Should I quit my secular Job?

Should I quit my secular job and do full time ministry because secular job is waste of time and un-spiritual.

THE TWO MISTAKES

1. The first mistake some people make is that they tend to link ‘secular job’ as disobedience to God and link ‘doing ministry’ as obedience to God. One of the reasons behind this assumption is maybe because they heard testimonies of people who immediately left their secular jobs and joined ministry after becoming a believer. They argue that people in secular job are wasting time because they are not directly involved in the great commission. This is dangerous because such people leave the ‘secular’ job that God has given them based on a false assumption of obedience. At the same time, they put obedient people in the category of disobedient. It makes every Christian who has a secular job as ‘disobedient’ which is a very unfair statement. In other words, such people have an assumption that if we continue in our secular job after becoming a believer, if we don’t leave that secular job and get involved in mission then it is an act of disobedience. 

Such an argument is invalid because in the New Testament, it is clear that the Apostles did not teach that all Christians should leave their ordinary employment. Apostle Paul gives us a principle in 1 Corinthians 7:20. He says that “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called”. When we are called to be a Christian, when we are born again there has to be visible radical change in your life, we need to display the fruit of the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, hate sin, overcome sin etc. In the immediate context Apostle Paul says that it is not mandatory for a man to get circumcised if he isn’t circumcised and vice-versa, but he should remain in the same condition in which he was called because these things do not matter in terms of obedience. Therefore, applying the same principle we can conclude that it is not mandatory for someone to leave his job & join ministry because it is not a measure for obedience after becoming a believer. A person does not have to leave his job in order to be a faithful & obedient Christian, according to those principles. However, if someone wants to quit his job after becoming a believer it can be his personal decision and choice. The person should not categorize others who are continuing in their secular jobs as disobedient.

2. The second mistake which some people make is that they tend to think that quitting the secular job and joining a Christian Organization or doing full time ministry is the proof that you are more devoted to Christ and continuing in the secular job is a proof that you are selfish. However, it is absolutely possible that even after being involved in full time ministry or working in a Christian organization a person can be least caring about the people around him. He would not display the fruit of Spirit with fellow believers in the Local Church and people around him. At the same time, it is possible that a person who is employed in a secular job exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and thereby win people to Christ. 

Therefore, we should not assume that leaving the job & joining ministry is the proof of a person’s devotion for Christ.

THE TWO EXHORTATIONS

1. As mentioned in the beginning, there are true testimonies where God places a burning desire, a burden and a restlessness in the heart of people for His mission. They quit their jobs, move to a new location, become missionaries and win people for the Kingdom of God. That burning desire, burden and restlessness in the heart etc are one of the many means/ways/parts by which God works in the lives of some people to lead them to quit their jobs, change their location and move in to a new place in order to do ministry. At the same time, we should remember that it is not a mandatory system by which God has to work in everyone’s life and those who didn’t experience such things cannot be used by God. Having a burning desire, burden and restlessness in the heart etc can definitely be ways by which God moves people but even without these people are still used by God as they stay in their respective vocations &  jobs even after becoming a believer.

2. Remember that isolation is not a necessary sign of spirituality. Most people try to figure out things by themselves regarding ministry, mission etc and believe in keeping things between themselves and God. At the end they get confused, irritated, develop bitterness towards other fellow believers and times towards God also. What is actually needed is that we need to be more connected in a fellowship of believers, where other believers can discern our gifts, talents, passion, maturity and in that way confirm God’s call, will, plan and desire in our life. That’s the way it should happen. That’s a healthy way we understand God’s call on our life; as a member of a body of Christ using our gifts in relationship to other people.

Author: Pastor Monish Mitra