The more you understand your freedom in Christ, the more you will realize life is no longer divided into secular and spiritual. For example, many Christians may believe their jobs are secular, but their service in church is spiritual. Cheering for a favorite sports team is secular, but singing praises to God is spiritual. Listening to any genre of music is secular unless it is Christian music, which is then spiritual.
God enjoys living in you, so He enjoys the things you enjoy, such as watching your favorite movie, hiking, listening to music, reading books, or playing sports. But, of course, He also enjoys living in and through you to study the Bible, pray, witness, worship, and serve. When God is living through you in any activity, it is spiritual. It’s even worship and glorifies him. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (NASB).
This is especially interesting because the context of this verse is about the freedom strong Christians have in contrast to weak Christians. In fact, earlier in 1 Corinthians 10:23, Paul writes, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify” (NASB). Paul is obviously not approving sinful behavior. Jesus never leaves us, but he’s hindered from living through us when the flesh is controlling us. When He is not living through us, the flesh is expressing itself through us at that time. Nonetheless, Paul is saying that, otherwise, because of God’s grace, we are free to enjoy all of life.
Also, the word secular is not the same thing as the word worldly. To live worldly means to live sinfully. First John 2:16 is clear about what worldliness is: “Everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
The lust of the flesh includes sex apart from marriage, drunkenness, abusing drugs, and gluttony. The lust of the eyes is a lack of contentment, as displayed by always wanting to own the newest thing so you can try to feel happy. The pride of life is the arrogance of believing that you and not God are the center and source of your life. When Jesus Christ is expressing himself through us, the Holy Spirit will lead us away from a worldly life.
God will never lead you to live a worldly life. Otherwise, all activities in life are spiritual when Jesus is living through you. He will lead you to live a holy life. A holy life is not living by a list of dos and don’ts. It’s not about secular versus spiritual activities. A holy life is a life lived from God’s love flowing through you. A life of love will always glorify God.
All of life is holy when Jesus is living through you. All of life is worship when Jesus is living through you. All of life glorifies God when Jesus is living through you.
If you’ve allowed a legalistic, religious mindset to separate your behavior into secular versus spiritual categories, abandon that thinking right now. Take a moment to pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus, I realize that up until now, I’ve divided life into secular and spiritual because of my legalistic, religious mindset. I don’t want to do that any longer. I want to live a life of freedom under your grace. So starting right now, I ask you to remind me that when you’re living through me, everything I do is spiritual, everything I do is holy, everything is worship, and everything except sin glorifies God. Thank you for revealing this truth as another liberating expression of the abundant life I have under your grace in Jesus Christ. Amen.
(c) God’s Best-Kept Secret: Christianity Is Easier Thank You Think, Author, Mark Maulding
