Biblical Answer

God's Sovereignty and Our Work

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all creation, including our lives. This means that God has the right to work in our lives in any way He sees fit. Job's story illustrates this point, as God allowed Job to experience suffering and loss, even though Job was an innocent person. However, Job's response to this situation is instructive. He submitted to God's sovereignty, even when he didn't understand why God was allowing these things to happen.

This passage from Ephesians 2:8-10 emphasizes that our salvation is not based on our works, but on God's gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a key aspect of the Christian faith, and it's essential to understand that our relationship with God is not based on our performance, but on His love and grace. The passage also says that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. This means that God has a plan for our lives, and He has equipped us to do good works that He has prepared for us.

The question of whether God intended for us to work is complex, and the Bible doesn't provide a straightforward answer. However, it's clear that God wants us to be equipped for every good work, and He has made provision for us to do so through His Word and the gift of the Spirit. Our role is to submit to God's sovereignty, trust in His goodness, and rely on His enabling work in us to persevere in faithfulness and obedience to the end. Ultimately, our work is not about earning God's favor or approval, but about serving Him and living out our faith in a way that brings glory to Him.