Secular: Living for God in an Everyday World
The word ‘secular’ separates the everyday, worldly sphere of life from what is sacred and devoted to God. Yet for the Christian, no part of life lies outside God’s interest or rule. This article explores what ‘secular’ really means, how believers can work faithfully in the secular realm without being shaped by it, and how to stay alert to the deception that so easily blinds minds in this present age.
More Than the Material World
Secular refers to anything that is not religious or sacred, but is of this world, without any spiritual dimension or connectedness to God. Those who don’t know Christ can only speak from the natural world’s viewpoint, and so the world readily listens to them (1 Jn 4:5). Because their horizon stops at the ‘here and now’, we are to pray that non-believers see beyond it to the important eternal issues and so make wise choices.
Most Christians work in the secular, everyday world, which on the surface does not appear to have much relationship with, relevance, or value for the Kingdom of God. However any legitimate occupation assists and benefits society and develops character in the believer whose work should be done with all diligence and faithfulness, “working as unto the Lord” who will reward all such service (Col 3:22-24). ‘The world’ is an ideal place to outwork the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
Live in the world but don’t be ensnared by its deceitful lifestyle
In the World, Not of It
How else can Christianity be seen to be real and valid unless we, as Christ’s representatives, rub shoulders with non-Christians? Jesus mixed with sinners to speak into their lives and win them, yet didn’t embrace their lifestyle (Mt 11:19). Even though we are in the world, we are not to be controlled or brought under its influence (Jn 15:19; 17:15-16; Rom 12:2).
Live wisely, learning from and using the resources of the secular realm, and invest some of the money earned from your income into the Kingdom of God. Allow the experiences of this world — both secular and sacred — to develop character that will benefit you for eternity.
Shine like stars in a spiritually dark world
This will involve seeing things from God’s perspective by trying to grasp what He is doing in us through difficult circumstances, and living God-honouring lives by being filled with the Holy Spirit and “shining like stars” (1 Cor 3:3; Eph 5:18; Phil 2:15; Heb 12:2).
Deception in the So-Called Age of Enlightenment
Satan has blinded many minds so they consider a belief system as irrelevant and powerless in this modern, materialistic so-called age of enlightenment, where man is ‘god’ and the master of his own destiny (2 Cor 4:4). Liberal seminary professors even question and denounce Bible facts as myths, replacing truth with their own gospel heresy.
The ‘faith’ they proclaim is far removed from the true gospel and has no foundation. They receive new ‘truth’ from any source, not holding to the belief that the Bible is the infallible authority for Christian faith and practice — choosing instead to focus on a religious experience or man’s warped views, not the Bible’s solid truth.
Reflection and Application:
- Do your daily work “as unto the Lord”, with diligence and faithfulness, wherever He has placed you.
- Invest a deliberate portion of your income into the work of God’s Kingdom.
- Build genuine friendships with non-Christians, speaking into their lives without embracing their lifestyle.
- Ask God to help you see your circumstances from His eternal perspective, not the world’s.
See also: carnal, sacred, world, worldliness, world-view.