Covenant of Vocation vs Works Contract - N.T. Wright's Biblical Perspective Explained

This post provides a brief explanation of the concept of a "covenant of vocation" as contrasted against the typical "works contract" perspective of Scripture, as explained by N.T. Wright in his wonderful book, The Day the Revolution Began. Both the 'works contract' and 'covenant of vocation' are powerful lenses through which we see not only the Bible, but also God's plan for salvation through the Messiah. It's a distinction that will affect who we believe YHWH is, and what we believe about who he has called us to be, and our purpose here and now!

Most people today are familiar with the ‘works contract’ formula for faith - even if they don’t necessarily use that term. This is the basic understanding of the Gospel that most people have. This lens of looking at the work of Jesus is prevalent in most Christian denominations, as well as with people of different faith backgrounds. Most people believe (or have been told) something close to the following. 

How does the “works contract” model work? Here’s how N.T. Wright puts it:

a. All humans sinned, causing God to be angry and to want to kill them, to burn them forever in “hell.”

b. Jesus somehow got in the way and took the punishment (it helped, it seems, that he was innocent - and God’s own son).

c. We are in the clear after all, heading for “heaven” instead of hell (provided, of course, we believe it).

And when you look at relationship with God this way, it raises some questions. Why would God give us laws we can’t keep, causing us to be guilty, and then punish us with death? This perspective makes it sound like God laid a trap for people. That doesn’t sound like good news at all. Wright says, “The danger with this kind of popular teaching is that we end up rewriting John 3:16 - ‘God so hated the world, that he killed his son.’”

Under the ‘works contract’ perspective, Adam and Eve failed to keep the instructions God gave and because of that they were not only evicted from Eden, but they were also subject to the punishment of death.

This same story was then repeated…more laws were given to Israel through Moses. God’s people once again failed to keep these instructions, and the results was the same…they deserved death, and were heading to hell.

But finally Jesus arrived and managed to perfectly keep the law. His death as perfect and innocent somehow paid the penalty on behalf of the human race.

Wright says that this “view of the relationship between God and humans is a travesty. It is unbiblical and takes us to a goal very different from the one held out in Scripture.”

Wright believes the Bible offers us is not this “works contract” but a covenant of vocation.

What is a covenant of vocation?

“The vocation is that of being a genuine human being.”

It is being part of the royal priesthood. The Melchizedek order that the Messiah is high priest over.

It’s bearing God’s image…reflecting who he is into the world, caring for and stewarding fellow humans and creation.

To be clear, Wright is not saying that those who aren’t living this way aren’t actual humans or that they are somehow lesser than or anything like that. He's also not speaking against the Messiah's work or negating the promise of eternal life. He believes there is more to the Gospel story than what we have been told. He is saying that each of us has more potential we can fulfill through God’s plan for us, and living how he intends.

Wright believes that the main task of the covenant of vocation is being an image-bearer of God. That means that we are reflecting the Creator’s nature, love, truth, and faithfulness into the world, and also “reflecting the praises of all creation back to its maker.” Bearing God’s image means you are part of the royal priesthood, “and are called to the point where heaven and earth meet.” Humans are placed in a unique position where they are part of creation but also reflect the ‘life and love of heaven.’

In the covenant of vocation, humans were created to worship God, and to steward creation on his behalf. 

Under the covenant of vocation, the problem of sin is not just about what happens after we die. Sin keeps us from bearing God’s image and being part of his royal priesthood here and now.

Wright says, “The diagnosis of the human plight is not simply that humans have broken God’s moral law.” Keeping God’s laws and commandments are important…they are the ultimate guide to how we worship God, love our neighbors, and steward creation. But morality isn’t the whole story. Keeping Biblical law is a significant part of our vocation. When we break the law it is a “symptom of a much more serious disease.”

That disease is idolatry. 

Scripture tells us that God created humans to have “responsibility and authority with and over creation.” When we sin we give up that authority and are “giving worship and allegiance to forces and powers within creation itself” - whether or not that’s what we intend to do or believe is happening. 

Sin is a problem, not just because it demonstrates our shortcomings and leads us away from eternal life, but because it is idolatry, and idolatry keeps us from the covenant of vocation. “When we worship and serve forces within creation, we hand over our power to other forces that usurp our position.” And then we are no longer taking part in the royal priesthood or bearing the authentic image of YHWH back to creation.

Idolatry leads to slavery, which leads to death.

When Jesus died, he didn’t just take our punishment, and the sole goal wasn’t just to grant us eternal life…even though those are important truths worth celebrating. Wright says, “The New Testament insists, in book after book, that when Jesus died on the cross, something happened as a result of which the world is a different place.” When Jesus died, he freed us from idolatry and the horrible power of the forces behind it. Through his death, the Messiah enabled us to once again take part in the covenant of vocation, to worship him through the royal priesthood of Melchizedek, and to bear his image.

Scripture shows that humans are called to be part of the royal priesthood:

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood…that you may declare the praises of him who called you out.” 1 Peter 2:9

“You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” -Revelation 5:10

In the works contract model, sin is the breaking of arbitrary commandments, which stops us from going to heaven.

But in the covenant of vocation model, idolatry (whose symptoms are seen in the Biblical definition of sin - breaking the commandments) stops us from being the humans YHWH created us to be.

This means that the Savior's death did not simply release people to go to heaven, but it frees us from the grips of idols, so that we can worship the Living God!

If we look at the Bible through the lens of the works contract, then it seems like:

-God set impossible standards for us that he knew we would fail at.

-All God wants from us is moral perfection.

-He's angry with us.

-The only thing Jesus's death accomplished was for us to go to heaven.

-It doesn't matter how I live or what I do because I am covered by the Messiah's blood.

But if we see Scripture through the covenant of vocation perspective, then:

-God gave us instructions so that we could achieve our ultimate purpose...showing the world who he is.

-God desires our worship and allegiance.

-God is not mad at us, but angry with the powers that have enslaved his people.

-The Savior's death freed us from those powers, so we can bring God's kingdom to earth here and now, and not just wait for heaven after death.

-Because I am freed by the Messiah, I can live how God called me to...as a priest and bearer of his image.

This is a simplified understanding of the explanation that N.T. Wright gives, but what a perspective shift! The covenant of vocation shows so much about the character of YHWH, and our role as his image-bearers. I highly recommend the book The Day the Revolution Began, to dive deeper into this topic.

More fresh perspective:

Did Jesus Speak Against Commandments or Traditions?
Misconceptions that Keep Us From Understanding the Bible
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture

Keeping the Law - A Covenant with God

The argument goes like this, "But we can't keep the law perfectly." 

Have you ever heard this? Or thought this yourself? Many times hearing of someone who is attempting to follow Scripture's less popular instructions like not eating certain animals or recognizing that the Sabbath day is actually the seventh day of the week and not the first, calls to mind the words from James 2:10.

"Anyone who guards the Torah, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of breaking it all."

Mostly we've heard this and thought, "Eh, there's no way I could do this 100% perfectly, so why even try?" Or, "I know I'm going to break it in this area so why go out of my way to keep it in another?" And that's been an incredibly unfortunate and incorrect way to view this passage.

Imagine if we carried this same logic to our wedding day, would we admit that we won't be able to love our spouse perfectly so we're not going to bother making an effort?

Despite our best intentions with our marriage there will be slip ups. Frustrations can lead to harsh words. Communication won't always be clear. Requests are easily forgotten. Actions can be hurtful. Frustration is inevitable in marriage and that's okay. I don't expect perfection from my husband and he extends that same kindness to me. It's okay that we aren't perfect spouses. Does that mean we should say, "Well I can't love you perfectly so it doesn't matter if I am faithful to you,"? Of course not! Realizing we are not perfect does not let us off the hook of the basics of how to treat your partner. Is a frustration from an honest mistake from your husband or wife different than he or she intentionally doing something you asked them not to? That's how it is for our Creator as well. Like in a healthy marriage, we should do our best to love and honor YHWH to the best of our ability.

Similarly, a business owner doesn't hire someone for a job expecting a flawless performance every week. But that doesn't mean the employee is off the hook with his work duties either. The employer holds the employee accountable to show up on time, have a good attitude and complete the tasks required of the job. Not being perfect doesn't mean we should neglect what is asked of us.

To go back to the verse from James, the point isn't that there's no point in trying. The point is that no matter how seemingly insignificant the instruction is to us, it matters to the one who gave it to us. Don't give yourself permission to break even the lesser commandments. Yes, slip ups happen sometimes. But as in relationships and job situations we are still expected to do our best. As with the guideline of marriage vows for how to treat our spouse, the commandments are given so that we can know how to live. Like with marriage, it takes effort on our part to have the best relationship possible with the Creator.

Restoring the Paths to Live In

Isaiah 58:12 RSTNE - And they that shall be from among you shall build the old ruined places, you shall restore the foundations of many generations;  and you shall be called, Gadar-Peretz, the restorer of paths to live in.

Restorer of the Breach. The dictionary defines 'breach' like this: 

1 : infraction or violation of a law, obligation, tie, or standard

2 a : a broken, ruptured, or torn condition or area

   b : a gap (as in a wall) made by battering

So from the definition we can see the breach Isaiah is talking about here. It's a gap between us and the "paths to live in," and it was made that way by violating YHWH's instructions. It is a break in the foundation of our faith.

The Hebrew for restorer or repairer drives this point even further. The word is shuv, which is the root word of repentance, and it literally means to "turn back to YHWH." Restoration can only happen when we repent of our own ways and get back on YHWH's path.

The imagery of paths is very prevalent in Scripture; it is not limited to simply your life, but rather the way YHWH desires all of us to live. Walking on YHWH's path means doing things his way, both trusting in Yahusha and keeping the Torah instructions. Early believers in Yahusha described themselves as followers of The Way. Same idea here.

YHWH is speaking of things in his Word that have long been ruined or forgotten about.

 Things like honoring Shabbat, the Festivals of YHWH, and eating according to Scripture have been mostly disregarded throughout the centuries but YHWH is equipping us to be Restorers of this Breach. The one path of YHWH, of trusting in Yahusha and honoring the Torah, will be restored. The national heritage of Israel will be restored and YHWH will bring both houses to the truth.

This passage tells us that no matter how long his Word has been misunderstood or disregarded, YHWH promises to restore it. YHWH desires the old, foundational places of our faith be restored so that we can walk in his way, on his path. He says some of Israel will be known as 'Restorers' of his way. When the path to live in is restored, more people will walk on it.

Ezekiel 36:36 - "I YHWH rebuild the ruined places."

What does YHWH require of you?

Devarim 10:12 - And now Israel, what does YHWH your Elohim require of you? To fear YHWH, your Elohim, to have your halacha in all His halachot, and to love Him, and to serve YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and being.

This Scripture in Deuteronomy is the answer to a lot of questions. What should I do with my life? What am I hear for? What does God want from me? He wants your love and fear and he wants you to walk in his halachot.

What is a halacha? It means way, the way to walk, or to conduct's one life. Halachot is simply the plural form of that.

Conduct your life in YHWH's ways. Walk the way Yeshua did.

Yochanan 14:6 - Yeshua said to them, I am the Derech, the Emet, and the Chayim: no man comes to my Abba, except through me.

We are familiar with this Scripture translated as, "the way, the truth, and the life." Yeshua describes himself as the way. Have your way in his ways. We can see that since the beginning YHWH desired his people to walk in The Way.

The first century believers in Yeshua were known as "followers of the way." (See Acts 9) Because they both believed in Yeshua, and walked out the lifestyle that YHWH desires us to. So what does YHWH want from you? To serve Yeshua and to keep his commands.