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

Here's When the Biblical Holidays Happen in 2026

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2026.

If you're looking for next year's dates for Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles you have come to the right place. These holidays have historic and prophetic meaning in Scripture and believers today can take part in that by adding these dates to their calendars!

While the Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar so the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2026?

Passover - April 1-2

Unleavened Bread - April 2-9

First Fruits - April 4-5

Shavuot - May 21-23

Feast of Trumpets - September 11-13

Yom Kippur - September 20-21

Feast of Tabernacles - September 25 - October 2

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 1 and goes through the evening of the 2nd. If you do not observe days as starting in the evening, then celebrating Passover the day of April 2nd would be appropriate. This calendar also gives an extra day to both the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot, even though in the Bible they are both just one day events...feel free to just celebrate the first day of those!

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these days are considered Sabbaths which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles. This means that believers should request off from work or arrange to be away from their business on those days, as well as refrain from shopping, errands, and yard or household projects and chores. 

Sabbath days for 2026:

April 2-3
April 8-9
May 21-22
September 11-12
September 20-21
September 25-26
October 1-2

As well as all weekly Sabbaths, of course.

You have the opportunity to celebrate what God has done by joining in on the Biblical holidays this year!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Biblical Holidays Are for All Believers
Six Reasons Believers Should Keep the Bible's Holidays Today

Is Romans 14:5 About Fasting or the Sabbath?

This post examines the meaning of Romans 14:5 and what it means by saying that one person considers certain days more sacred than another, and specifically if it's talking about Sabbath keeping or celebrating Bible holidays. We will take a look at correct understanding of this New Testament passage to see that it's talking about fasting.

"One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind." -Romans 14:5

People often take this verse to mean:

-It doesn't matter what day we keep the Sabbath.

-That the Sabbath day is not more sacred than the other six days of the week.

-That Biblical holidays like Passover are of no consequence, because all days are the same.

-It's up to us to decide if anything related to the Sabbath or Bible holidays matters.

And if this one verse was all I had to go by, I'd have to say, all of those ideas would make sense...but we have 31,000 other verses of Scripture that we can check these beliefs against. It is reckless to pull one verse out of the Bible and insistent that it somehow undoes many other parts of the word of God. 

These interpretations are only possible when we yank the above verse grossly out of context. I had a science teacher with a somewhat defective skeleton in his classroom. There was a way he could grab the spine and it would completely separate from the rest of the bone structure. It was disconcerting to watch even a fake spine move like that. And that's basically what's happening to Romans 14:5.

People are quick to yank the fifth verse out and claim it's about the Sabbath, but the entire rest of the chapter is about food and eating! Look at the context: the passage starts with talking about how some people eat meat, but some stick to vegetarian diets, it talks about fast days, and the importance of not distressing others with what you eat.

Doesn't it seem rather odd to say that this verse is positively dealing with the Sabbath and/or Biblical holidays when it doesn't once mention them, and the entirety of the chapter is focused on eating? It wouldn't make a lot of sense for Paul to jam another topic in the middle of his thoughts on food...especially when we don't see that idea expressed anywhere else in the Old or New Testaments. Actually, Scripture repeatedly tells us the opposite of this thought...it says that the seventh day is holy. If the point of Romans 14:5 is to say that the seventh day is not holy, then that's totally out of line with many parts of Scripture.

So what does Romans 14:5 actually mean?

While there isn't any evidence suggesting that "one person considers one day more sacred than another," is supposed to mean, "You get to decide when the Sabbath is, or if there's even such thing as a Sabbath day." We know this cannot be what the Bible means, because the Bible many times says the opposite. One of the ten commandments is to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

But if we look at this comment in light of the very next verse, we see that it's about fasting.

"Whoever regards as special does so to YHWH. Whoever eats meat does so to YHWH, for they give thanks to God, and whoever abstains does so to YHWH and gives thanks to God." -Romans 14:6

Romans 14:6 shows us that Romans 14:5 means that it's not a Biblical issue if you think one day is more sacred for fasting, than another. 

While Scripture speaks often of fasting, and the Messiah's words in Matthew 6:16 (When you fast, not if) imply fasting as a given in the lives of his followers, it does not specify certain days as especially good or not for fasting.

(A lot of people will bring up Yom Kippur and the directive in Leviticus 23:29 directive to 'deny yourselves.' Note that the word used for 'deny' is a different one from what Scripture uses for fasting. A case could certainly be made that fasting can be part of denying or humbling oneself, but it is not an explicit call for all Israel to fast. This could have been in debate at the time, and could even be what Paul is seeking to address in this part of Romans.)

Note that while Paul is validating differences between believers, he is doing so only in regards to actions that fit within Biblical law. Fasting and not fasting are both permissible in Biblical law, as are vegetarian diets and non vegetarian diets. Paul is not saying that actions don't matter at all and that believers are now free to cast away commandments of God. He's saying that certain differences are okay. There may be days when you feel especially called to fast, but it's okay if other believers don't feel this same call, because Scripture does not command all believers to fast on any specific day.

Romans 14:5 is saying that some people consider certain days more sacred...for fasting from food. Paul is saying that it's okay to think this or not, because while the Bible speaks of the significance of fasting, it doesn't say that any certain days are for fasting. 

Related posts:
Romans 14 Explained (Key to Understanding New Testaments Verses on Food)
Veganism is Not a Biblical Commandment
What Does Romans 8:28 Actually Mean? (God Works All Things Together For Good)

Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Christmas

There is a growing movement in the body of Christ that is setting aside the holiday of Christmas and no longer taking part in its festivities. These aren't people that are walking away from the faith or who no longer believe in the Messiah, but people growing their faith who are no longer compelled to participate in this widely loved custom. Some who have gone this route might refer to themselves as Torah observant, Hebrew roots, or whole Bible believers, but most don't give themselves any sort of special denomination - they are followers of the Messiah, who have chosen to step away from Christmas.

In this post we will discover:

-Why more and more Christians are no longer participating in Christmas

-What the Bible says about this traditional holiday

-The origins of Christmas

-How believers are instead honoring the Messiah

Maybe you've noticed this trend in your community. Long-standing members of church no longer showing up for the Christmas Eve service. Maybe your in-laws have let you know they won't be celebrating Christmas or buying gifts for the grandkids. Neighbors no longer putting a tree in their front window. Friends sharing that Christmas makes them uncomfortable and dialing back.

It's easy to assume they are no longer believers in Jesus since they aren't celebrating his birth in this traditional way. When I stopped celebrating Christmas, people assumed I no longer had faith in God, and when acquaintances hear that I don't celebrate, they assume I have a Jewish background. But for a large proportion of Christians, neither of those are the case! More and more people who love the Messiah - and are thankful he was born - choose to no longer take part in this holiday that commemorates his birth. We are going to explore why this is.

Why are people no longer celebrating Christmas?

A little research into Christmas reveals some concerning truths:

-This holiday was not created in Jesus's honor.

-Christmas does not come from the Bible, but is rooted in practices that were never intended to glorify YHWH.

-We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Savior was not born in December.

-Many parts of modern celebrations have their origins in ungodly things or are even expressly forbidden by Scripture.

-You'd have to turn several blind eyes to pretend that modern Christmas celebrations are not focused on consumerism.

Yes, Christmas can be fun and even spiritually meaningful, but that does not negate the concerns listed here. 

What does the Bible say about Christmas?

Precisely nothing.

Many people believe that Christmas is in the Bible, but no, only the story of the Savior's birth is. It's important to recognize that the word Christmas is never used in Scripture, and there are no Biblical directives to commemorate the birth of Jesus. If the Bible did direct us to celebrate the Messiah's birth, then it would be inappropriate to ignore that directive. But Jesus never requested we celebrate his birth, and there's no mention of the disciples or early church ever doing so. The modern emphasis on celebrating birthdays in general is a relatively new idea - in the Bible, there are only two or three birthdays mentioned and the events correlated to those are not good. It's not truthful to act like Christmas is the 11th commandment, just because it's something we like to do.

Whether or not it was created with intent to honor God, Christmas is still a manmade holiday. I could create a holiday to commemorate Jesus feeding the 5,000. It could be fun and meaningful, but it would hardly be appropriate to say you don't love God if you don't keep it along with me.

What problems are there in modern Christmas celebrations?

It's also obvious that there are some major problems with the Christmas holiday today. Luke 2 is a wonderful part of Scripture...but nowhere does it mention Santa Claus, decorating trees, elves, holiday lights, mistletoe, yule logs, or any of the symbols we most associate with this holiday. Most of these things are linked to practices not from the Bible and not intended to honor God, but even if we choose to ignore all those things, we are left facing rampant consumerism and greed.

Gift giving is out of control.

Consumerism is the god that is most glorified in the Christmas season, at least in western society today. People are going into debt, spending huge sums on products that are mostly unethically made and profiting unethical corporations. Things that mostly aren't good for mental health (looking at you, smart phones, laptops, tablets, and devices), physical health (candy, 'beauty' products), or the earth (wrapping paper destined for landfills, electronics, plastic items). And by doing so, we create a culture of shame and despair for poor families or individuals in hard times who are unable to buy Christmas gifts for their kids. Collectively we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on things for our loved ones that mostly aren't needed, while knowing full-well there are billions of poor people around the world without clean water or enough to eat. We give children designer clothing and the latest toys and gadgets, well aware that this leaves some of their classmates feeling like lesser-thans or have-nots come January. I deeply struggle to see how we can pretend this honors the Living God.

What are the origins of Christmas?

There's a lot of evidence that points to Christmas being connected to an ancient Roman holiday known as Saturnalia, and many common Christmas traditions originated from that. It's important to note that Saturnalia was kept before the birth of the Messiah. The festival was in the honor of the Roman god Saturn, who was thought to rule over time, wealth, and agriculture. Festivities included sacrifices at the temple of Saturn, gift giving, parties, and feasts.

Most people today have no intention of worshipping Saturn by taking part in Christmas, but is this really the best possible way we can honor the Savior of the world? By borrowing heavily from the festival dedicated to a Roman god? It's a bit like attending a second wedding for someone, and realizing that all the details from the location to the flower choices to the vows and the dress are the same as from their first wedding. That's no way to honor and celebrate a new marriage.

What are people doing instead of Christmas?

There's been a huge influx in the number of believers that are celebrating the holidays that YHWH created - the Biblical holidays listed in Leviticus 23. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that God created and then commanded believers to celebrate "for all generations." These holidays have the spiritual depth and meaning that many of us have so longingly looked for in Christmas and Easter.

Christmas often emphasizes appearances - did you decorate your house? your tree? bake 15 kinds of cookies? make elf themed lunch boxes for kids? buy ugly sweaters? - the Biblical holidays put far less emphasis on how things look, but actually deliver spiritual connection, and are physically and spiritually restorative. These are true gifts to anyone who has ever felt like they were drowning in the pressure of holiday 'musts'.

It's been more than 15 years since I stopped participating in Christmas, and you know what? I don't feel like I'm missing out. I am not isolated from my family and have figured out other ways and times to connect with loved ones. I don't look at the holiday seasons of my friends with envy, because most of them are getting very little joy from this time of year. When I compare the stress and pressure of Christmas with the peace and joy I've gained from keeping the Biblical holidays instead, I would never want to go back.

What to do with friends who no longer celebrate Christmas:

They could use your support, because they have made a hard decision that few people understand. Even if you don't agree with their choice, you can still encourage them and show kindness.

Rather than shaming friends and family with comments like, "You must not love Jesus if you don't celebrate Christmas," give them credit for studying and working to honor God in all of their lives. Or ask them about how their faith has grown.

Choosing to no longer celebrate Christmas is not an easy choice to make or one made lightly for most people. Most of us have really great memories of worship and family time during this holiday season, and no one wants to be the bad guy for ruining the family tradition. Admitting to loved ones that you feel like God is calling you to stop keeping Christmas is difficult, and no one makes that choice because they don't care about their family or want to be left out of the fun. And it's not a choice made because they don't serve the Messiah - plenty of people and cultures around the world take part in Christmas festivities without any thought to remembering the Savior's birth.

If you have loved ones making this choice, please know that it is not because they don't care about you, and they certainly don't want to miss out on connection with you! Chances are they've worried considerably over hurting your feelings or offending you. They are simply doing their best to honor God after learning that Christmas is not from the Bible.

Not only is Christmas not something the Bible gives us instruction to do, but it has been mixed with ungodly customs and behaviors, and in keeping it many things are done that dishonor YHWH. Yes, there are people who manage to keep Santa and blind greed out of their festivities, but by taking part in Christmas you are actively mixing the Biblical truth of the Messiah's birth in Luke 2, with lies. At the worst we can say that Christmas is blatantly pagan, and at best we can say it's settling for less than God's best for us.

More posts on Christmas:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Christmas
Quitting Christmas - Questions and Answers
Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?