The enemy often perpetrates a lie on Christians. It’s a falsehood that keeps us disjointed and ineffective. This lie is that there is a line of demarcation between that which is spiritual and sacred and that which is common and secular. But the fact remains, there is not a Christian world and a secular world for the true believer in Christ. There is just God’s world and the fullness thereof. Reality cannot be compartmentalized for the Christian.
If we are Christ’s and indwelt of His Life, there is no separation between church and state. Living life is a continual service to God, which includes both our spiritual and secular lives. Now that word “service” sounds cold and clinical but I don’t intend it to carry that connotation. The service I am speaking of here is as it’s seen in Romans 12:1: a living sacrifice for love and worship of our Lord Jesus.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Romans 12:1 NASB
Present Your Body – Secular and Sacred
The presentation of our body for this service is in its entirety. It’s not relegating this worship only to quiet times and church services. Compartmentalizing our existence is sterile and impotent of passion and zeal. I am speaking of an act of love, not works. As a worshiper of Jesus Christ, I am giving ALL that I am for ALL that He is. This means that like Brother Lawrence, everything is done for the love of God. This is a baffling statement indeed. It is especially so for the man or woman who has compartmentalized their existence.
“It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.”
Brother Lawrence
We don’t have to be a singer on a worship team to execute worship. Worship is a life offered into the love affair with our God. The worshipper in this scenario is as much at home in the kitchen as they are in the pew. Again, if we are Christ’s and indwelt of His Life, there is no separation between church and state. His Life in me is as willing to cook a meal as it is to preach the Word. It’s at home at the sink as well as singing in the choir. To some this sounds like sacrilege, but for the true lover it is as obvious as breathing. Reality cannot be compartmentalized for the lover of God. All is for the love of God or it is not love at all.
Do All for the Love of God – Secular and Sacred
When I first heard the phrase, “Do all for the love of God,” I was frustrated. I thought, “How is God honored by my common daily tasks?” But this proved my disassociation from the purpose and LIfe of Christ. Jesus was satisfied with the Will of the Father; both common tasks and the miraculous were all the same. God’s Will and pleasure was His aim. This reality made Him as comfortable in the carpenter’s shed as walking on water. This is to be our aim, too.
The devil wishes us to compartmentalize our lives with a specific goal in mind. If I but perform my common life detached from the Spirit and Life of Christ, I nullify its heavenly value and eternal fruit. So you see why the enemy works so hard to dislocate my spirit from my common life. It neuters my ability to be an offering of love and worship. In essence, it makes the majority of my life and doings more drone than divine. This was never the intent for my saved life. My salvation was in totality; my life now in Him isn’t to be sectioned off but offered as a whole.
Being Compartmentalized – Secular and Sacred
The reward of living compartmentalized is this: guilt for not being religious enough and bitterness that I’m not given the opportunity to be spiritual. I walk around angry that my life is “muddy” with menial tasks rather than pristine with “serving the Lord.” Common life becomes the obstacle standing in the way of my holy pursuit. This is a prison! Instead of enjoying Him in all of life, we’re cast onto the treadmill to chase the wind.
Here’s the hope, living for the love of God is freedom to receive Him in my every moment. When I receive Him to fill all of my life, both secular and sacred, then I reflect His life and worship in all of my life. Then all my doings are done for the love of Him and He is glorified by all of my life. I am glad to be whole and live in the wholeness of this Life He has given.
And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory.
Colossians 3:4 NLT
In my next post I will show this reality in the current situation we find ourselves in.
The separation of church and state has always been a farce. As if the creation can separate itself from the Creator? Ridiculous. But in both accepting and allowing that lie, we’ve taught ourselves and our children that God is something we do at church but not in our everyday lives. There is never a religious vacuum- you remove God and the Good News of the Gospel- only for self-worship and an anti-Christ spirit to come rushing in. Jesus never taught us to divide ourselves in that way either. He was always clear- either all or none. So many Christians are… Read more »
The Lord is dealing with the balkiness in me… “He is enabling us to deal with things to the degree He is choosing to deal with them.” Oh, we’re in this together. There could be no other way. “There’s just God’s world.” Joy! “Reality can’t be compartmentalized.” To shut God out of my common places will keep me from His astounding places…no matter what they are. He is the joy of all the places of He in me. “All is for the love of God.” That makes everything boundless! Heaven & earth touching. We worship, He enables. His behavior in… Read more »
So timely and glorious! Thank you!
So needed for me too. Bless you Anna!
This was a recent topic of discussion in my circle of family. It is a serious challenge—to live as in the realm of constantly spiritual. And yet I notice that several in my family do live as Brother Lawrence; in fellowship with our Father, our Savior. Every event in the life seems part of His design, whether cleaning off a porch at sunset or dealing with a particularly unpleasant colleague—blessing His name for the first and forgiving in His name for the latter. Instead of being tedious, this makes life an adventure! Thank you once again putting what is easily… Read more »
Someone called today and said something similar. That the pressure we are experiencing has been forcing things to rise in us. Things we now have to deal with. And if there wasn’t this pressure, none of it would have been revealed. He is enabling us to deal with things to the degree He is choosing to deal them. So it is a continual adventure of knowing Him. Thank you for your encouragement! Love ya, LeAnn.
Just getting caught up with the blogs . . . getting a head start on my spring cleaning — this winter in Maine has been unrelenting. I had been feeling a little low because my husband is one of the lead worshipers at church (no such thing as a worship leader — that belongs to the Holy Spirit); God has gifted him in that way regarding music and so many times, because of his health issues, he wakes up very early on Sunday and tells me he doesn’t think he can make it, but as he goes on God’s grace… Read more »
Thank you John…this is very encouraging today!
Excellent word John! This lie has influenced the perception of so many. And perception determines how far we see. Our God is much bigger than any of us know; He is so big that He sets His love upon the weakest and most insignificant, unconditionally. Oh that we would Love AS HE loves. Father, lead us by your love.