Vocation and the Table of Duties

You probably have heard the phrase “purpose driven life” or something similar within the great “Christian” sphere of influence. With some of that teaching, it can go awry because the “purpose” becomes singular, and unfortunately it can make you abdicate other duties or vocations in pursuit of that singular purpose. Instead of a single purpose, God, having justified us by grace through faith has also created us in the image of Christ Jesus for good works, that we should walk in them.

What are good works? Good works are those things which flow from faith in Christ Jesus as well as those things that are carried out within our vocation. Where do you find yourself? In the Small Catechism after the 6 chief parts there is a lesser known but ultra important section called the Table of Duties.

The Table of Duties is a listing of Bible passages addressing the common but holy vocations of Christians in their daily lives. The table begins with vocations within the church, out to the public square, then back into the household. The Bible passages compiled are not an exhaustive list of the duties that comprise each calling or vocation, but they give a good overview of the most common vocations: pastors, laypeople, children, parents, worker, employer.

Some vocations can be chosen. Others are handed down to you without your consent. I am a son. I am also a brother. I was not asked how I felt about that. I learned quickly what it meant to live in the vocation of son and brother. But other vocations came through my own choosing. I am a husband and I am a father. Now that I have become a husband and a father, however, I am called upon and admonished to do the duties required of me from Scripture.

You might consider each kind of job a vocation. You might even say you are called to a certain job, etc. But we must be careful how far we take that discussion because what would happen if we left that job? Would it be sinful to switch your career? We should not go that far, but understand that we are accountable to the more general descriptions of being a worker, etc.

The term vocation is freighted with all kinds of weight. But we Christians should turn our attention to the table of duties and ask ourselves, “Where do I find myself?”

Rev. Jacob Hercamp 
Christ Lutheran Church 
Noblesville, IN

©2019 Jacob Hercamp. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@gmail.com