Justin Hale

By definition, a 'clean heart' is one that does ANYTHING, 'as unto the Lord with all of our soul,' (Colossians 3:23).

Can anything 'secular' be done this way? Can you picture yourself standing before Christ and 'dancing' with all of your soul?

If you did, what would it actually look like and why would you be doing it? What about it would strike our Lord as 'pleasing?'

Those are some pretty intense and important questions that get raised by your original question. So did Jesus Himself ever do anything 'secular?'

“And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly, for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings." (Luke 16:8-9).

The word usually translated 'mammon' is 'secular wealth.' That doesn't just include government issued money. It is anything 'treasured' by the world, (which is what 'secular' actually means, 'worldly').

So is the 'art of dancing' a form of 'worldly treasure?'

Absolutely. 

Jesus is telling us that we can use it to 'make friends.' In fact, He is commanding us to do so!

So what exactly does He mean by 'making friends' and how does it work? Jesus illustrated several times in scripture that we can 'give back' mammon, (also called 'Caesar's wealth'), in a way that liberates people from debt, either to government, (like 'taxes and fines'), or criminals, (like gambling debts or addictions). 

This isn't something that you can go into 'halfheartedly' because you are entering a rather scary and dangerous world, which is also why scripture says that we must do it 'with all of our soul.'

Can you imagine a way to 'dance with all of your soul' that could liberate people from debts to oppressors?

That question alone is 'pleasing' to the Lord. Anything you can do to actually accomplish this would be extremely pleasing to Him. That is because it would be a direct testimony to people in the world who need to see that He can 'deliver' them from hardships. That is why scripture says that Jesus is 'the Savior of ALL men, but especially those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:10). 

The Lord often demonstrates His saving power in 'mundane' or 'familiar' ways first, offering a testimony to the person's 'soul' about its own 'eternal' salvation. 

So how exciting would it be to 'dance a secular dance' for the grand purpose of helping to produce a testimony to help save a person's soul?

How EXACTLY would something like this work?

The apostle Paul was an 'inspired maestro' when it comes to using 'secular' activities to introduce himself to people whom Jesus was trying to reach with His 'good news.'

"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 

"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:20-23).

Just in case you missed it, Paul is saying that, (under inspiration of the Holy Spirit), he introduces himself as a 'great Jew' who impresses other Jews, as a 'great pagan' who impresses other pagans, as something like 'great law enforcement' who impresses other law enforcement people, as a 'great outlaw' who impresses other outlaws, (though never by actually breaking the law), even as a 'great patient' who impresses other people struggling with illnesses.

When people found out, they either got enraged or saved. 

Still interested?

February 17 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report