The Centrality of Worship to Life and the Sabbath: Implications for Business

Abstract

The primary mandate for humankind is worship, specified by God when he placed Adam in the garden. The Hebrew grammar and phrasing makes clear that Adam’s primary role is as a priest before God with the charge “to serve and to guard.” To emphasize the primacy of worship, God instituted the Sabbath as a day of “rest,” denoting a time for human beings to cease other activities and to focus exclusively on worshipping the Creator. In today’s world, business owners and managers in pursuit of bigger markets, increasing revenue streams, and greater profitability often ignore the mandate to observe a day exclusively dedicated to the worship of God. Yet, for Christian businesspeople — owners, managers, or workers — the act of honoring God through a dedicated day set aside for worship communicates a recognition of the supreme priority of obedience to that command.