedestrian assumption, the workplace and the kingdom of God are connected. And because of sin, sound spiritual reality (a Christian worldview) is a requisite for excellent workplace performance.
Here is your business tip. Wise management recognizes that excellent organizational performance is rooted in sound spiritual reality operative in both the culture of the organization and in the heart of each stakeholder. Sound theology is required to overcome the impact of sin, organizationally and individually, and to facilitate alignment with the goodness of God. Failure to walk in this truth will lead to individual and organizational dysfunction and inefficiency. Therefore, management must hire the right people—those who will proactively embrace sound theology and therefore will display traits of humility, submission, and teachability. Management must also provide a learning culture that facilitates sound spiritual reality in the heart of each stakeholder as a predicate for overcoming sin and enabling the delivery of excellent products and services.
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