The purpose of the Christian businessman is singular. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, when speaking of the purpose of life, “This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).
So we also must see the purpose of business in the same way. Whenever he finished composing a work, J. S. Bach would inscribe “Soli Deo Gloria” (For God’s Glory Alone) at the conclusion of the piece. If the purpose or goal of life is to bring honour to God, then all we do within life must perform a supporting function towards the achievement of the goal. Therefore, the purpose of business is to support our life, and the purpose of life is to honour God, so the ultimate purpose of business is to honour God.
A productive lifestyle is a true and high calling of all Christians. All occupations not contrary to God’s Law are to be considered worthy. Believers should view their “secular” work as “full-time Christian service”.
God, in His sovereignty, calls men into various duties and stewardship within His kingdom, giving them differing talents and abilities. It is the full use of those talents that determines success in the eyes of God, who alone holds the scales of success. Success is much more than the acquisition of material possessions. It is, rather, progressively increasing dominion in one’s sphere in obedience to God’s will as revealed in His Word and to the continuing revelation of His Holy Spirit.
Business is an institution because it is the means by which a group (society/culture) chooses to solve one of its core social problems – in this case the production and distribution of goods and services. From a theological perspective, the “main purpose” of business (or any institution for that matter) is to contribute to the establishment of God’s kingdom (i.e. the creation and redemption mandates) – and its unique role to play in that endeavour is to serve the community by producing the goods and services needed to further the primary goal (i.e. kingdom community) and to foster the development of the giftedness of the persons in the business.
God’s purpose for business
Understanding God’s purposes for business comes through understanding God’s purpose for humans outlined in Genesis and understanding God’s purposes for institutions.
Core to the purpose of business then are the Creation mandates of provision and creativity found in Genesis:
God affirmed the dignity of humankind by making us in the image of God. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,’…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
God gave us a ‘ruling’ role and affirmed the value of work as stewards of creation “… and let them rule over the fish of the sea… The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it…”
God invited men and women to participate in God’s creative activities – to fill. “…‘Be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it.’…He brought them to the man to see what he would name them…”
The activities of men and women were to preserve – to guard … “and take care of it”.
God gave men and women freedom with boundaries “…you are free…but you must not…”
The creative, filling, guarding provisional work goes beyond the self-production that individuals can achieve by themselves. Community (i.e. corporate structures, institutions and organisations), part of God’s design, are ways for people to organise their lives together and thus participate in God’s purposes for humankind and creation. They maintain order and facilitate God’s creative activity. They can be understood as the pillars that hold the roof up and as tools in the hands of God that God uses to achieve His purposes.
Corruptions of God’s purposes for business
The Fall of Man has consequences for our relationships with God and with others, for the created order and for work itself. As a result, rather than acting as caretakers and stewards of God’s creation, the primary organising principle of human behaviour became that of self-interest – protecting one’s own rights. Work has become toilsome and laden with vice, including aversive attitudes towards it, idolatry and immoral practices.