“… and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf. Therefore, from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer…if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:15-17

As a newly minted Christian, I thought it was OK to continue living by my old rules: e.g., “business is business,” “all’s fair in love and war,” “buyer beware,” etc.

It wasn’t until much later that I came to understand that a visit to the supermarket, dentist’s office or Home Depot was just as “holy” an occasion as going to church for a believer.

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:7-10:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.”

I thought I could keep the “secular” parts of my life separate from the “spiritual” parts.

Trouble is, I was born again, and positionally “in Christ,” and therefore every part of my new life was spiritual and to be lived out as an integrated unit, reporting to my Lord and Master Jesus.

I needed to be housebroken to live at peace in the family of God … And it was all good.

Years ago, I was a master “compartmentalizer,” most men are. Our brains are filled with mental “boxes” that contain various parts of our lives (e.g., work, leisure, home life, thought life, spiritual, etc.).

One rule: the boxes never touch, never interact. The boxes function separately and run by their own rules, values and behavior, for better or worse.

That explains how a church leader, for instance, can be a preacher on Sunday (Box 1) and an alcoholic (Box 2) on Monday.

Women? Meh, not so much compartmentalization. For them, EVERYTHING is connected.

Seemingly disparate facts and experiences, thought to be long forgotten, come alive and interact with blinding speed — often throwing their mate back on his heels in an argument.

Women’s lives tend to be more integrated. Their Sunday selves and their Monday selves are more or less identical.

So, what’s a man (or woman) to do to live up to their potential as Christians in a world that is hostile to their chosen Christian worldview?

Referring to the passage above:

“… no longer live for themself …”

“Me, me, me” was my unwritten guiding mantra. When Christ entered my life, the old things needed to pass away, pronto.

That’s where the Holy Spirit came in. He gradually exposed my countless selfish ways and gently encouraged me to look away from myself to the needs of others — this has been a lifetime process.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:2-4:

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

“… recognize no one by the flesh …”

I needed to stop appraising people by their external appearances, possessions, job title, family background, etc.

Stripped of all the externals, people are precious eternal spiritual beings, created and cherished by God. They are priceless souls for whom Christ died.

And whether they are “big shots” or “little people” in the world, they are equal in God’s eyes and should be in our eyes. 

“… if anyone is in Christ …”

Ah yes, there is a condition. The promises herein are for family members of God’s household — born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The promises, “… old things passed away; behold, new things have come …” are only true for blood-bought believers in the Person and redemptive work of Christ.

“… gave us the ministry of reconciliation …”

In the spiritual realm, there is no longer an estrangement between God and man. Through His death, burial and resurrection, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.”

Now we (believers) have been given the incomparable privilege of declaring this momentous truth from the rooftops.

How About You?

Believer, are you still living as though parts of your life are “secular” and other parts as “spiritual?” You don’t have that option.

Bring the whole “you” to Him in gratefulness. After all, He gave His whole being for you on the cross.