Conversion Enables Us to Truly Love Our Neighbor
Vocation is a call to love your neighbor in fulfillment of God’s law (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:10). Christians live for others, honoring their significance and renouncing selfish ambition (Phil. 2:3). Before conversion, we are hateful, not loving (Titus 3:3–4). Even Christians must admit: “I am inclined by nature to hate God and my neighbor.” You can’t work well if you are bent on hatred.
When God pours his love into our hearts, it overflows into the lives of others, even at work (Rom. 5:5). We are freed to put the interests of others before our own (Phil. 2:4). We happily take unwanted shifts. We gladly mentor less-experienced coworkers. We view our colleagues as more than workers and take an interest in their personal needs. You will only love like this if you become changed by trusting in Christ and resting in his goodness.
Conversion Empowers Vocational Witnessing
Because work can be an unhappy business (Eccl. 1:13), it is one of the best places for believers to testify to their hope in God (1 Pet. 3:15). In biblical terms, hope is confidence in the full experience of salvation. Because Christian hope is grounded in the ongoing work of Christ, we have good reasons to work well. Jesus’ resurrection makes us new creatures and puts us to work, rejecting the status quo if it violates kingdom principles. We fully show up for work because God is worthy of our best. We stand up for bullied coworkers even if they are unpopular. Like Jesus, we accept tasks others find demeaning (John 13:14). Work can be like the black canvas of a night sky on which our countercultural vocational actions “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).
Conversion Promises Vocational Growth
God’s justification of sinners—his gracious declaration that believers are righteous in Christ—is always linked to their sanctification. God dethrones sin in the hearts of his children. We still struggle against sin, but sin will not be victorious. God works in believers “both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). By his divine power God will give you everything you need to work in godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). Sometimes your schedule will seem impossible. The work is grueling or boring. Your job hurts your body or your pride. You feel like complaining or arguing. The temptations for pride or sloth are great. And believers are grieved by their own sin at work (Rom. 7:15). If you are in Christ, God isn’t finished working on you. Christ will perfect what he has begun (Phil. 1:6).
Conversion Guarantees Vocational Reward
Your work is valuable. This is true whether you are turning a wrench, trading stocks, or fulfilling classroom obligations. Secular people would agree. But in the Christian worldview work is valuable not simply because of its sincerity or societal contribution, but because it pleases God (Rom. 8:8–9). Yes, your labor is like the scrawled artwork or the dandelion bouquet of a little child—the Father loves it because he loves you. Believers’ works are good—our work is good—because we work through Christ (Gal. 2:20). On the last day each redeemed person will be like the little child who presents to a parent a smudged drawing—we know it isn’t very good work even though we’ve done it sincerely—and God will say, “Well done” (Luke 19:17)!
Work is both good and, because of sin, hard. We can do it for wrong reasons and in wrong ways. But Christ has come to reverse the curse. Satan’s rebellion is doomed to fail. Earth will be remade. And Christ is redeeming the elect and their work. Conversion equips the called to fulfill their calling here and now. As a Christian you can work well for God in the world because he is working in and through you.
This is an excerpt from William Boekestein's book, Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling. Read Part 1 here.
Footnotes
Heidelberg Catechism, Q/A 5.
