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
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