Borrowed Truths

Set Apart

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Set Apart

Sanctified, to be set apart, to make Holy. We are not to be part of the world, we are to be set apart from it, not only in our actions but in our thoughts, so then, how have you separated yourself from the world.

First off, there is our mind, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) The way that we think, our very thought processes are to change, not just by some “magical intervention,” sitting around and waiting for the Holy Spirit to modify us in our sleep, waking up the next day a different person in our mind, but by our own volition with the prompting and the power of the Holy Spirit, by His leading and our desire to follow. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2nd Cor. 10:5) It really can’t get much plainer than that, stop thinking about the world and start thinking about Christ.

Let’s start off with the easy parts, shall we, the one thing that many people on the planet use today on a regular, daily basis, their cell phone. My guess is that the information technology device that you carry with you everywhere you go was purchased for the use that it was initially intended for, to call people and converse with them, but as many things do, they evolve and secondary uses become the primary function. What are you looking at on this device more than anything else, Strong’s Concordance so that you will be knowledgeable in the proper Hebrew and Greek context of the Scriptures, or cat videos. Are you using it in other words in its main function to bring glory to God, or for personal uses that in no way give honor to His name, is it transforming you or vice-versa. Does the part of you that is supposed to be becoming transformed using your “phone” the most, or is it keeping you conformed to the world and all it has to offer, the entertainment that is transitory.

Let’s move on to the next item that is in most households, the television, what are you allowing your eyes to see, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” (Psalm 101:3) How are you sanctifying your television set for the service of the Lord, and by this I do not mean that all your time in front of it is spent listening to the television preacher, there are very few of them that I would suggest paying any attention to, but instead the content of the programming that you watch. If it does not glorify Christ, is it at least not insulting to Him, are you able to differentiate the difference. The same could be said for the music that you listen to, are you balancing the worlds music with that which is honoring to our Lord, would you be able to invite your brothers and sisters in Christ into your home if they showed up unexpectantly, or would there be a moment of hesitation because of what is on the television at that moment.

Let us delve a little deeper into this subject of sanctification and speak now about your friends, those whom you have known for an extended period of time, perhaps even years, how do they treat you, what do they say about you either to your face or behind your back, but better yet, what do they say about your Lord. How far have you had to tolerate them, how many small inuendoes have you had to bear about your Savior because you still call them your friends, not saved, but still close and personal friends. They are polite and kind because your friendships run deep, but sometimes you wonder why they say the things they say, they know that your love for Christ is real, and you do love them, but sometimes you wonder. Is it time to separate yourself from them, is an ultimatum necessary, who matters more to you, a tough question indeed, but let’s take this a little further, let us make this very personal indeed.

What about your family members, those who you call “blood relatives,” how much longer will they be a part of your family, and what if they never become a part of your real family, your family in Christ, those that you will spend eternity with. “ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30) If you thought that it was going to be easy following your Lord and Master, think again, He requires one thing from us, everything. To be set apart from those that we call family can be the most difficult thing that we may ever do for His glory, I know, I did it. There comes a time when we need to stop casting our pearls before swine, (Matt. 7:6) when we need to shake the dust off our feet, (Matt 10:14) and actually set ourselves apart, even from those that we love the most. But those of our immediate family may never come to know Him as Lord, in other words, sometimes to be set apart in this area means to give up one family so that you can gain another.

If we are going to be set apart, then that means that we must cleave to something else, and that something else is not a thing, but a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt. 6:24) Our Lord was not just speaking about money here, but of all those things of this world that we attempt to set before Him, those things and people that we will not leave for His sake, those that we refuse to separate from us for any reason whatsoever. When we make the conscience decision to sanctify ourselves from the things and people of the world, we decide for Christ, we place Him first, for we realize that that is the place where he should have been from the beginning. He is patient with us though, for He loves us deeply.

It can sometimes be a very long process, but if the operation is never begun, you will never be sanctified in these areas, there will always be an excuse, and excuses that we attempt to give to Him when we are commanded to do something by Him never go over very well with our Lord, He tends to look at these things as an insult to Him. Start as you would start with any other venture that you have determined to undertake for the glory of God, with prayer, start with the little things, like those thoughts that you know you should not be thinking. Move then as He leads, our Lord is loving and kind, but expects His children to be obedient, no matter the cost.

What price would you put on the favor of the Lord, of being pleasing in His sight, that television program that you have become addicted to, that friend who is constantly mocking your faith, or the beloved family member that is just waiting for you to get over this “Jesus thing.”  You cannot serve two masters, and you know which one you are to love the most, the only One who loves you the most, the One that gave His life for you.

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