Sacred and Secular
I had just finished a nonprofit training about 30 minutes earlier. We were standing in the foyer area of the convention center that was filled with a buzz as participants were interacting. This new acquaintance, a nonprofit executive director, looked at me and said, “I loved your zeal and energy.”
I hadn’t had time to unpack the previous 2.5 hours yet, but I was very encouraged. Along with another developer of the curriculum, we delivered this newly created training course on nonprofit leadership and the content seemed to strongly connect with this room full of leaders representing organizations that had received government grant funding.
He continued, “I know what you’re about. I know where that comes from. I can sense the Spirit of God all over you.” I smiled and thanked him. We went on to discuss the importance of his organization’s work in the state.
As we parted ways, I turned to head toward the elevator. My heart was bursting with excitement with this affirmation of what I know God has called us to – His Spirit moving through us outside the walls of the church just like he does inside!
Scripture
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see. The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:22-28
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Points to Ponder
In the Matthew passage, the crowds saw the deliverance and were astounded, then reasoned that this might be sacred. The Pharisees heard about the deliverance and were disgusted, then reasoned that it was likely secular. Our first-hand experience with something often impacts our clarity and discernment.
God’s creativity is the impetus of everything and therefore everything’s origin is sacred. There are two influences through which the sacred becomes secular – Satan and our flesh. God sees every secular thing as something that was sacred, and his desire is that everything would be reconciled to himself and his purposes. Will everything and everyone be reconciled? No, but that is his desire.
In alignment with his desire, God has called us into this same ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). At its root meaning, reconciliation involves change and exchange. God has sent his son into the secular to offer this change and exchange for the sacred. However, as we see in the 2 Corinthians passage, when the secular does not want to take God up on this exchange, the sacred is not to be yoked together with the secular.
Kingdom Strategy
The sacred being in proximity to the secular for the purpose of reconciliation is mandated; the sacred being yoked together with the secular that rejects reconciliation with the sacred is repudiated.