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Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48417
05/24/04 09:13 PM
05/24/04 09:13 PM
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In our daily living as Christians, what is our relationship to secular activities?
For instance:
Is it OK to read secular books?
Is it OK to have secular friends?
Is it OK to..........?
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48418
05/24/04 09:45 PM
05/24/04 09:45 PM
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Is it OK to hold a secular job?
Is it OK to own a secular car?
Is it OK to wear secular shoes?
The point is that secular is not necessarily bad. It may be quite neutral. Secular should not necessarily be confused with the more loaded word "worldly", whatever that means. However if that is your intended meaning, I would answer, "It depends."
Tom
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48419
05/24/04 10:34 PM
05/24/04 10:34 PM
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Tom, If you can find me a non-secular car or shoes, let me know. I will be interested! ![[Animated Laughter]](graemlins/laugh.gif) Realistically though, I believe you and others know what I mean. Take books, for example. There are obviously secular books and Christian books, which obviously includes the Bible. What should the Christian spend his/her time reading, Christian literature, or non-Christian literature?
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48420
05/24/04 11:35 PM
05/24/04 11:35 PM
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There is SO much good Christian literature out there to be read, I don't know that I'll ever have time to read much secular literature (if I even wanted to). The more time goes on, the more I find to read, and the pile gets higher and higher. The pioneers wrote a whole raft of books that far outstrip most things available today.
Of course I do read things that pertain to my job; have to stay current about the employment that puts food on the table. But that's about the only secular stuff I have time to read, besides keeping up with the news of the day.
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48421
05/25/04 05:20 AM
05/25/04 05:20 AM
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Regular Member
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 62
USA
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"Christian living and secular activities" almost sounds like a oxymoron.
I've just finished reading a book containing all the quotes from the SOP on Enoch. It appears that Enoch didn't have any "secular activities" in his life. Everything he did was done thinking of God's glory and pleasing Him. Constant prayer; times of seclusion seeking to be closer to God; witnessing.
I would say that even washing dishes or doing laundry can be done to God's glory and pleasing Him, eh??
BUT, I can't see how reading a novel can be done with prayer -- or even playing chess or checkers or computer games -- sounds like more oxymorons.
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48422
05/26/04 05:34 PM
05/26/04 05:34 PM
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Charter Member
Active Member 2014
Most Dedicated Member
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,019
Northern CA
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quote:
Originally posted by Daryl Fawcett:
In our daily living as Christians, what is our relationship to secular activities?
The below quote from God tells us what our relationship should be to secular knowledge.
quote:
This means that you are to study the life of Christ. You are to study it with as much more earnestness than you study secular lines of knowledge, as eternal interests are more important than temporal, earthly pursuits. If you appreciate the value and sacredness of eternal things, you will bring your sharpest thoughts, your best energies, to the solving of the problem that involves your eternal well-being; for every other interest sinks into nothingness in comparison with that. {Gods Amazing Grace Page 241.2}
We live in this world of sin and we cannot help but encounter secular things....but how do we deal with it is another thing.
quote:
In the life of man things sacred and secular are to be done, some in business lines, some in the ministry of the Word, and some in various trades; but when a man gives himself to Christ and loves God with the whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, he serves with a devotion that takes his whole being.... He recognizes the ownership of his powers and the ownership of himself. This consecration invests his whole life with a sacredness which makes him gentle, kind, and courteous. His every act is a consecrated act.... He is under Christ, being trained for the higher grade above. {HP 58.5}
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48423
05/29/04 07:51 PM
05/29/04 07:51 PM
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My relationship to secular life: I live in Orlando Florida, so last week I went to Universal Studios and rode "Back to the Future" 3 times over, and did every other other ride at least once, including the rollarcoaster
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48424
05/30/04 05:04 AM
05/30/04 05:04 AM
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Full Member
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 265
Japan
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Did riding the roller-coaster somehow give glory to God? I led a group of English students to America in March and did many of the same things,,,,,,,,,,,,, so am in no fine postition to say anything (altho they did pay all my expenses), but really, when one goes to India etc. and sees how much good can be done with just 10USD, then the attitude towards funds entrusted of God changes. Drastically. Here's a leper lady in India who doesn't have 10USD worth of money to replace her tin roof which is full of holes: Bottom left pic of leper lady Is Universal Studios going to help her with the 50USD or whatever that you donated to them?
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48425
05/30/04 02:34 PM
05/30/04 02:34 PM
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Charter Member
SDA
Active Member 2020
Senior Member
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 719
East Coast Canada
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Just a question:
Is it wrong to have a "savings account"? It seems that if I have $500 in my bank account and someone in a "third world country" has life needs, am I wrong to be saving up for a new guitar, or other item?
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Re: Christian Living & Secular Activities
#48426
05/30/04 04:29 PM
05/30/04 04:29 PM
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Once in a while my "inner child" gets out and I have to grab her back. I didn't say I don't feel guilty. I know I've got a way to go as regards self discipline. No excuses. Mainly I usually do figure how my money could be better used for God's glory. I do have my three websites that I believe are the talents for which God holds me accountable.I spend time and money promoting them and inviting people. I'm not a people person and want to work "behind the scenes". You know, there are those who sow the seed and those better at harvesting it. I do agree that it's dreadful what extravagance we indulge when we compare life to that of the poor of other lands, and even the poor of our own nation. I'm sure that's one reason America is so hated. Last week, on Travel Channel, it was showing how much you have to pay to stay a night at the MonetCarlo Hotel, and was in no way better than a Holiday Inn for $65, that I could see. I often think of how many poor but bright kids could have their college tuition paid by someone who just throws that much away in Las Vegas or on a new sports car. ![[Mad]](images/icons/mad.gif)
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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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