By T.J. Marinello
Among the New Testament assemblies, people who serve the Lord vocationally are often called full-time workers. This nomenclature applies to resident workers, itinerant preachers, overseas missionaries, and Bible teachers, to note but a few categories. Among other groups of Christians, the titles more commonly used might be pastor, priest, missionary, or youth leader, again to note but a few. Since I grew up in the New Testament Brethren assemblies, our less common way of referring to vocational Christian workers never seemed something to consider until my work and life experiences took me to places where no assemblies existed. At that point, the question arose: What caused the assemblies to label our vocational Christian workers as full-time workers?
I think the answer is found in an underlying conviction, namely, that all believers are to be in the Lord’s service. Some serve Him faithfully as a full-time vocation, and others serve Him faithfully in addition to other work. In both situations, the idea is the same: all believers are to be workers for the Lord irrespective of our employ. So is this conviction found in Scripture, or is it a peculiarity of the Brethren?
One of the great recoveries of the Protestant Reformation was the biblical concept of the priesthood of all believers. Instead of a special class of Christians who alone served the Lord on behalf of (and often to the exclusion of) other Christians, the Reformers realized that all believers were priests before the Lord. This idea is certainly found in 1 Peter 2:9 among the other titles and relationships with God that New Testament believers are privileged to have: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (ESV) Here our standing is clearly presented: we are priests before the Lord.
But, in the latter part of this verse, Peter notes a commission for us New Testament priests: “that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” We are called to bear witness to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Where and when can we do this? One place and time is the Breaking of Bread as practiced among the assemblies. We focus on Him in praise and adoration; we remember Him (1 Corinthians 11:24–25). But, as we celebrate, we also declare His marvelous work on our behalf, we proclaim again His atoning work (1 Corinthians 11:26), and we bear witness of how it was possible to be called “out of darkness into His marvelous light.” So do believers have only a priestly privilege? Actually, we also have a necessary work.
One of the grandest rehearsals of the all-encompassing change and subsequent standing of believers is found in Ephesians 2:1–10. Verses 1–3 record our hopeless situation before we were in Christ as dead, enslaved, and condemned. We were sinful by nature (v. 1); under the controlling influence of the world, the devil, and our fleshly desires (vv. 2–3a); and under the wrath of God (3b).1
The description radically changes with the stark interrupter of verse 4—“But God”—and continues with the message of God’s saving grace through faith as the gift of God, not by our own works (vv. 5–9). Verse 10, then, records a commission—something all believers should do as the result of being in Christ: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.” (ESV)
We are to be workers for Him, to do the things He has set for us. In fact, we are to be characterized by these works: “that we should walk in them.” (v. 10) What are they? Simply, obedience to God and a life of moral righteousness—living as “His workmanship.”2
We find, then, that whether we serve the Lord as vocational Christian workers or in addition to other capacities, we all are in His service. We are workers all. n
Dr. Marinello serves in the Netherlands
Originally published in Missions magazine, July 2024. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe
