“Do what you love” is what’s on the back of a shared space/office access card in my possession.  I know I have this card but I’ve forgotten what’s printed on it after having it for so long, although I’m sure I noticed it when I first got it.  This phrase often appears on the list of things that the successful people do to get to where they are at, and that’s cool, but what does it mean for Christians in this world? Does this apply? The answer is: it depends.

In Revelation 2:4, Christ charge the church of Ephesus with the fact that they have forgotten about their first love:

“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4, NASB)

This church of Ephesus reside in a prosperous city and have outward appearance of continuing in Christ but the warning from the Lord reveals that while it has the form but inwardly they have gone astray and forgotten their first love.  Astute readers of Revelation will realize that the commendations and condemnations against seven churches aren’t just toward historical churches but also toward the collective visible church of this aeon.  As such, some does well and receive praise while others only having external formality without inward faith wrought love for Christ are warned.

So what should the believers do?

It’s simple, go back to your first love and never forget Him.  Believer’s first love should be the triune God.  In garden Adam had communion with God, in Ur of Chaldea Abraham was called out by God, the generation of  Israel in the wilderness was lead and protected by the theophanic appearance of God (cloud in the morning and pillar of fire in the evening), David was protected by God, the exilic generation received the word of God through the prophets, and Christ (whom the law and prophet point to) fulfilled the promise salvation by accomplishing redemption upon the cross, dying for the sin of His people and imputing His righteousness to them that they have stand as just before the judgement throne of God and are able to enter into the presence of God.  This same Christ reminds those who are anxious about this life to

“[S]eek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NASB)

Through the Apostle Paul, God has revealed that the life of believers are joined to the life of Christ, not just in His historical earthly sojourns but also in His eschatological heavenly presence.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6, NASB)

Notice the language of being seated (συνεκάθισεν) with Christ is an Aorist Indicative indicating that it has already occurred for the believers; currently, believers are seated with Him spiritually through the Holy Spirit who indwells the believers and operate in the eschatological dimension where Christ is, and when we depart this aeon we will behold such reality in its fullness and see its magnificence fully.  But don’t wait till then to live out our identity as citizen of heaven, already seated with Christ spiritually; we do it NOW.  Not only in our church life or private life but also in the vocation we are called into.  This doesn’t mean that everyone is quit their job and enter into full time ministry, but everyone ought to glorify God in their vocation, through their attitude and performance:

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” (Colossians 3:23, NASB)

Lest we forget, the Westminster Divines also remind us of the following in the Shorter Catechism:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Therefore, Christians are free to work in whatever vocation they love as long as the work isn’t prohibited by Scripture (explicitly or implicitly), and we need to be sure to glorify God at our work, performing in way that matches our heavenly identity.

Soli Deo Gloria