A Covenant, Not a Contract

By Tom Neville / September 22, 2006

If you find yourself trying to make "deals" with God, let Jesus' parable of the landowner broaden your understanding of grace.

There's a gas station near my house where unemployed laborers congregate, hoping to be hired for the day. They arrive early, eager for a full eight hours' work, but a number are usually still waiting past lunchtime. The sight always brings to mind Jesus' story of the landowner who hired workers throughout the morning and afternoon. I don't know what modern salary expectations are for day laborers, but the gas station scene makes me wonder if today's arrangements are anything like the contract in Matthew 20:1-16.

In that parable, a landowner (representing God) visited the marketplace early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Verse 2 indicates the workers set their own price; they must have been pleased because a denarius—a Roman soldier's wage—was good pay.

Every few hours, the owner returned for additional workers, telling each new crew, "I will pay you whatever is right" (v. 4). Then, shortly before quitting time, he went once again and hired men who'd received no prior offers.

When it came time to pay his workers, the landowner, contrary to the custom of the day, started with the last ones hired. After working only 60 minutes, these laborers must have been thrilled to receive a whole day's pay!

Imagine what was going through the minds of the first men hired. Having put in a full 12 hours, they were probably thinking, If those men received a denarius for just one hour's labor, we should get two weeks' salary for a day's work!

But excitement no doubt gave way to concern as those who worked longer shifts also received one denarius. Finally, when the original workers were handed the identical wage, their attitude disintegrated into full-blown anger.

But the landowner calmly responded, "Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? . . . Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" (vv. 13-15)

Does the workers' attitude make you squirm, as it does me? When others receive special grace from God, do we rejoice that He's decided to bless them, or do we at some level think, It's unfair—that's the blessing I should have received!

Grace, not merit

Recognizing myself in the parable opened me to reconsider how I view service for God. We tend to think (though perhaps subconsciously) in terms of earning divine favor, but serving the Lord isn't about merit; it's about grace—God's undeserved kindness toward humanity, without regard to the recipient's worth.

As Christians, we often speak of grace as it relates to sin and salvation, but in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, Paul describes his service for the kingdom in terms of unmerited divine blessing: "For I am … not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am . . . I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." Paul knew that grace was the only explanation for the divine call on his life and the empowerment to accomplish what God planned for him to do.

What the parable teaches—and doesn't teach

One common interpretation of the passage is that believers all receive the same reward, but this view is inconsistent with scriptures like 1 Corinthians 3:8: "... each will receive his own reward according to his own labor." Another explanation is that salvation guarantees eternal life whether the believer is 5 or 105. While that is true, the parallel quickly breaks down: those saved young enjoy God's loving provision and protection their entire life; the parable's first workers hired, however, are disgruntled about having been in the vineyard the whole time. (v. 12)

The parable is teaching about our attitude toward serving God in light of His grace. The first workers hired wanted to receive what they considered right and fair, so they made sure they had a contract with the landowner. Failing to recognize the abundance of His grace, they missed a critical truth: Our God is not a contract God; He's a covenant God.

The next three crews weren't given a contract; they simply had a promise. (v. 4) And the last workers, hired at the "eleventh hour," had only an opportunity. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we served God without resorting to contracts? ... without even insisting on having promises? In light of His grace, all we need to know is that He offers the opportunity to serve—and we can trust Him to empower us to do it successfully.

Do you have a "contract" with God?

In our fallen world, we cannot trust everyone to keep his word, so contracts are necessary. God, however, doesn't operate that way (Isaiah 55:8-9; Numbers 23:19)—He wants to give and bless extravagantly. But He won't be forced into a contract; He doesn't want to hear us say (or think), "Look at all I've done for the kingdom. What are You going to do for me?"

Many of us unknowingly try to draw up a contract with God. See if any of these "provisions" ring true with your thinking:

Our best contract pales in contrast to this, the Father's perfect covenant: Sin separates us from God's absolute holiness, and no human action can ever correct that situation. So He sent Jesus to shed His blood as payment-in-full for your sin and mine. All we have to do is believe that Christ died in our place. Then, covered by His grace, we never have to make "deals" with God.

Have you been relating to the Lord according to some "contract"? If so, discard it, or you'll miss out on the incredible blessings He longs to give you. Instead, trust Him, live under His grace, and watch the opportunities He provides in your life.