Why has God “set apart” Christians?
“Jesus Christ’s own words John” 17.-22
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify ( “SET. APART)myself, that they also might be sanctified ( SET. APART”) through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
He does have a very specific purpose for the church, which is made up of both Jew and Gentile.
1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. 10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy.
The church has been “set apart” to be holy as God is holy and to tell the world that God through Jesus Christ called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. As a Christian I am “set apart” to show the great and marvelous love God has for us and to live a life that is holy before God. This means living a life that is not conformed to the ways of this world. In celebrating of God’s commandments, Sabbath, New year as we believers are set apart for God and God alone. He doesn’t want to share His glory with any other, Isaiah 42.8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven image-
The good news is, God made the kingdom of heaven extended to “whosoever will” believe in Jesus Christ in their heart to save them from their sins. This means you and I. You through faith in Jesus Christ will also be given understanding and wisdom of God’s word. You do not have to be on the outside looking in (God’s Kingdom). Know that all believers in Jesus Christ were at one time on the outside, Ephesians 2.
Abraham chose to be a set apart. So what does this mean, In scripture it says Deuteronomy 7:6-9 For you are a holy and “set-apart “ people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself out of all the people’s on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set His love upon you and choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the fewest of all people. 8 But because the Lord loves you and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn to your fathers…..
