There is a dichotomy common in christian circles today. We have divided our lives into two: spiritual and secular. Often, we think our spiritual life is expressed through prayer, bible study, giving and church attendance but our secular life is our life at work, business or the community.
This sense of dichotomy is one of the reasons some believers live a double life. The believe that the church is a holy place makes them appear as though they are holy but the moment they get to work on monday, they forget their consecration and start to play the game by worldly rules. It doesn't work that way and shouldn't be so for a child of God.
I see believers who will sing the praises of God in church and dance in thanksgiving during their birthdays or wedding in church. The moment they cross to the reception venue, it is different ball game entirely. You'll see tables filled with alcohol and the music will change from holy to unholy. Also, some bride will change dress to one that can't be described.
If you confront them, you may hear excuses like "Church is church and we must behave like church people but now we are in reception, this is purely secular". This is double life and lack of understanding about living the one life God expects us to live.
Another thing this dichotomy has done is to misrepresent what being in ministry is. Some persons see ministry only from the perspective of what is done from the pulpit while secular job is secular. The one doing ministry full time is seen as a hero while others are made to feel inferior. I don't think that is a true representation of ministry and the kingdom life.
Tomilola Kumapayi says, "In this dispensation, ministry is not just about leaving your job- it is about bringing Jesus into your job. It's about letting your 9-5 become your mission field. It's not either/ or. It's both and. The danger of idolizing "full time" ministry is that we start seeing ordinary work as secular.But the kingdom doesn't separate sacred from secular- It reclaims all ground as holy".
In this kingdom, we are called to live one life and that life is the kingdom life that should reflect in all facets of our lives including our career. From God's perspective, a believer doesn't have a secular life. He has only one life that represents the kingdom where he belongs. That life doesn't leave Jesus in church and exclude him at work.
That life brings Jesus into everything such that unbelievers will see Christ through us. It will no longer be "come to church to meet Jesus" rather it will be "meet with Jesus through Mr A or Mrs/Miss B". We must embody the life and message of the Christ everywhere we go because it is our only life.
