Leviticus
20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed
you from other people, that ye should be mine.
We are called to be different. The New Covenant didn't change that, it affirmed it. But what does different mean? Some would say that it's all about how we look, that we should look different. How do we define a different look? Do we draw a circle on a map and decide to look different than all the people in our region? Do we subtract fifty years from our current date and try to have that look? Is there a right answer here? Others would say that being different is how we live, or who we associate with. Some feel that being different means separation and isolation, having our holy huddles without regard of a lost and dying world that lives outside of the four walls of our church. So how do we determine the "different" that God is calling us to be? We are different because we are forgiven! Oh that the body of Christ would preach this message! We are not different because we no longer make mistakes. We are not different because we have done what the sinners around us can't seem to do. We are different because we trusted in Jesus, and He washed us, and He is daily cleansing us, and He is working on us continually. We have bad days too, but we are different because we have a High Priest that is seated at the right hand of the Father that continually makes intercession for us. Yes we are chosen. Yes we are highly favored. Yes we are blessed. But we are these things because we are His, and we are His because we have accepted the gift of His Son, and because of our faith, the Father has declared us to be righteous. We aren't working to be righteous, dressing to be righteous, living to be righteous, talking to be righteous, or going to church to be righteous. We are righteous by faith, and that definitely makes us different! We are different because of forgiveness. We are different because of faith. We are different because we are His. And that's the difference in the Old and the New Covenant. In Leviticus, God says you will be different "that you should be mine". The Gospel of Jesus Christ declares "you are Mine, and that makes you different"! Thank God today for the difference.
We are called to be different. The New Covenant didn't change that, it affirmed it. But what does different mean? Some would say that it's all about how we look, that we should look different. How do we define a different look? Do we draw a circle on a map and decide to look different than all the people in our region? Do we subtract fifty years from our current date and try to have that look? Is there a right answer here? Others would say that being different is how we live, or who we associate with. Some feel that being different means separation and isolation, having our holy huddles without regard of a lost and dying world that lives outside of the four walls of our church. So how do we determine the "different" that God is calling us to be? We are different because we are forgiven! Oh that the body of Christ would preach this message! We are not different because we no longer make mistakes. We are not different because we have done what the sinners around us can't seem to do. We are different because we trusted in Jesus, and He washed us, and He is daily cleansing us, and He is working on us continually. We have bad days too, but we are different because we have a High Priest that is seated at the right hand of the Father that continually makes intercession for us. Yes we are chosen. Yes we are highly favored. Yes we are blessed. But we are these things because we are His, and we are His because we have accepted the gift of His Son, and because of our faith, the Father has declared us to be righteous. We aren't working to be righteous, dressing to be righteous, living to be righteous, talking to be righteous, or going to church to be righteous. We are righteous by faith, and that definitely makes us different! We are different because of forgiveness. We are different because of faith. We are different because we are His. And that's the difference in the Old and the New Covenant. In Leviticus, God says you will be different "that you should be mine". The Gospel of Jesus Christ declares "you are Mine, and that makes you different"! Thank God today for the difference.
Because of the difference Jesus made in my life. I try to live in a way that pleases Him...that results in an opposit than the world from the get go. Doing what He taught us to do makes us different than those around us in the workplace and stores. I guess the question always is....do others see the difference? Are we a pecular people? do we show forth God's goodness in our every day lives? or are we so close to the world that no one can tell that we have been delivered & set free? Does our "liberty" get in the way of our example? I know I have been saved and I pray that others know that just because they are with me. Or that others will want to get close to me because of the difference. Rev. Diane
ReplyDeleteMy what a word from God That he would severe me from other people and this is personnel not talking about from our friends, but that's Gods job Jesus said the world that will never know me..now that's sad as it gets... Thank you Jesus that i'm your little man that you made for yourself. lol but true I talk to him and when i lessen he talks to me
ReplyDeleteThank God for the difference. Because I am forgiven I am different. When I fail, I'm different because I go to God for His mercy and strength and goodness. Because we are forgiven that does make us different, because of knowing what we are truly forgiven from causes us to live, look, and act differently from this world. We love, we bless, we encourage, we share life with those around us. It's not what we try to do, it's what we by the Spirit have the "reflex" to do, because it's our new forgiven nature. Thank you Jesus for the difference you made in me and may others see that difference daily.
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