You Cannot Serve Two Masters

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Have you ever tried to be in two different places at the same time? You would have found that this is not possible because you’re not omnipresent. Only God is omnipresent. That is why you cannot serve two masters.

The Word of God says that if you try to serve two masters, you will hate one and love the other. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. In Matthew 6:24 from where this statement was derived, Jesus alluded to serving God and mammon (money, riches, possessions etc).

Some Christian businessmen regard their job as secular, temporal, worldly or mundane. Their work is not connected to their religion. To them, serving or worshipping God is reserved exclusively for Sundays. What this means is that they could engage in ungodly practices in the marketplace on other days of the week, while reserving Sundays for spirituality and church activities.

I remember a boss who hated to hear his salesman say, “by the grace of God”. He would retort, “Leave God out of this. Just tell me what you can sell. Business is business.” To him the line of demarcation between God and business is clear. I think this is because many businessmen are grossly confused by the idea of so-called secular work versus spiritual work. They claim that they give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.  They try to create two different compartments in their lives. But, in reality, life comprises one spirit, soul and body, which cannot be separated.

Apostle James says that the body without the spirit is dead.  Jesus is not only the Lord of your spiritual life but your whole life – physical, economic, business, social, emotional etc.  If you claim that God is only connected to your spiritual life, who then is in charge of the secular aspect? Satan? Of course, this is Satan’s idea planted in some people’s minds. No man can successfully live two different lives – spiritual and secular. If you are a true Christian, Jesus is the Lord of every area of your life, both inside and outside the marketplace.

A Christian businessman’s life is wholly consecrated to God. That is why Romans 12:1 describes the Christian’s body as a living sacrifice. The body wholly belongs to God.  A portion of my favourite song says, “Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect, and use Every power as Thou shalt choose. Take my will, and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart: it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne.”

The body, time, talents, intellect, will, money, possessions – the entire life – should be fully surrendered to the Master for use. There is no provision for engaging in activities that do not glorify God.

The marketplace is the best place of worship and service to God. It offers the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the light of Jesus Christ. It is in this place that your ethical and moral integrity is challenged and tested. It is in the marketplace that your Christianity is demonstrated. People like to observe the behaviour and attitudes of those who mount the pulpit on Sundays and find themselves in the marketplace on the weekdays. Do they walk the talk?

You can take a course of study on part-time basis while you are engaged in your normal work. You can even sign for two different jobs at different hours of the day.  This has led to the wrong idea that you can also serve God on part-time or full-time basis. Today, many Christian businessmen are serving God in their workplaces while some also work in the church setting, as ordained priests or laymen on part-time. They are all serving God fully.

Working part-time in the church does not mean that you are serving God part-time. If so, you are also serving Satan part time. But you cannot serve God and Satan. You engage in full-time service of the Lord the moment you give your life to Him. You are given some general and specific assignments to carry out. You only need to grow in the service.

It generally appears that those wearing the collar are more engaged and committed to the service of God. Please note that people are given different gifts and called into various vocations. If God has called you to be a musician and you prefer to be a preacher of the Word, that is your own choice. If He has created you to be a builder of houses and you think that being a politician is better for you, it is up to you. There are unlimited areas of service. However, the bottom line is that God is concerned with what you have done for Him and how you related with people around you and everyone will be rewarded according to performance.

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear  before the judgement seat of Christ,  that each one may receive what  is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (NIV)