It is here that we need to remind ourselves not to look at things—even success—as the world looks at them. While it is true that the effects of the fall permeate all that we do, the work of Christ redeems us and transforms our perspective on all things, including our labors. Because Christ has triumphed over sin and death, He has made us new creatures whose identity is found in Him, as is our success. The Westminster Confession tells us that insofar as our good works are done in faith and obedience toward God, they are pleasing to Him and bring Him glory and honor. But what makes our good works ultimately acceptable to God is that they are accepted “in Him” (WCF 16.6). God is pleased to look upon our good works, including the work we do in our vocations, as being in Christ, and as He does so, He is pleased with us. This does not mean that our work will ever be perfect in this life, but it does mean that in God’s eyes it is pleasing and acceptable. Thus, genuine success for us can be found as we realize that only by our being in Christ is anything that we do pleasing to God. Therefore, because we are in Christ, our work “under the sun” is redeemed and pleasing in the sight of God.
Upon this foundation of our being redeemed in Christ through the gospel, we realize the beauty and importance of striving to work in ways that are pleasing to God. God has not simply redeemed us from something; He has also redeemed us to something. According to Ephesians 2:10, we have been “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” This certainly includes our vocations. God has re-created us in the image of Christ and endowed us with the ability to work in a way that pleases Him.
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