A hard question
Athens and Jerusalem. Tertulian once asked what one had to do with the other. Not to offend the theologians among us, but I think he was onto something. For years I have heard talk of secular lives and spiritual lives, a duality of the human psyche it seems. But I think this is perhaps, artificial.
Is there ever a time when Christ is not present? Is there ever a time he does not see us? Is there ever a time when he wishes us not to reveal him to another? What then of a secular life? A secular aspect to our being?
Sometimes I wonder if heaven and hell are all around us, and we just can’t see them. I believe its in John where Jesus tells some that before they die they will see the coming of the kingdom. And I believe it was Joshua who, when sorely outnumbered by his enemy, looked up and saw an army in the air around him.
This is a hard idea to put into practice. It means, to some, a substantial hardship. Imagine a teacher sharing her faith with a student, or a lawyer with his client, a doctor with his patient. Does that get you nervous? Have we come so far that this is against the law? That this is bad?
Some would ask what if others could do the same? Well, I answer why shouldn’t they. Isn’t it a battle that we are in? And if so, bring on the fight! Don’t let others tell you that there is none. The battle is real. One battle I believe is the realization that there is no secular aspect to our lives. To buy into that is to admit defeat. It is a lie. Where we do not pronounce our faith, another pronounces that Faith is not. We are cut off at the pass.
Picture Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. “Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied ‘judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.’ For we cannot help speak about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:18.
What is the hard part? Doesn't it stem from our finite perspective? Isn't it an issue of faith. In these times, let us not forget that there are indeed four in the fire.
posted by miguelito @ 9:02 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
How would you define the sacred, Mike?
How do you define the secular?
If everything is sacred, do those categories even exist anymore?
An annoying professor of mine would ask questions like these. :)
Josh,
what is sacred and what is secular? If by secular you mean a part of our life that we don't live in the sacred, what part of our life could that possibly be? If by sacred you mean in the presence of God, what part of our lives is this? If by secular you mean parts of our life that we havn't yet given over to God, then secular is just another word for sinful, and it is not really a different "life" that we have, it isn't a dichotomy of the human psyche, it is, more so, an influence that is exerted over us. But to say we have sacred and secular lives, separate and apart from each other in that context, and to talk of the need to blend them somehow, is ludicrous. One must simply die on the cross, and the other must take over entirely. Sacred and Secular is nothing but a concept which exists nowhere outside of the human mind. Our "sacred" lives are not moments when we are in Gods presence. We are always in God's presence, because we are God's presence, so long as the holy spirit is in us.
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