Luther Doctrine of Vocation

Middle Ages gave a very significant contributions to the modern world especially regarding the notion of Constitutional Law. The Benedictine Rule established in monastery was the example which later adopted in the secular world whereby the authority of people is bounded in a written document filled with  rules. Yet, Middle ages also bring a stark dichotomizations between sacred and mundane that some people of modern world still buy and hold into (Theologian like Miroslav Volf doubt whether in today ever changing world, those dualistic principles of sacred versus mundane can hold water). 

Interestingly, the same Rules of Benedictine also become the yard stick of claiming that someone, who is under this kind of rule of monastery somehow was more "holy" than the rest. This is the negative side of the middle ages concept, besides the former positive we have been discussed. To make it clear, negative in the sense that it could lead people to fall into spiritual pride and creating undesired caste in society.

Moreover, as this Medieval concept tell us, by forsaking the world and adopt the voluntary poverty, one is believed to walk in the higher path. This is the noblest thing to do as a human being. No wonder, to enter monastery and become a monk was seen to be greater in its calling rather than working in secular world (Vita Contemplativa higher than Vita Activa). But is that true? Well, we can say that from Luther writings and latters he was disagreed with the idea of higher calling versus lower calling. 

According to Scholars and Lutheran Theologian like Gustaf Wingren, doctrine of Vocation, can be said to be Luther's overall structure of Theology (Although some would preferably go with law & Gospel dialectics).  Vocation or calling is the vital bridge between saved person to glorified person (This day: Earth and That day: Heaven Luther's doctrine of Two Kingdom). For Luther, people can be categorized into two categories. Not as person in the monastery or outside monastery but either under the Grace/Mercy of God or under the Wrath of God. Those under Mercy of God, God instilled them with His Grace alone (Justification by faith) as Luther says, "Inwardly draw us to Christ." Hence, the Grace of God saved and perfected us and at the end, transformed into Christ likeness. The term for this kind of righteousness was called by Luther as first/alien righteousness. The second kind of righteousness is our proper righteousness, which comes as the result of the first/alien righteousness as Galatian 5:22 shows the kind of fruits of those proper righteousness, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

For Luther, we are all are "Masks of God", in whatever good thing we do in every areas of lives, we channels God's love for others. "Otherness" is the essence of vocation. Thus every vocations are related to how one become the salt & light for others.  Gustaf Wingren wrote about Luther, "In his vocation man does works which effect the well-being of others; for so God has made all offices. Through this work in man's offices, God's creative work goes forward, and that creative work is love, a profusion of good gifts. With persons as his "hands" or "coworkers," God gives his gifts through the earthly vocations, toward man's life on earth (food through farmers, fishermen and hunters; external peace through princes, judges, and orderly powers; knowledge and education through teachers and parents, etc., etc.). Through the preacher's vocation, God gives the forgiveness of sins. Thus love comes from God, flowing down to human beings on earth through all vocations, through both spiritual and earthly governments."

God at work in ordinary routine of man, and hence, no such thing as small vocations in God's eyes. Those who are working in the kitchen are not lower than those who are working in the church or for government. William Decker, quote this saying that was depicting aptly on Luther's idea of Vocation, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."

Different people have different calling and vocation base on their talents, passion, desire and their conviction (Even when someone have a children or get married, those things become a kind of vocation) as long as are not sinful, Luther believed, "All Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them except that of office." However, with many varieties of vocation but still, for Luther, everyone are indisputably called into faith, and to lived out their faith. To obey the law of God after been justified, and as Luther also suggest, "dies daily" (Through repentance/bearing the cross). Most importantly, the vocation of preaching/proclaiming the Gospel. The duty of preaching/proclaiming the Gospel is not only an unique vocation of a priest of a pastor but for all Christian, generally speaking. Martin Luther in his Commentary of  Psalms wrote, "Even though they do not possess the public office of preaching, had the right and duty to teach, instruct, admonish, comfort, and rebuke his neighbor with the Word of God at every opportunity and whatever necessary."

Albeit in history we know that Luther doctrine of vocation was clearly a polemic against the Catholic Church's teaching at his time. Yet, this is not a made up doctrine, for the sake of being different. Luther view of vocation is grounded in Sacred Scripture. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 is the foundational verse for Luther. In verse 24 Paul specifically says, "Each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them." Thus, the doctrine of vocation remind us to be faithful from what God entrusted to us, and this special vocation consist primarily of faithful service to God and other human being under His unceasing providence and of course, it shed an unspeakable joy!