Who are we?
10/11/17
The Bible says that we are to become “holy people,” “a peculiar people,” “a special people” and “the redeemed of the Lord.”
When I look around me at the people that I meet in church, I see people with imperfections, flaws and issues and I know when people look at me that is what they see in me. However, the important question is how do we appear to God?
I know that it all depends on the condition of our souls. If we have not turned our life over to the control of God, he is not pleased with us and does not want us in his presence. However, if we have turned our life over to his control through the shed blood of Jesus, all God will see is Jesus’ shed blood and he will be pleased.
In Hebrews chapter 10, it talks about how the LAW was just a shadow of what was to come and how just the act of the sacrifices was a reminder of the sins had been committed in the past. Because, the sacrifices just rolled the sin from one year to the next. All the shed blood was just a temporary fix. Like putting duct tape on a leaking hose instead of replacing the hose. The blood from all the sacrifices that the priests though out the ages shed could not erase one sin.
Then we get to verse 10 (By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.) We are sanctified by the blood of Jesus, or to put it in an easier wording, our lives are cleaned up and there is no shadow of the old sin.
Through the act of asking for forgiveness then accepting that forgiveness we then become a member of the “holy people” mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 28:9 and Isaiah 62:12. We are to strive to be like our brother, Jesus, until God sees no difference and the people around us see Christ in us enough that we can lead, through our example, them to the point they accept Jesus as their redeemer.
If we are a “holy people” then to the world around us, and even some of the church world, we become a “peculiar people.” Why does the Bible tell us to be a peculiar people? Because we, the children of God, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ and the students of the Holy Ghost, will not act, walk, talk or dress like the world. We each have to follow the leading of God and become more like Jesus every day than what we were yesterday. As we do this, we become more peculiar to the world. In Deuteronomy 14:2, it states: the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Finally, we are a special people. We all, to the best of my knowledge, want to be special to someone. We want it so much that we try to change ourselves so that people will want to be around us, and in my experience, it is never enough. People will let us down repeatedly. The only people that I know that will never let you down, will always treat you as a special person. is the Triune Godhead.
John 3: 16 states: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Only someone who thinks of you as very special would do this, and God did it before we were born.
Luke 22:42 quotes Jesus as saying . . . Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Is there anyone you think is special enough to die for? Jesus did a long time ago. Then because we are so special to him, he sent the Holy Ghost to walk with us daily. Not very many people are willing to walk with you day in and day out. Not even mothers and fathers do this.
By: C.I. Wilson