What is the Work of God?

We should be doing the work of God and are commanded to obey Him and do that work, but what is that work?

“²⁸Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ ²⁹Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” – John 6:28-29 (ESV)

Jesus straightens that right up in the above verses. The crowd is asking and Jesus answers. Aren’t we like the crowd and always looking for something tangible to help us understand? Remember Thomas who needed tangible proof that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead. We are always looking to get our hands on something as “proof” but our faith should be strong enough. Isn’t our faith believing in God?

“²⁶Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. ²⁷Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’” – John 6:26-27 (ESV)

I tend to find myself in the same state as the crowd Jesus is speaking to here in that I am waiting for the reward/result of my labor. I am looking to get something out of the work I am doing as opposed to just doing God’s work with faith that my reward will come. When I am doing the work of God, I should be simply doing the work of God and that work is clarified by Jesus as “believe in him who he has sent.”

What is your reason for doing the work of God? What do you understand as the work of God? Are you doing that work?