One of the greatest hindrances2 to internal peace which the Christian3 encounters is the common habit of dividing our lives into two areas, the sacred and the secular4. As these areas are conceived to exist apart from each other and to be morally and spiritually incompatible5, and as we are compelled by the necessities of living to be always crossing back and forth6 from the one to the other, our inner lives tend to break up so that we live a divided instead of a unified7 life.
Our trouble springs from the fact that we who follow Christ inhabit at once two worlds, the spiritual and the natural. As children of Adam we live our lives on earth subject to the limitations of the flesh and the weaknesses and ills to which human nature is heir.[Pg 118] Merely to live among men requires of us years of hard toil8 and much care and attention to the things of this world. In sharp contrast to this is our life in the Spirit. There we enjoy another and higher kind of life; we are children of God; we possess heavenly status and enjoy intimate fellowship with Christ.
This tends to divide our total life into two departments. We come unconsciously to recognize two sets of actions. The first are performed with a feeling of satisfaction and a firm assurance that they are pleasing to God. These are the sacred acts and they are usually thought to be prayer, Bible reading, hymn9 singing, church attendance and such other acts as spring directly from faith. They may be known by the fact that they have no direct relation to this world, and would have no meaning whatever except as faith shows us another world, "an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Over against these sacred acts are the secular ones. They include all of the ordinary activities of life which we share with the sons and daughters of Adam: eating, sleeping, working, looking after the needs of the body and performing our dull and prosaic10 duties here on earth. These we often do reluctantly and with many misgivings11, often apologizing to God for what we consider a waste of time and strength. The upshot of this is that we are uneasy most of the time. We go about our common tasks with a feeling of deep frustration,[Pg 119] telling ourselves pensively12 that there's a better day coming when we shall slough13 off this earthly shell and be bothered no more with the affairs of this world.
This is the old sacred-secular antithesis14. Most Christians15 are caught in its trap. They cannot get a satisfactory adjustment between the claims of the two worlds. They try to walk the tight rope between two kingdoms and they find no peace in either. Their strength is reduced, their outlook confused and their joy taken from them.
I believe this state of affairs to be wholly unnecessary. We have gotten ourselves on the horns of a dilemma16, true enough, but the dilemma is not real. It is a creature of misunderstanding. The sacred-secular antithesis has no foundation in the New Testament17. Without doubt a more perfect understanding of Christian truth will deliver us from it.
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is our perfect example, and He knew no divided life. In the Presence of His Father He lived on earth without strain from babyhood to His death on the cross. God accepted the offering of His total life, and made no distinction between act and act. "I do always the things that please him," was His brief summary of His own life as it related to the Father. As He moved among men He was poised18 and restful. What pressure and suffering He endured grew out of His position as the world's[Pg 120] sin bearer; they were never the result of moral uncertainty19 or spiritual maladjustment.
Paul's exhortation20 to "do all to the glory of God" is more than pious21 idealism. It is an integral part of the sacred revelation and is to be accepted as the very Word of Truth. It opens before us the possibility of making every act of our lives contribute to the glory of God. Lest we should be too timid to include everything, Paul mentions specifically eating and drinking. This humble22 privilege we share with the beasts that perish. If these lowly animal acts can be so performed as to honor God, then it becomes difficult to conceive of one that cannot.
That monkish23 hatred24 of the body which figures so prominently in the works of certain early devotional writers is wholly without support in the Word of God. Common modesty25 is found in the Sacred Scriptures26, it is true, but never prudery or a false sense of shame. The New Testament accepts as a matter of course that in His incarnation our Lord took upon Him a real human body, and no effort is made to steer27 around the downright implications of such a fact. He lived in that body here among men and never once performed a non-sacred act. His presence in human flesh sweeps away forever the evil notion that there is about the human body something innately28 offensive to the Deity29. God created our bodies, and we do not offend Him by[Pg 121] placing the responsibility where it belongs. He is not ashamed of the work of His own hands.
Perversion30, misuse31 and abuse of our human powers should give us cause enough to be ashamed. Bodily acts done in sin and contrary to nature can never honor God. Wherever the human will introduces moral evil we have no longer our innocent and harmless powers as God made them; we have instead an abused and twisted thing which can never bring glory to its Creator.
Let us, however, assume that perversion and abuse are not present. Let us think of a Christian believer in whose life the twin wonders of repentance32 and the new birth have been wrought33. He is now living according to the will of God as he understands it from the written Word. Of such a one it may be said that every act of his life is or can be as truly sacred as prayer or baptism or the Lord's Supper. To say this is not to bring all acts down to one dead level; it is rather to lift every act up into a living kingdom and turn the whole life into a sacrament.
If a sacrament is an external expression of an inward grace than we need not hesitate to accept the above thesis. By one act of consecration34 of our total selves to God we can make every subsequent act express that consecration. We need no more be ashamed of our body—the fleshly servant that carries us through life—than Jesus was of the humble beast upon which He[Pg 122] rode into Jerusalem. "The Lord hath need of him" may well apply to our mortal bodies. If Christ dwells in us we may bear about the Lord of glory as the little beast did of old and give occasion to the multitudes to cry, "Hosanna in the highest."
That we see this truth is not enough. If we would escape from the toils35 of the sacred-secular dilemma the truth must "run in our blood" and condition the complexion36 of our thoughts. We must practice living to the glory of God, actually and determinedly37. By meditation38 upon this truth, by talking it over with God often in our prayers, by recalling it to our minds frequently as we move about among men, a sense of its wondrous39 meaning will begin to take hold of us. The old painful duality will go down before a restful unity40 of life. The knowledge that we are all God's, that He has received all and rejected nothing, will unify41 our inner lives and make everything sacred to us.
This is not quite all. Long-held habits do not die easily. It will take intelligent thought and a great deal of reverent42 prayer to escape completely from the sacred-secular psychology43. For instance it may be difficult for the average Christian to get hold of the idea that his daily labors44 can be performed as acts of worship acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The old antithesis will crop up in the back of his head sometimes to disturb his peace of mind. Nor will that old serpent the devil take all this lying down. He will be there in the cab[Pg 123] or at the desk or in the field to remind the Christian that he is giving the better part of his day to the things of this world and allotting45 to his religious duties only a trifling46 portion of his time. And unless great care is taken this will create confusion and bring discouragement and heaviness of heart.
We can meet this successfully only by the exercise of an aggressive faith. We must offer all our acts to God and believe that He accepts them. Then hold firmly to that position and keep insisting that every act of every hour of the day and night be included in the transaction. Keep reminding God in our times of private prayer that we mean every act for His glory; then supplement those times by a thousand thought-prayers as we go about the job of living. Let us practice the fine art of making every work a priestly ministration. Let us believe that God is in all our simple deeds and learn to find Him there.
A concomitant of the error which we have been discussing is the sacred-secular antithesis as applied48 to places. It is little short of astonishing that we can read the New Testament and still believe in the inherent sacredness of places as distinguished49 from other places. This error is so widespread that one feels all alone when he tries to combat it. It has acted as a kind of dye to color the thinking of religious persons and has colored the eyes as well so that it is all but impossible to detect its fallacy. In the face of every New[Pg 124] Testament teaching to the contrary it has been said and sung throughout the centuries and accepted as a part of the Christian message, the which it most surely is not. Only the Quakers, so far as my knowledge goes, have had the perception to see the error and the courage to expose it.
Here are the facts as I see them. For four hundred years Israel had dwelt in Egypt, surrounded by the crassest50 idolatry. By the hand of Moses they were brought out at last and started toward the land of promise. The very idea of holiness had been lost to them. To correct this, God began at the bottom. He localized Himself in the cloud and fire and later when the tabernacle had been built He dwelt in fiery51 manifestation52 in the Holy of Holies. By innumerable distinctions God taught Israel the difference between holy and unholy. There were holy days, holy vessels53, holy garments. There were washings, sacrifices, offerings of many kinds. By these means Israel learned that God is holy. It was this that He was teaching them. Not the holiness of things or places, but the holiness of Jehovah was the lesson they must learn.
Then came the great day when Christ appeared. Immediately He began to say, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time—but I say unto you." The Old Testament schooling54 was over. When Christ died on the cross the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom. The Holy of Holies was opened to every[Pg 125]one who would enter in faith. Christ's words were remembered, "The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.... But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
Shortly after, Paul took up the cry of liberty and declared all meats clean, every day holy, all places sacred and every act acceptable to God. The sacredness of times and places, a half-light necessary to the education of the race, passed away before the full sun of spiritual worship.
The essential spirituality of worship remained the possession of the Church until it was slowly lost with the passing of the years. Then the natural legality of the fallen hearts of men began to introduce the old distinctions. The Church came to observe again days and seasons and times. Certain places were chosen and marked out as holy in a special sense. Differences were observed between one and another day or place or person, "The sacraments" were first two, then three, then four until with the triumph of Romanism they were fixed55 at seven.
In all charity, and with no desire to reflect unkindly upon any Christian, however misled, I would point out that the Roman Catholic church represents[Pg 126] today the sacred-secular heresy56 carried to its logical conclusion. Its deadliest effect is the complete cleavage it introduces between religion and life. Its teachers attempt to avoid this snare58 by many footnotes and multitudinous explanations, but the mind's instinct for logic57 is too strong. In practical living the cleavage is a fact.
From this bondage59 reformers and puritans and mystics have labored60 to free us. Today the trend in conservative circles is back toward that bondage again. It is said that a horse after it has been led out of a burning building will sometimes by a strange obstinacy61 break loose from its rescuer and dash back into the building again to perish in the flame. By some such stubborn tendency toward error Fundamentalism in our day is moving back toward spiritual slavery. The observation of days and times is becoming more and more prominent among us. "Lent" and "holy week" and "good" Friday are words heard more and more frequently upon the lips of gospel Christians. We do not know when we are well off.
In order that I may be understood and not be misunderstood I would throw into relief the practical implications of the teaching for which I have been arguing, i.e., the sacramental quality of every day living. Over against its positive meanings I should like to point out a few things it does not mean.
It does not mean, for instance, that everything we do is of equal importance with everything else we[Pg 127] do or may do. One act of a good man's life may differ widely from another in importance. Paul's sewing of tents was not equal to his writing of an Epistle to the Romans, but both were accepted of God and both were true acts of worship. Certainly it is more important to lead a soul to Christ than to plant a garden, but the planting of the garden can be as holy an act as the winning of a soul.
Again, it does not mean that every man is as useful as every other man. Gifts differ in the body of Christ. A Billy Bray62 is not to be compared with a Luther or a Wesley for sheer usefulness to the Church and to the world; but the service of the less gifted brother is as pure as that of the more gifted, and God accepts both with equal pleasure.
The "layman63" need never think of his humbler task as being inferior to that of his minister. Let every man abide64 in the calling wherein he is called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry65. It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive66 is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act. All he does is good and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For such a man, living itself will be sacramental and the whole world a sanctuary67. His entire life will be a priestly ministration. As he performs his never so simple task he will hear the voice of the seraphim68 say[Pg 128]ing, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
Lord, I would trust Thee completely; I would be altogether Thine; I would exalt69 Thee above all. I desire that I may feel no sense of possessing anything outside of Thee. I want constantly to be aware of Thy overshadowing Presence and to hear Thy speaking Voice. I long to live in restful sincerity70 of heart. I want to live so fully47 in the Spirit that all my thought may be as sweet incense71 ascending72 to Thee and every act of my life may be an act of worship. Therefore I pray in the words of Thy great servant of old, "I beseech73 Thee so for to cleanse74 the intent of mine heart with the unspeakable gift of Thy grace, that I may perfectly75 love Thee and worthily76 praise Thee." And all this I confidently believe Thou wilt77 grant me through the merits of Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen.
The End
The End
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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hindrances
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| 阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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secular
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| n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的 | |
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incompatible
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| adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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unified
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| (unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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prosaic
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| adj.单调的，无趣的 | |
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misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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antithesis
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| n.对立；相对 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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testament
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| n.遗嘱；证明 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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monkish
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| adj.僧侣的，修道士的，禁欲的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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innately
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| adv.天赋地；内在地，固有地 | |
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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perversion
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| n.曲解；堕落；反常 | |
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misuse
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| n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用 | |
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repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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consecration
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| n.供献，奉献，献祭仪式 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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unify
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| vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致 | |
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reverent
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| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
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psychology
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| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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allotting
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的现在分词 ) | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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crassest
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| adj.愚笨的，粗鲁的，全然不顾他人的( crass的最高级 ) | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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schooling
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| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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layman
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| n.俗人，门外汉，凡人 | |
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64
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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seraphim
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| n.六翼天使(seraph的复数)；六翼天使( seraph的名词复数 ) | |
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69
exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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71
incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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cleanse
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| vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗 | |
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75
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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76
worthily
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| 重要地，可敬地，正当地 | |
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77
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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