Gal 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me; and the life I now live  in the flesh I live by  faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

What defines Christianity for you: frequently going to church, reading the Bible and praying daily, being active in one ministry or the other, going for missions? All these have a crucial role in our Christian lives, and they enable us grow in our personal walk with God as well as bear fruit in His Kingdom. Next question: how Christian am I during the rest of my day or week when I am not involved in any of the above activities? Many a times we have this concept of “spiritual” and “non-spiritual” aspects of our lives, such that all the aforementioned activities fall in the “spiritual” category and in which we most clearly display our faith. Every other aspect of our lives then falls into the “non-spiritual” (or secular) category and in these areas we are hardly different from non-Christian folk. We end up having two separate lives: “Sunday life” and the “rest-of-the-week life”.

Question is: can we really separate our lives in such a manner? Does Christ cease to be Lord in academic, social, financial, professional (to mention but a few) aspects of our lives? The answer is No. Christ is either Lord of all, or not at all. Therefore, how can we demonstrate Christ in all aspects of our lives?

The Bible is replete with Scriptures that point to the totality of Christ’s Lordship in our lives. In Leviticus and Deuteronomy, God gave the Israelites instructions that governed literally every aspect of their lives: from how and where they worshipped (Lev 1-4), marriage (Deut 7:1-4), social relations (Lev 18:1-22, 19:11-18, dressings, what foods to eat (Lev 7:22-27, Deut 14:3-21) etc. The Book of Proverbs also sheds light on how much God desires that we glorify Him in the mundaneness of everyday life: avoiding the adulteress (Prov 5:3-14, 7:21-27), diligence in one’s work (Prov 6:6-11, 10:4, 13;4), generosity (Prov 11: 24-25), listening to correction (Prov 15:31-32), avoiding drunkenness (Prov 20:1) etc.  The Pauline letters also address how we can glorify God in the various aspects of our lives.

In light of the Scriptural references to the totality of Christ’s Lordship in a believer’s life, let’s ask ourselves this question: how much of my life testifies to the fact that I am born-again? If I did not serve in the CU, or tell someone that I’m a Christian or carry the Bible with me to service, would I be any different from a non-believer?

One of the verses I find core to the application of my faith in day-to-day living Col3:23-24 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ”.  (See also 1 Cor 10:31). Here are a few questions to consider in various areas with regard to the above verse:

• In my academics, am I doing what is required of me as a student? Faithfully attending classes (not skiving then having someone sign for me), doing assignments in good time, studying as is appropriate in preparation for teachings or assessments etc.
• In money matters how do I manage the money I have (whether from my parents or the HELB loan)? Do I make a budget for my expenditure? Am I a faithful tither and giver in the church? Do I live beyond my means?
• In my social interactions: how obedient am I to the various kinds of authority in my life? Is my talk with my friends wholesome and beneficial or is it vile? Am I a stumbling block in my interactions with members of the opposite sex?
• Is God honoured in my recreational activities: the movies that I watch, the kind of music I listen to?
• How about my inner being; the thoughts and values that I have. How much of Christ-likeness is exemplified in these?

Living out our Christian faith is indeed no easy task. That’s why we can NEVER do it by our own human efforts. Yes, we have to make the conscious decision to do so but over and above we need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Remember, ours is a walk of faith, a marathon not a sprint. It’s only by submitting to and allowing the Lord to mould us that we become more like Him in every area of our lives and thereby have our lives in totality under His Lordship. It entails us daily walking with the Lord such that through the “spiritual” activities we listed at the beginning, every aspect of our lives is transformed thus glorifying God “in and out of the confines of church services or activities”. With each passing day, may this be our ultimate desire: “Lord, may You be glorified through my life today”.

Article By:

Bethleen Waisiko (MBChB V)

© 2015.