Dr. Daniel Sloan | February 1, 2026
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, there has been a big push from certain key figures such as Elon Musk and Ben Shapiro to argue that AI will create a utopian-like paradise where work is no longer necessary for life. The question that arises from this is this: “Is work inherently bad?”
Is Work Inherently Bad?
As humans, we sometimes think of work as inherently bad, especially after a tough day in the office. However, does the Bible say that this is actually true? We must return back to the Garden of Eden prior to the fall of mankind to see the answer. In Genesis 2:15, the Bible says, “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (NKJV). This is prior to the fall of man and the curse of sin that would occur in chapter three, and yet Adam is still commanded to tend, or some translate it, cultivate the ground.
This certainly sounds like work, or at the very least something to do. Sure, prior to the fall, this would have been significantly easier than after the fall occurred, but it still shows that work has always been a part of the plan of God. God Himself even worked during creation. Genesis 2:2 says, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done” (NKJV). If work is inherently bad, then why would God have been involved in it? It certainly seems as if work is a part of the perfect order prior to the coming of sin.
Sabbath
On the other extreme, Genesis 2:2 also established this idea of Sabbath with God resting on the seventh day of creation. God did not need to rest. Indeed, Isaiah 40:28 makes it clear that God “Neither faints nor is weary.” Why did God rest from His work then? He did so to create a pattern for mankind and to give us this idea of Sabbath in our lives. God understands that while He does not get tired and weary, we do, and we need to take time in our lives to rest.
Finding Balance
The key to maintaining balance in our lives is walking this fine line between work and Sabbath. Some of us simply work too much. We refuse to create Sabbath times in our lives where we specifically take time to rest. We think we can just keep pushing ourselves time and time again to the point of burnout. That is not the type of balance that God wants for us in our lives.
However, others go to the opposite extreme. Instead of working too much, they abuse the idea of Sabbath, turning it into laziness. Yes, God wants us to rest and have time to recharge our batteries. However, God also established the principle that we rest after we work and that we work much more than we rest. Finding this balance in our lives can be a great challenge, but when we do find it, it can lead to amazing peace.
About the Author
Dr. Daniel Sloan is a professor of Biblical Studies and serves as the online Director of the Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and Master of Arts in Biblical Exposition at Liberty University. He has a PhD in Theology and Apologetics with a concentration in Old Testament from Liberty University. He also serves as the Pastor of Family Life at Fairfield West Baptist Church in Fairfield, Ohio. He served as the Managing Editor and Contributor on the Thomas Nelson Evangelical Study Bible (Spring 2023).
