What Does the Bible Say About Calling?Chikamu

Are Some Jobs More Sacred Than Others?

Many Christians have the impression that church workers — especially evangelists, missionaries, pastors, priests, ministers and the like — have a higher calling than other workers. While there is little in the Bible to support this impression, by the Middle Ages, "religious" life—as a monk or nun—was widely considered holier than ordinary life. Regrettably, this distortion remains influential in churches of all traditions, even though the doctrine of virtually every church today affirms the equal value of the work of lay people. In the Bible, God calls individuals both to church-related and non-church-related work.

God’s guidance can occur just as strongly in non-church-related jobs and professions. Non-church work is as much “full-time Christian service” as church work. All Christians are called (that is, commanded) to conduct everything they do, round the clock, as full-time service to Christ.

The only jobs that do not have equal status in God’s eyes are those that require work forbidden by the Bible or are incompatible with its values. For example, jobs requiring stealing, false witness or greed, usury, damage to health, or harm to the environment are incongruent with God's heart for the world. This is not to say that people who do these jobs have lesser status in God’s eyes. Jobs of this sort might be the lesser of two evils in some situations. If your job is inconsistent with God's values, you can seek to determine if it is necessary (and possible) to change jobs, do your job differently, or take action to correct injustice in your current workplace.

Video

Watch the short video “Are We Called by God to Our Jobs?” with James B. Wood.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank you that everyone who follows you is called to “full-time Christian service.” Please help us, the body of believers, hear your call. Teach us how to partner with you as we work. Amen.