Baptist City Blog

When God gave the children of Israel the land of Canaan, He never intended for them to take the land to live like the people from whom they inherited the land. God intended for His people to be different. He says in the verse above, “…I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.” The children of Israel certainly inherited a land, but they also inherited a difference when God wanted them to be separated “from other people.”

Many Christians have never learned this principle that God expects His children to be separate from “other people.” Who is this “other people?” They are the people from whom they came out; they are the world. God wants His children to be different from the world, and He is the One Who has separated us. It is not the preacher who sets the standards of holiness, but God does through His Word. God set those standards so that His people would be separated “from other people.” Three principles can be learned about the Christian’s inheritance to be different.

First, God never intended for His people to be accepted by the world. To be separated “from other people” means that God didn't want His children to be like them. I remember growing up and telling my parents that all the other children were doing something that I wanted to do. My parents always responded by telling me, “Allen, you are not all the other children; you are Allen Domelle.” What they were teaching me was that I was to be different. Christian, you are not to be like all the other people because you are a Christian. God never intended for you to be accepted by the world, He intended for you to live to be accepted by Him.

Second, God never intended for His people to be liked by the world. When God commanded Israel to be separated “from other people,” He was not concerned with them being liked by the rest of the world. Likewise, God is not concerned with you being liked by the world. Christian, you are going to have to understand that you won't be liked by the world because the world has a different father. Our fathers are enemies of each other, and the Devil’s children will never like us. For instance, the reason the world does not like the nation of Israel is because they are God’s chosen people. It doesn't matter what they do; they will never be liked because the world doesn't like God. Likewise, it won't matter how much you change; the world will never like you as a Christian because they don't like your Father. The sooner you understand this, the easier it will be to accept God’s standards of holiness.

Third, God’s purpose for separating you was so that you can wholly belong to Him. Verse 26 says, “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.” God doesn't want part of you; He wants all of you. Let me encourage you to realize that when you separate from the world, you are yielding yourself to be wholly the LORD’s. Don't allow the voices who desire the world to pull you away from allowing the LORD to have all of you. When you embrace Who owns you, you will have no issue with separation.