A Vision of Vocation

The eighth in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Vocation.

A vocation is a calling, and for a Christian it is our calling in life to serve God.  It will be consistent with the gifts, talents, and interests that we are born with and in which we find strength and joy.  Throughout the Bible God has led people in faith by the gifts He has given them.

Ge.1:27, "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

- God created man and woman and He gave them a commission, a vocation, to fill the earth and subdue it.  This is the cultural mandate to use our talents and all the resources of God's creation to propagate God's kingdom.  

Ge. 2:1-2, "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 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."

- The calling to work is not the result of sin as we see even God did work.  He created the universe, and all of life and humanity.  He worked and called it all very good, and then He rested.

Ex.20:9-10, "Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work."

- The commandment to honor the Sabbath is built from the creation account of God working six days and then resting.  It is the creation design for work, and then to cease from labor, to worship God.

Ex.35:34-35, "And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works."

- God has given different skills to different people, and even creative skills for beauty and design.  We all have skills for the building of the kingdom of God.

2Ch.2:7, "Therefore send me at once a man skillful to work in gold and silver, in bronze and iron, in purple and crimson and blue, who has skill to engrave with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided."

- We are called in relation to our skills, and Solomon called various workers for building the temple.

1Ki.5:6, "Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians."

- Solomon finds the skilled labor he needs to build the temple and pays their wages accordingly.  We see both the call of skilled labor and the just requirement for appropriate wages.

Is.41:4, "Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning?  I, the Lord, am the first; and with the last I am He."

- Isaiah describes the calling of the people of God.  God is building His kingdom and He calls us to it.

Is.41:9-10, “You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

- God has chosen His people, and called His people, and He strengthens them.  

1Co.12:4-6, "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."

- God has gifted the whole body of Christ to build up the church.  We are called to God so that we can be called to the building of God’s kingdom.

Ep.4:7-8, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore He says: When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

- God gives gifts and talents to people as a measure of His common grace.  He also uses people’s gifts for the building of His church.   

Co.4:22-24, "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 

- Paul calls us all to work with excellence in our labors, to bear witness to God and not as pleasers of men.

2Th.3:8-11, "(N)or did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.  For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."

- Our vocation from God is to work unto His glory, we all are called to work even to eat.  Our dignity comes from being created in God’s image, and also from our work as God’s agents, to do the work God has created us to do.

1Pe.4:10-11, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.  If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen."

- Peter reminds us that each of us has a gift and we are called to use it for the glory of God.  We are not called to hide our gift or be irresponsible in our labors.

Ja.5:12, "But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.  But let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No, lest you fall into judgment."

- James is telling us not to swear an oath in place of honest commitments.  Our work contracts should be based upon our character of honesty and integrity.  We are called to an honest days work for an honest day’s pay.  

The Christian's vocation is to worship God in all of life, and specifically to work, serve and live for the Lord.  He has created us for this purpose and we are to walk with Him in faith, and then to produce good works.  The Christian work ethic comes from Scripture and brings dignity and productivity to individuals and society.

A Vision of Family

The seventh in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Family.

The primary human relationship that God created is the marriage between a man and a woman.  We see that children and family are the most basic institution in society.  We become the family of God through faith in Christ. 

Ge.1:26-27, "Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 

- Genesis clarifies that God created humanity both male and female.  And before there was marriage there is the dignity of both genders as part of God's creation design, we are created in His image for a purpose.


Ge.1:31, "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

- All of humanity is significant and dignified over and above the rest of creation because we are created in the image of God.  And this is described as being very good.

Ge.2:18, 20-23, "And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him ... But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.  And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  And Adam said: This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

- Marriage is between a man and a woman and created by God.  It was created to bring companionship to one another and to complement each other.  God also created the man for headship to represent Christ. 

Ge.4:26,5:1, "And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.  This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created." 

- The recording of families begins in Genesis as we see a godly line of men, or families, who called upon the Lord.

Ge.15:4-5, "And behold, the word of the Lord came to (Abram), saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be."

- God promised Abraham that his descendants, his family of faith, would be as numerous as the stars of the sky.  God's family is created by faith in God.

Dt.6:6-7, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." 

- God gives Moses instructions on teaching the Shema prayer, so as to love God with all our beings, and to be taught to the children.  These teachings shall be in all aspects of life.

Pr.3:1,11-12, "My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you ...  My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."

- The training of children is the process of following the commandments of the Lord.  It is to know God in our hearts and minds, so as to enjoy long life on the earth.

Ma.4:5-6, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

- Malachi describes how the Lord will turn the hearts of fathers and children back to each other.  The Messiah brings redemption and restoration back to God’s design.

Mt.19:1-3, "And He answered and said to them, Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

- Jesus affirms the creation account of both male and female being made in the image of God, and the significance of marriage.  Marriage is created by God.

Mt.19:8-9, "(Jesus) said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

- One of the great consequences of sin is divorce and broken relationships and families.  This comes from the hardness of hearts.  It is not God’s will and God hates divorce. 

Ep.5:22-23, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord, for the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body."

- God created Eve with equal dignity in humanity, but to complement and complete Adam, and God called that very good.  The functional role wives have is to submit and support their husbands.

Ep.5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word."

- It is imperative for husbands to be Christ like in their marriage to their wives.  Husbands must love their wives as Jesus loves His church, by teaching and sacrificially living out the Word, which sanctifies and cleanses her to be a holy bride.  The functional role of husbands is to lead the wife and represent Christ.

Ep. 6:1-4, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.  And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

- The Christian family is called to train and admonish their children in the Lord, which brings a promise of God's blessings and long life.

1Ti.5:8, "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

- Paul describes the most basic instruction for husbands is to provide for their families.  Even in a context of caring for widows, we see the principle of family is the foundational institution in society.

1Jn2:1, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

- John is writing in his later years as he sees the family of faith.  He reminds us that we have a heavenly Father, one who loves us, and an Advocate to redeem us from sin.

Christian marriage and family are the building blocks for the church and thus for the Spiritual welfare of all of society.  Every family has an influence and families of faith are instrumental in developing healthy relationships, raising children, and for building up the church.

A Vision of Discipleship

The next five studies promote the horizontal application of faith and knowing God in Scripture.  The sixth in A Biblical Vision series is a vision of Discipleship.

A disciple is a student, a learner or devoted follower of someone else.  A Christian disciple then would be a student of the Bible, a devoted follower of Jesus as his teacher and master.

Ex.24:12-13, "The Lord said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.  So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God."

- We see that God gives Moses and the people of God the Law, the Ten Commandments, specifically for their instruction in how to live before Him.  The moral Law is still our instruction to live before God.

Pr.1:1-4, 7, "The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth ... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

- We are instructed in gaining of knowledge, words of insight, in the fear of the Lord.  The discipleship of the Lord brings wisdom to our lives.

Pr.3:1-2, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you."

- The making of disciples often begins between a father and a son, and is between anyone with experience to a younger study.  In the wisdom of the Lord this leads to length of days and years and peace.

Pr.4:5-9, "Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.  The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.  Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if your embrace her.  She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."

- We are called to be disciples in wisdom, "she" will keep you, she will guard you from folly.

Je.13:10, "This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after others gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing."

- There are many examples of those who have followed other gods, to their own ruin. 

Mt.4:19-20, "And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  Immediately they left their nets and followed him."

- To be a disciple of Jesus we must follow Him.  We must be willing to go wherever He calls us to go.  He calls us to become fishers of men, to bring others to Himself.  Discipleship brings others to discipleship.

Mt.10:24, 42, "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master ... And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

- A disciple of Jesus is not above his master.  And yet a disciple receives Spiritual rewards.

Mk.8:34-35, "And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

- Jesus clarifies that we must deny ourselves to follow Him as our master and Lord.  We must deny selfishness of the flesh and live selflessly in the Spirit as Jesus did.

Lk.14:27, 33, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple ... So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."

- Jesus teaches us here the cost of discipleship.  We must deny the sinful life of disobedience and live for Christ.  It is simply our life for His life.

Jn.14:15, 21, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments ... Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.  And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

- A true disciple loves his master and obeys his commandments out of love and devotion.  Love is action and obedience to God’s commands in Christ.

Ga.2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

- Discipleship is being fully devoted to Christ.  This is the example for all Christians.

Ep.4:12-13, "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

- Paul instructs the leaders to make disciples, until we attain the unity of faith and knowledge.

Ep.4:22-24, "that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

- A Christian disciple puts off the old life in sin and puts on the new life in Christ.

Ph.1:6, 9, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ ... And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment."

- We see that God is at work in us, in our faith and growth.  He will carry it to completion.  We are called to grow in knowledge and discernment to this goal.

Co.3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

- A Christian disciple has the Word of Christ dwelling in his heart and mind, and in song and music.  We are called to have the Scriptures abundantly in our hearts.

Ja.1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

- The wisdom of Christ is one of living out our faith, to become doers of the Word of God.  A disciple of Christ will grow in wisdom from living consistently in Christ.

1Jn.1:9-10, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

- We must confess our sin to be true to God, to be disciples of Christ.  We know that Christ will forgive and cleanse us so that we can be in fellowship with Him.

The truth of Christ is worked out in our lives when we begin to "take up our cross" and follow Him.  To be a true disciple we must study the Word of God and then let it transform our hearts and minds in faith.  This is turn causes us to become like our teacher, and to be followers of Christ.

A Vision of Worship

The fifth in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Worship.

The Bible teaches and describes many things about the worship of God.  True worship will rise up out of a heart and mind that is consumed with God, both from hearing the truth of God in Scripture and also from receiving the grace of Christ in our lives.

Ge.2:2-3, "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."

- We see that God created a day of rest from labor, and even God rested from his creation work.  God created the seventh day for His worship.

Ex.15:1-2, "Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.  The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."

- In the Exodus, the Lord intervened and destroyed the Egyptian army in the Red Sea.  The Israelites were filled with jubilation and worshiped the Lord.

Ex.20:1-3, 8, 11, "And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before me ... Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

- God proclaims that He is the Lord God, and He brought the Israelites out of slavery, and then gives them His Law.  God gives us instruction on worship of Him.

2Sa.22:1-2, "And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.  He said, The Lord is my rock and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

- David was delivered from the hand of Saul and certain destruction.  He thus worships the Lord for His glory and his own salvation.

Ps.16:8-11, "I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  

- David exalts the Lord in worship because God will not abandon him to the grave.  David is filled with joy, and sees the pleasures of the Lord are forevermore.

Ps.33:1-3, "Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!  Praise befits the upright.  Give thanks to the Lord with lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts."

- David the Psalmist instructs us to praise the Lord.  We are to praise Him with instruments, and play a new song, with loud shouts.  Because God is our Savior!

Ps. 86:11-13, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.  I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol."

- David prays that God would teach us the way of truth.  And because God’s love is steadfast he glorifies His name forever.

Ps. 150:1-2, "Praise the Lord!  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!  Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

- All through the Bible there is worship to God for God's greatness.  Everything is God centered and based upon the knowledge of God.  This is theocentric worship.

Is.6:1-4, "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him stood the seraphim.  Each had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!  And the foundations shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke."

- Isaiah sees the most amazing vision of the holiness of God.  In turn this causes us to see our sinfulness and we can only respond in exalted worship for God’s salvation.

Mt.17:5-6, "(Jesus) was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.  When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified."

- When people are in the presence of God, people fall down in worship and fear.  There is no casual worship of God in the Bible.

Jn.4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

- Jesus teaches us that we must worship in spirit and truth.  We must guard against a worship that leads to an emotional or man centered orientation.

1Ti.6:15-16, "(He) who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.  To him be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen."

- Paul concludes his first letter to Timothy with a doxology because of the magnitude of the glory of the Lord.  This is the summation and essence of the true worship to God.

Re.4:11, "“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

- When we come to see God for who He truly is, it changes everything, and we live our lives in worship to Him.  God is worthy of our worship in our whole lives.

We cannot help but worship God when we come to know Him, and for receiving His grace and blessings.  In our consciences we know that He is the God of creation and worthy of worship.  Augustine acknowledged that we were created for worship and "our hearts are restless until we do."