What Must We Do to Do the Works of God?

Do you ever show up for work and feel like God is absent? It’s common for workplaces to have many temptations and opportunities for selfish gain, especially if none of your coworkers care about serving God.

But the reality is that the workforce is your mission field – it’s where God is enabling and equipping you to do His work. God acts inside of you, conforming you into the image of Christ. And, as much as He feels distant sometimes, He is never away from you. Instead, He’s using difficulties and pressures in your job to help you focus on Him.

In this article, we’ll explore what you must do to do the works of God – wherever you are.

What is the Work of God?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)

So, what is the work of the Lord? Scripture tells us that all believers will carry on with the work Jesus started. Let’s take a look at some of the things Jesus did in His time here:

• Turned water to wine (John 2:1-11)
• Fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14)
• Healed the sick (John 4:46-54, John 5:1-9, John 9:1-7)
• Had supernatural knowledge of the woman of Samaria (John 4:18)
• Raised the dead (John 11:43-44)
• Walked on water (John 6:19)

Does this mean that we’ll perform miracles? Possibly. But the more important realization is that everything Jesus did on earth demonstrated God’s divinity and pointed people to God. That's likely what God was referring to when He said that every believer would continue the work of Christ.

You don’t have to be a pastor or missionary to carry on His work. We are all given various kinds of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 29-30) – you can be sitting in the cubicle of your 9-5 and still do things that lead others to believe in Christ, bearing witness to God’s grace and love in all words and actions. Jesus spent all three years of His life after being baptized to show people the God He is and served, and every Christian should seek to emulate His behavior. 

How to Do the Work of God

In the latter part of John 14:12-14, we see that Christians will do something greater than Jesus' work. And, as a means to that end, we can pray to receive the necessary strength and wisdom. What does this mean?

If you think doing "greater works" means "more miraculous," you might be hard-pressed to find someone who has walked on water and raised the dead. Instead, we see two clues as to what God means by “greater works”: "because I am going to the Father" at the end of verse 12 and "receive the Holy Spirit" in John 20:21-23 when Jesus gave final words to His disciples before returning to Heaven.

From these two hints, we can assume that the "greater works" means believers are going forth to share the gospel now that Jesus is already crucified, risen, reigning, and dwelling in believers through the Holy Spirit. Never before has salvation been as available and fulfilled, which makes our work "greater" than Jesus' ministry on earth, which was built on anticipation and promise.

So, what must we do to do the works of God? Below are the tasks expected of us:

1. We believe in Jesus Christ.

Believing in God is the foundation of everything. If we don't have faith in Him, it's impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must trust that He is who He says He is – the Lord Almighty – and that He can do what He says He can do. The work of God is to believe in the one He has sent (John 6:29).

2. We are baptized.

Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward decision to follow Christ. It's not a requirement for salvation but is a way of announcing that we belong to Him and are dead to sin (Romans 6:3-4). This reasoning is also why many churches and Christians expect someone to want to be baptized once they believe in Christ.

3. We obey His commands.

Jesus tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15), which, among many others, is to love God above all else (Matthew 22:37-40). It’s not enough to say that we love Him – our actions must reflect that love. Doing so not only puts our lives in the right direction but also transforms us into someone God can use.

4. We bear fruit.

Bearing fruit or good works is the natural result of a life yielded to Christ. When we obey His commands and walk in His ways, we will produce fruit that brings glory to God (John 15:8). The fruit will vary from person to person, but it will always be Godly evidence of a changed life. The more grateful we are to Him, the more we'll give generously.

5. We pray.

Prayer is how we communicate with God, and it's essential to pray for strength and wisdom, opportunities to serve, and the boldness to speak the truth. As a means to that end, we can ask Him for everything we need to further His plan through prayer (Hebrews 13:20-21). 

6. We evangelize.

Lastly, we share the gospel. This task is critical work for all Christians because it's how people come to know Christ. And we must be intentional about it – we can't just wait for people to come to us. Instead, we must go out into the world and proclaim the good news of the Gospel boldly and with conviction (Mark 16:15).

What are the Rewards of Working for God?

Good works in the Bible are described as a "labor of love" (1 Thessalonians 1:3). The Lord is not unjust – He will repay those who serve Him faithfully (Hebrews 6:10). 

There are many rewards mentioned in Scripture, both temporal and eternal, such as:

• Inheritance: God has promised His people an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade (1 Peter 1:3-5). It's not something we can earn but a gift from God, given out of His great love for us. By doing good works, we are showing love in return, and God will reward us for that.
• Salvation: When Christ returns, believers receive a crown of righteousness, and our works will follow us into eternity (2 Timothy 4:7-8). We don't earn our salvation by doing good works, but our good works will be evidence of our faith, and we will receive a reward for them.
• Intimate fellowship: This is the ultimate goal of our faith – to know God intimately and be known by Him (1 Corinthians 13:12). And as we labor for Him on earth, we can take comfort that we will see Him face-to-face one day and be with Him forever.

When we work for God, we are joining Him in His work of redemption, rescuing people from eternal separation from Him. We are making an impact that will last after we are gone, and that is the most rewarding thing of all.

Becoming Committed Workers for the Eternal God

Jesus told His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

God calls us to do His work, whether in your workplace or an unknown mountain village far away. And, as we step out in faith, we trust that He will hone and equip us to share the good news, being completely confident that He will use us to make a difference on earth and in the eternal life waiting for us.