Bible Study with the Cincotti's - In All That You Do - 05/21/2023

 

Today's Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 05/21/2023

Listen to our Bible Study Discussion at: In All You Do Podcast

Or watch the Video Zoom Session of our Study on YouTube: 

In All That You Do…

 

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Col. 3:17

         One of the gifts of the reformation was to tear down the divide between sacred and secular, particularly in vocation. Though we still consider “ministry” a high calling we, at the same time, understand that it is not the only engagement with God and His universe.

         In the same chapter of Colossians, after speaking several injunctions over the Christian home, Paul goes on to repeat, in verse 23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”

It is impossible for us to escape the presence of the omnipresent God. Ps. 139:7-18 starts out by saying, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” It is impossible not to engage with God in His universe, and the key point is that it is His universe. Pick up a grain of sand; it is His sand. Take a breath; you’re breathing His air. Take a bite of an apple; who’s apple do you think it is? Ps. 24:1, “The earth is the LORD’S and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.”

“There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus does not cry out, ‘This is Mine!’”   Abraham Kuyper

In his article, May 2^nd, 2018,  4 Bible Passages to Break the Sacred-Secular Divide, Nathaniel Williams says:

“The sacred-secular divide draws a sharp distinction between the spiritual parts of our lives (praying, Bible reading, church attendance, evangelism) and the rest of our lives (work, chores, rest, fun). But the sacred-secular divide is flawed for a variety of reasons. Practically, the sacred-secular divide leads to compartmentalization.”

We should never compartmentalize our lives in such a way.

Rom. 12:1 in the MSG says, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.”

Even when we were rank sinners, not wanting anything to do with God, He was still pursuing us. II Pet. 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

 

When you are in England, Charles is king whether you believe it or                            agree with it, like him or not.

 

So what is the practical outworking of this understanding?

I Co. 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

I often like to use John Piper’s refashioning of the Westminster Confession to say, “God is most glorified in us when we are                                 most satisfied in Him.”

So, imagine approaching your life, in all its complexity, without grumbling and complaining. I Pe. 4:9, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”

If we really believe that this is God’s universe, then all grumbling is against Him. Num. 14:27 says, “How long shall I put us with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are voicing against Me.” NASB20

Phil. 2:13,14, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining or arguments.”

In contrast, “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Neh. 8:10

This is a timeless injunction!

There are four kinds of joy found in Scripture: “joy”, “great joy”, “exceedingly great joy”, and “joy unspeakable and full or glory.”

So we have choices. :)

Imagine if we simply allowed the fruit of the Spirit, from Gal. 5:22 to permeate our daily far.

         “Let all that you do be done with love.” I Co. 16:14

         “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,   will guard your hearts and minds through Chris Jesus. Phl. 4:7

         “For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the     will of God, ye might receive the promise. Heb. 10:36 KJV

God is glorified in us when we do our simplest of tasks with joy, peace, patience, etc. Not compartmentalizing our lives in such a was as if to think that there are some things we can do with grumbling and complaining.

The secular person engages God in every aspect of their lives making, therefore, every aspect of their lives sacred.

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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship