Integrating Sacred and Secular in Christian Life
The integration of the sacred and secular in Christian life stems from the understanding that believers are spiritually united with Christ, impacting all aspects of their existence. This union means that a Christian's body is not their own but has been "bought with a high price," belonging to Christ and serving as a temple for the Holy Spirit [6]. This perspective challenges any division between spiritual and physical life, asserting that the spiritual life, initiated by the Holy Spirit, should govern all actions [3].
The Apostle Paul emphasizes this holistic view, particularly in his letters to the Corinthians. one tradition states that believers' bodies have become "parts of Christ" through their spiritual union with Him [2]. This union is so profound that it means Christians are not free to misuse their bodies, for instance, through sexual immorality, as such acts violate the sacred sanctuary of the body where the divine presence resides [2, 6]. The concept extends beyond avoiding sin; it means that "every part of their lives has been claimed by Christ for God’s glory" [6]. This implies that there is no area of life—whether personal, professional, or social—that falls outside the scope of God's ownership and purpose for the believer.
The Christian life is described as having "begun in the Spirit," indicating that the Holy Spirit is the "essence and active principle" ruling one's spiritual life [3]. This spiritual beginning is not merely an initial experience but an ongoing process of being "made perfect" by the Spirit, rather than through adherence to "fleshly ordinances of the law" [3]. This spiritual transformation is so fundamental that it establishes a new humanity, distinct from the "natural and earthly" existence enslaved to sin and death, moving towards a "spiritual and heavenly" life purified and destined for eternal life [8]. The contrast is drawn between a "natural body" and a "spiritual body," with the latter superseding the former, just as Christ's life-giving Spirit supersedes natural life [1, 8].
This integration is further highlighted by the idea of believers being "planted together" with Christ, a union that begins at conversion and involves being "engrafted into Christ" [5]. This vital union, like a branch in a vine, means living by Christ's life, and in so far as one "abides in him," one is free from sin [7]. While believers may still fall into sin, such actions are considered "alien from the life of God" and require Christ's cleansing blood [7].
The unity among believers themselves, and their unity with the Father and the Son, is also a key aspect of this integrated life. Jesus prayed "that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us" [4]. The indwelling Spirit of the Father and the Son serves as the "one perfect bond of union," knitting believers into a living unity with each other and with the Godhead [4]. This spiritual unity is not merely an internal state but is intended to have an outward impact, so "that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" [4].
The presence of the Spirit in the Church is manifested through "spiritual gifts," which are signs of the Spirit's "continued efficacious presence" [9]. These gifts, given to various members, are meant to complement each other and contribute to "perfecting the body of Christ," which is seen as the "complement of His incarnation" [9]. This collective spiritual life further underscores that the sacred is not confined to individual piety but extends to the corporate life and mission of the Church, impacting the world around it.
Sources
- 1 Corinthians “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. -- 1 Corinthians 15:44”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 6:15: 6:15-17 To be a Christian is to be spiritually joined to Christ in both life and death (cp. Rom 6:3-11). As a result, believers’ bodies have become parts of Christ (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-28; Rom 12:4-5). This spiritual union (cp. John 14:20; 17:21-23) means that they are not free to violate their bodies by physical union with a prostitute.”
- Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 3:3: begun--the Christian life (Phi 1:6). in the Spirit--Not merely was Christ crucified "graphically set forth" in my preaching, but also "the Spirit" confirmed the word preached, by imparting His spiritual gifts. "Having thus begun" with the receiving His spiritual gifts, "are ye now being made perfect" (so the Greek), that is, are ye seeking to be made perfect with "fleshly" ordinances of the law? [ESTIUS]. Compare Rom 2:28; Phi 3:3; Heb 9:10. Having begun in the Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit ruling your spiritual life as its "essence and active p”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 17:21: that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us--The indwelling Spirit of the Father and the Son is the one perfect bond of union, knitting up into a living unity, first all believers amongst themselves; next, this unity into one still higher, with the Father and the Son. (Observe, that Christ never mixes Himself up with His disciples as He associates Himself with the Father, but says I in THEM and THEY in US). that the world may believe that thou hast sent me--sentest me. So the grand impression upon th”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 6:5: For if we have been planted together,.... This is not to be understood of an implantation of Jews and Gentiles together in One body; nor of an implantation of believers together in a church state; but of an implantation of Christ and his people together; which is openly done at conversion, in consequence of a secret union with him before; when they are transplanted from a state of nature, and are ingrafted into Christ; have the graces of the Spirit of God implanted in them, and grow up under the dews of grace, and shinings of the sun of righteousness upon them, and bri”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 6:18: 6:18-20 For Christians, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (see study note on 3:16-17; cp. 2 Cor 6:16). Sexual sin violates this sacred sanctuary and the divine presence. • You do not belong to yourself: Christians can no longer claim their bodies as their own, as they have been bought . . . with a high price, the blood of Christ (cp. 1 Cor 7:23; Rev 5:9), and every part of their lives has been claimed by Christ for God’s glory (see Rom 14:7-9; 2 Cor 5:14-15).”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:6: He reasons from Christ's own entire separation from sin, that those in him must also be separate from it. abideth in him--as the branch in the vine, by vital union living by His life. sinneth not--In so far as he abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin. The ideal of the Christian. The life of sin and the life of God mutually exclude one another, just as darkness and light. In matter of fact, believers do fall into sins (Jo1 1:8-10; Jo1 2:1-2); but all such sins are alien from the life of God, and need Christ's cleansing blood, without appli”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 15:45: 15:45-49 Adam and Christ founded two distinct humanities: One is natural and earthly, enslaved to sin and death; the other is spiritual and heavenly, purified and destined for life. Adam represents the natural (physical) body and Christ the spiritual (resurrection) body. See also 15:21-22; Rom 5:12-21. 15:45-46 Just as Christ’s life-giving Spirit supersedes the natural life, the spiritual body will supersede the physical body.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12 (introduction): THE USE AND THE ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS, ESPECIALLY PROPHESYING AND TONGUES. (1Co. 12:1-31) spiritual gifts--the signs of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church, which is Christ's body, the complement of His incarnation, as the body is the complement of the head. By the love which pervades the whole, the gifts of the several members, forming reciprocal complements to each other, tend to the one object of perfecting the body of Christ. The ordinary and permanent gifts are comprehended together with the extraordin”