VOCATIONAL HOLINESS

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Vocational Holiness? What an exciting, counter-cultural concept!

Ephesians 4:1

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation

wherewith ye are called,KJV

o Can I be Holy and be a Cop

o A businessmano A Lawyero An Athleteo A Politician o A Designero A Salesmano A Garbage collectoro An Artisto A Cosmetologist?

What is holiness?

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to

ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives

in this present age,…” Titus 2:11-12 NIV

Holiness is simply, being dedicated to God.

What is Vocation?

The Christian doctrine of vocation… starts with being called to Someone before we are called to

do Something…

The Latin root of the word ‘vocation’, vocatio and voco, mean simply to be called or to have a calling.

Paul Stevens, “The Other Six Days” p 72

Divine call to, or sense of fitness for, a career or occupation; employment, trade, profession.

The Pocket Oxford Dictionary

“Vocational discernment is a life-long process. Many

factors contribute to a life direction – personal passion, motivation, gifts, and talents,

circumstances, compulsions and dysfunctions, and

sometimes a direct word from God.” Paul Stevens, Doing God’s Business, p204

Vocational Discernment, Paul Stevens, “Doing God’s Business”, p 205

“We ask to know the will of God without guessing that His will is written into our

very beings.” Elizabeth O’Connor.

Our passion, our gifts, our talents, our personality -

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness

and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

- Frederick Buechner

Follow your passion, your gifts your talents, your personality and the voice of God…

…to the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet

There you will find vocational holiness

Whatever the occupation – God has a wonderful purpose into which

we are called

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”

Ephesians 1:4 - NIV

Eph 4:1-2

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I

urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have

received. Be completely humble

and gentle; be patient, bearing with

one another in love.”

NIV

1 Peter 1:15-16

But just as he who called you is holy,

so be holy in all you do;

for it is written: "Be holy, because

I am holy."NIV

Does the command to be holy in all you do include being a:

o Copo A businessmano A Lawyero An Athleteo A Politician o A Designero A Salesmano A Garbage collectoro An Artisto A Cosmetologist?

Yes!Yes!

Yes!

…so be holy in all you do!