"A CHRISTIAN’S VOCATION" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 5/20/25

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” (Ephesians 4:1)

With this verse begins the practical portion of this letter. Ephesians, like Paul’s larger Gospel treatise, divided naturally into two basic parts - first we have the doctrinal portion, then the practical. With the Roman letter the doctrinal section concludes with a doxology of praise: “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory forever. Amen” Likewise the doctrinal portion of Ephesians end with a similar doxology of praise: “Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end, Amen.” As the Apostle begins the practical part of the letter, the theme can be summed up in the latter clause of the first verse, “that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Let us consider the Christian’s vocation, and what it might mean to walk worthy of that vocation.

First, if we are to walk worthy of our vocation, we must acknowledge that our Christian faith is indeed our vocation. The Greek word, Klasis, means “calling.” Some versions render it so, but the KJV translators render it “vocation,” probably because they felt, without changing meaning at all, “…vocation wherewith ye are called” reads better than “…calling wherewith ye are called.” Christianity is the Christian’s calling, i.e., his vocation. The word means “vocal summons.” Its relationship to the words “vocal” and “voice” are clearly seen. Webster defines the word as “a summons to a particular state or course of action, especially a Divine call to religious life.” The secondary definition given is “one’s work or employment.” Thus, our Christian life to which we have been summoned by the “voice” of the Holy Spirit, is our vocation. We have been called to a particular state and course of action.

The Christian faith is a “high calling,” which we are to pursue with all our might. (Phil. 3:14) It is a “holy calling” for which we are to endure trials and afflictions that come with the territory for sake of the Gospel. (II Tim. 1:19) It is a “heavenly calling,” a profession of which Jesus Christ is the Apostle and High Priest (Heb. 3:1). This “high” and “holy” and “heavenly calling” is intended to be the governing force to which all of our interests are subject.

Our Christian faith is not an added dimension to our life, but rather it is our life (Col. 3:4) Often people will choose to divide their lives into two separate categories - the one is secular, and the other is religious. The secular is defined as relating to all worldly and temporal concerns. This realm includes business, pleasure, recreation, political interests, etc. The religious realm is separate altogether. They do not mix religion with business; thus their “faith” has no bearing on business practice. Neither does religion have any regulating effect upon their recreation, nor does faith influence their political choices. In other words, they may profess religion, and possibly attend church on Sunday, but in business and in pleasure they pretty much go with the flow of the world.

In light of the Christian’s calling, how utterly absurd is a dichotomy such as that. As Christians, our faith is our vocation; it is our life. Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ.” He said, “The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Our Christian calling is not a new room added on to our old house, it is our whole new house. Our Christian calling, or vocation is what defines us. Whatever we are, we are Christians first. We are Christian employees; Christian businessmen; Christian students; Christian teachers. Peter says that “in all manner of our conversation,” that is, every aspect of our life, we are to be “as obedient children not fashioning yourselves (ourselves) according to the former lusts (desires), but rather, walking in holiness.” (I Pet. 1:14, 15) This is what it means to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.