- BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, that you may PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HIM who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
- WHO ONCE WERE NOT A PEOPLE BUT ARE NOW THE PEOPLE OF GOD, who had NOT obtained mercy BUT NOW HAVE OBTAINED MERCY."
1 Peter 2:9,10 (NKJV)
• If a Christian chooses to live like the unbelievers, apply their principles of living to his or her life, such a Believer might not get the best of God.
- Believers should not desire to live like the unbelievers because we are covenant children (1 Peter 2:11,12; 4:1-3).
- The God we serve is a jealous God, If you failed to live by His commands, principles, and instructions, you will not receive His backings in whatever you do (Deuteronomy 6:14,15; Ephesians 5:7-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
- If His ways are too difficult for you, you find the instructions that are given through His Word, too difficult to do; then you may as well forget about receiving His helps and supporting.
- His helps and Presence can only be gotten when you obey and live by His commands or principles, that is, the Word of His and the instructions.
- The Israelites of old desire the kind of life that other nations were living (Ezekiel 20:32; 1 Samuel 8:4,5). THEY thought the laws and the instructions given them by God were too many and stringent, hence they were difficult to abide with.
- They wanted to live a carefree life, and be without any responsibility:
"YOU SAY, 'WE WANT TO BE LIKE THE NATIONS ALL AROUND US, WHO SERVE IDOL OF WOOD AND STONE.' BUT what you have in mind will never HAPPEN" (Ezekiel 20:32 NLT). - The gods of other nations which are not God indeed, permitted them to live a carefree life: commit immorality, drink, eat whatever meat or food they may desire, dress anyhow, and do things according to their impulses.
- In contrast to the Israelites' God, the God of heaven whom they serve, did give them laws and principles to abide with.
- They were given dietary laws, food to eat and the ones not to eat (Leviticus 11:1-47). How to build their houses, plant their farms, clothes to wear and the ones not to: " 'YOU SHALL KEEP MY STATUTES. YOU SHALL NOT LET YOUR LIVESTOCK BREED WITH ANOTHER KIND. YOU SHALL NOT SOW YOUR FIELD WITH MIXED SEED. NOR SHALL A GARMENT OF MIXED LINEN AND WOOL COME UPON YOU" (Leviticus 19:19).
IN short, they were given regulations about every area of their Life. - Leviticus chapters 17-27 is called the Holiness Code. This section gets its name from the frequent use of the phrase, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY; FOR I THE LORD YOUR GOD AM HOLY" (Leviticus 19:2; 20:7). In the Old Testament, holiness means to be set apart, that is, the Israelites were being set apart to God.
- Albeit, they would not want that, they wanted to be free, they agitated to live like other nations around them (Ezekiel 20:32).
- They even rejected the theocratic system of government that God ordained for them. They went to Samuel, demanding that he should make them a king like all other nations:
4 "THEN all the elders of Israel GATHERED together and CAME to Samuel at Ramah, 5 AND said to him, "LOOK, you are old, and your sons do NOT walk in your ways. NOW MAKE US A KING TO JUDGE US LIKE ALL THE NATIONS" (1 Samuel 8:4,5 NKJV). - The Israelites thought their God was too strict and hard to please, compared with the gods of other nations. To them, it seems they were in bondage and they wanted to be free.
- Later, they started worshipping the gods of other nations and intermarrying with them, that which God had told them not to do (Deuteronomy 7:3,4; 1 Kings 11:1,2).
"I WILL PRONOUNCE JUDGEMENT ON MY PEOPLE FOR ALL THEIR EVIL—FOR DESERTING ME AND BURNING INCENSE TO OTHER gods. YES, they WORSHIP idols made with their own HANDS" (Jeremiah 1:16 NLT). - Their deeds provoked God to jealousy and anger. He used other nations to punish them (Ezekiel 16:26,35,36,39).
- God said to the Israelites beforehand: 14 “YOU MUST NOT WORSHIP ANY OF THE gods OF NEIGHBORING NATIONS, 15 FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO LIVES AMONG YOU, IS A JEALOUS GOD. His ANGER will FLARE up against YOU, and he will WIPE you from the face of the EARTH" (Deuteronomy 6:14,15 NLT).
• If a professed Christian chose to live like the people of the world, after he or she has experienced God's goodness and faithfulness; such will hinder God's involvement in his or her Life (1 Peter 1:14-16).
- If you abide in Him, live by the principles of His Word, that strengthens your relationship and fellowship with Him.
- Know that you are not like other people and should not crave to live like them or be like them, neither imitate what they do (2 Corinthians 6:17,18).
- If you live in holiness, live according to His Word, you are proclaiming His Praises (1 Peter 2:9).
- If you live in line with God's Word (James 1:22,25), you make yourself peculiar in the sight of the people of the world, through the life you live—your life gives glory to God (1 Peter 2:11,12).
- Your life, the life you live, as a Believer should crave a desire to serve God in the heart of the people of the world—the unbelievers around you. The ways and manners of the life of the unbelievers should not draw you away from God (Romans 8:38,39).
- If you still desire the way of life and the living of the people of the world, it means something is wrong in your relationship with God. Your love for Him is not total, you have not been weaned of the world:
15 DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. IF anyone loves the WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM [her]. 16 FOR all that is in the world—the LUST of the FLESH, the LUST of the EYES, and the PRIDE of LIFE—IS NOT OF THE FATHER BUT IS OF THE WORLD. 17 AND THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY, AND the LUST of IT; BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER" (1 John 2:15-17 NKJV). - If God blesses you with material things and you turn the Blessing which you have received to another God that you serve, you deserted Him, you will surely see His other side:
"IN the hope that they would draw back in horror and know that I alone am God, I LET THEM POLLUTE THEMSELVES WITH THE VERY GIFTS I GAVE THEM. THEY burnt their FIRSTBORN children as OFFERINGS to their gods!" (Ezekiel 20:25 Living Bible).
READ: Deuteronomy 4:19 - Unbelievers should envy your covenant relationship with God, and the benefits of the Kingdom you are enjoying:
6 THEREFORE be careful to observe them; FOR THIS IS YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING IN THE SIGHT OF THE PEOPLES WHO WILL HEAR ALL THESE STATUTES, AND SAY, ‘SURELY THIS GREAT NATION IS A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE.'
7 “FOR what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?
8 AND WHAT GREAT NATION IS THERE IS THAT HAS SUCH STATUTES AND RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS as are in all this LAW which I SET before you this DAY?" (Deuteronomy 4:6-8 NKJV).
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED