In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;
Chilling words we find in Genesis 3:19... but scientifically accurate.
It has been discovered, measured and proved that work is an integral part of this physical universe in which we live.
By Unknown - Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. 231, August, 1869., Public Domain
There is no perpetual motion machine and energy cannot be created out of nothing.Scientifically there is no free lunch. Something has to do the work or someone has to pay.
Energy is always conserved.
Add to that, the effects of increasing entropy in this fallen world, where everything tends to fall apart, and it becomes a tough place to live, if one is not prepared to work.
Work is an absolute necessity, not only for survival but also to prosper. Some may get away with less work, but that generally comes at the expense of others.
It's because of this that life, for most of us, is tough... and its meant to be tough... We should not weep and wail and gnash our teeth, in fits of depression, every time things don't go according to plan.
There is no gain without the pain. I have heard people complain that if God is so powerful why doesn't he remove all suffering and prevent all evil?
That would be counter to the program and why we were introduced to this fallen world in the first place. As found in the Book of Mormon, a prophet explained to his son:
Nephi 2:11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
Without opposites we would not be able to gain any sort of experience, to have lived. We must taste the bitter in order to truly appreciate the sweet. For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction.
It is on the basis of this law that we either "act or are acted upon".
Work is how we act and the more we act or are proactive about things the more likely we will be able to provide for ourselves and be successful during our turn here on earth, where this fallen world throws everything it has at us.
Once we overcome we will emerge stronger and more rounded out for the experience. This is the purpose of living. Its in enduring well the tough times that character is built, and we are here to build character.
Any improvement we would have for ourselves, as the descendants of Adam, will come to us on the same basis...
"in the sweat of our face"
Previous parts of this Series.
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Where do these notions originate?
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Delving a little deeper
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Into the detail
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some more conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - The implications.
The evolution of Adam - a conundrum
The evolution of Adam - Who is Adam
The evolution of Adam - Two trees and choice
The evolution of Adam - Partaking of the fruit and feeling naked
The evolution of Adam - Was there death before Adam
The evolution of Adam - The biological purpose of death.
The evolution of Adam - The need for a Redeemer
The evolution of Adam - Inheritance and Redemption
The evolution of Adam - The dust of the ground
The evolution of Adam - flesh and blood and flesh and bone.
The evolution of Adam - a debt of blood and ghosts
The evolution of Adam - the lesser understood spirit within us all.
The evolution of Adam - Entropy and Eden.
The evolution of Adam - Sin and Entropy