God, Vocation, and God, Vocation, and PoliticsPolitics

© John Stevenson, 2008

Traditional View• Separation between

clergy and laity• Priesthood of all

believers

Reformed View

• Active life versus contemplative life

• Work is a calling from God

Genesis 2:15 Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man

and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-121 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Now as to the love of the brethren, you

have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-121 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Now as to the love of the brethren, you

have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Work Rest

Ephesians 4:28Ephesians 4:28 Let him who steals steal no longer;

but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.

Traditional View• Separation between

clergy and laity• Priesthood of all

believers

Reformed View

• Active life versus contemplative life

• Work is a calling from God

What have been the excessesin each of these two views?

Summary of Biblical Concept of Summary of Biblical Concept of WorkWork

• Work Comes from God• Because of the fall, there is a secular view

of work that stands in opposition to the Biblical view of work

Secular View of Work

Biblical View of Work

I work in order to get status or to get money to do the

things that I really want to do

I work because God has designed me for a labor of service to Himself and to my

fellow man

Summary of Biblical Concept of Summary of Biblical Concept of WorkWork

• Work Comes from God• Because of the fall, there is a secular view

of work that stands in opposition to the Biblical view of work

• When I realize that my earthly work is a service, not only to men, but also to God, then it takes on eternal consequences.

• A Biblical View of Work brings a sense of Rest.

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Compared to the early church, is it harder, easier,

or about the same for us to be Christians in our world today?

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Conversionist Church

Church

God’s Realm

World

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Transforming Church

Church

World

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

When the world recognizes the

church as a part of society, should

Christians withdraw for the sake of purity or

take advantage of the situation and

attempt to influence the

culture?

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

ChurchAccommodation Church

World

Church

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Transforming Church

Church

World

Conversionist Church

Church

God’s Realm

World

Which Model describes our Church?Which Model describes our Church?

Conversionist Church

Church

God’s Realm

World

Antithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Transforming Church

Church

World

Accommodation Church

World

Church

Which model makes the most sense to you?Which model makes the most sense to you?

Conversionist Church

Church

God’s Realm

World

Antithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Transforming Church

Church

World

Accommodation Church

World

Church

The PriesthoodThe Priesthood

The hierarchical priesthood

The priesthood of all believers

How does How does the principle the principle

of the of the priesthood priesthood

relate to relate to your life?your life?

The AnabaptistsThe Anabaptists• Separation from the

prevailing culture• Paralleled by the

Essenes in the first centuryAntithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Should Christians be involved Should Christians be involved in politics?in politics?

Will engagement in politics necessarily result in a trade-off or

some degree of compromise?

Are movements

like the Religious

Right similar to or different

from the medieval papacy?

What is the relationship between

the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate?

Great CommissionGreat CommissionAnd Jesus came up and

spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Cultural MandateCultural MandateGod blessed them; and God

said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28).

Cultural Mandate

The mandate to rule the world as the

representatives of God

Great Commission

The commission to go into all the world and

make disciples

Commands a fruitful multiplication

Commands a fruitful multiplication

Based upon a delegated authority conferred to

those made in the image of God

Based upon a delegated authority to those who are joined to Christ to

whom has been given all authority

Bringing the rule of Christ to the entire world

Primarily through making disciples of the

nations

We fulfill the cultural

mandate today

Richard NiebuhrRichard Niebuhr

• Christ against culture• Christ of culture• Christ above culture• Christ transforming

culture• Christ and culture in

paradox (a tension between the two)

Professor at Yale1955