Sanctify Yourselves

 Sanctify Yourselves

   In a great house… vessels of gold and silver…wood and clay,

 some for honor and some for dishonor—2 Tim.2:20  

 

David's call to the priests was, “sanctify yourselves.” The ark of testimony which was the symbol of God's presence among His people was heading for its place of rest [1 Chr.1:12-14]. And all who would travel with it in outward proximity must be set apart in the Spirit of holiness. Previous attempts to accompany the ark on its journey based on mere zeal and carnal enthusiasm invited the wrath of God and brought down His judgment upon such disastrous presumption [1 Chr.15:13]. 

 

Likewise, believers are called to be holy as God is holy [1 Pt.1:16]. If we would be outwardly identified with the name and purpose of the Lord Jesus, who is God with man, as was the ark on earth, we must desist from everything that dishonors God‟s name and attempt to frustrate His purpose in this world [2 Tim.2:17, 2 Cor.6:14] 

 

The contents of the ark are revealed to us, it had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant-Heb.9:4. These items contained in the ark are full of spiritual significance. The manna speaks of the Lord Jesus as our bread from heaven [John 11], Aaron's dry rod budding and blossoming with life tells of Christ as our Resurrection and life [John 8.] and the tablets declare the Lord Jesus to be God's covenant of truth with mankind [John 14:6]. Any who choose to identify with the Lord Jesus and His cause in this world must have fed on the heavenly manna, experienced the power of resurrection in his soul and must have received the truth about Christ in whom are hid all treasures of the Godhead [Col.2]. 

 

As the purpose of the contents of that ark must be uppermost in the heart of the Israelites, so the mind of Christ must be in anyone who lays claim to His name. His Spirit must burn in all such hearts with flaming devotion to Him as we seek to proceed with the advancing testimony of the Lord in this world's spiritual wilderness. 

 

Sanctification for the purpose of godliness on earth is like a two- sided coin. The one being the outcome of divine activity and the other being human responsibility. It is with the human aspect of the equation that we shall presently busy ourselves, since God will never fail to supply the power necessary for us to be set apart unto Him, if we would do that which we ought to do. 

 

A very arresting illustration of our study is recorded in Leviticus chapter eleven, where God outlines, in principle, profitable teachings on the issue of sanctification. Let it be noted carefully that while the chapter may retain a dietary application to ceremonial Israel, it is not so in the case of the Christian believer.  To make that chapter preach abstinence from eating pork for instance would be to proclaim an unrealistic gospel in an economically realistic Nigeria.

 

To drive this point home, we ought to consider in passing some portions of the holy Scriptures which warrants us to make such a bold assertion.  Gen. 1:26, there we see God pronouncing all His creatures as good for food. Notice it, that what God pronounced good for food includes everything that moves on land, every thing that flies in the heavens and all that are in the sea. Gen.9:1-3 we read of Gods word to the patriarch Noah, the old world had drowned in God's flood of judgmental waters.

 

A new race was about to begin and we find God pronouncing every creeping thing, every flying thing and everything in the waters without a single exception, as suitable for food.  Mark 7:14-23 Here the Lord Jesus in very clear terms declare the impossibility of foods to defile a man. Morality is not a question of food and drinks. It deals with the issue of character.  Paul boldly declared that Christian believers are free to partake of anything that is sold in the meat market [ 1 Cor.10:25-26]

 

Listen to him, Food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse—1 Cor.8:8. The apostle even warned us that doctrines of demons would include abstinence from foods which were created to be received with thanksgiving [1Tim4:4]. His reason was simple, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit—Rom.14:17. 

 

Having examined the above passages let us proceed to Leviticus eleven and seek wisdom from the Spirit of God as He illuminates our understanding with eternal light.  The Lord God speaking to Israel through His servants draws His lessons from nature. Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud-that you may eat—Lev.11:3.

 

First, God lays bare that which is supposed to be the norm. Animals with divided hoofs which also chew the cud, that is regurgitate, are declared clean and fit for consumption. Let us apply our hearts unto wisdom.  In this illustration we see both diet and movement. What we chew and absorb into the inside of us is reflected in our daily walk as to whether we are healthy or not. The principle taught here is that an inward reality must be evidenced by outward practicality.  The hoof, divided but not by human hands provides the base on which the animal both stands and walks. Lifting this into the spiritual, it corresponds with rightly dividing the word of truth-2 Tim.2:15. This is the only true basis upon which a soul may stand and walk with God. Rightly dividing the word of truth and obeying it apart from denominational prejudice and sectarian bias, all who will truly approach the word of God with an open mind, waiting to be ministered to and to be blessed by an objective evaluation of Scripture and not by what one has merely heard, are declared clean, if they walk according to the truth discovered. 

 

Chewing the cud, is an allusion to animals which after grazing on the fields, biting off chunks of grass and once satisfied, settling down under some shade only to call up morsel after morsel, bolus after bolus of that which had being previously swallowed for the purpose of further chewing so that every profitable nutrient might be extracted for the welfare of the animal.  The application of this is plain. We are called to meditate on whatever we hear proclaimed to be the word of God. We are not to swallow all manner of stories and filth as this would undoubtedly result in our spiritual detriment, rather we are to wisely consider that which we are being taught, over and over again and to accept that which is according to God's word and to turn down all that answers to mere human opinion. Simple Christians in Berea chewed the cud even after a great man of God like the apostle Paul preached to them, they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so—Acts 17:11  But this is not our practice today, we swallow everything that we are being told and even act on mere human assumptions.

 

Many who do not know how to quote God's word will accurately cite the utterances of their general overseers. “Prophecies” of the year are easily recalled and pronounced by foolish devotees of denominational bondage. The messenger is elevated above the message and the result is idolatry characterized by foolish prayers expressing desires of greed. 

 

Leaving the normal for a moment, we shall do well to consider various deviations and to gain wisdom from what the Word of God would have us learn through them. Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves. The camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you—Lev.11:4. Here we come in contact with an awkward principle. The camel does chew the cud but it hooves are not cloven. The same thing goes for the hare and the rock hyrax.   This spiritually corresponds to a person who “love” the Word, freely quote it and easily mingles with Christians. The library of such a person is full of many theological and religious books and his home is packed full of discs and videotapes of “Christian” music and messages, but such a person continues freely in sin. Using the new Testament parlance this kind of person is always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth—2 Tim.3:7. There is no corresponding walk to his so-called profession in spite of his intellectual grasp of Biblical issues. The Word of God no matter how much he appears to devour it does not react upon his conscience for good. It would be easier to trust an infidel as business partner than such a self-professed believer. Well, let it be known that such kind of faith is equally practicable by the devil, who himself mentally agrees to the existence of God as a holy God [Mk.1:24, Jm.2:19]. Before the supreme court of heaven all such persons are declared unclean. 

 

The swine comes next, and it typifies a fearful principle. It divides the hoof, having cloven hooves but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you-Lev.11:7. The swine, an animal which joyfully eats anything it finds without discrimination, its own offspring inclusive!. This spiritually answers to a person who is at home in any kind of religious atmosphere. He preaches ecumenicalism and agrees that all equally worship God and discrimination is to be avoided.  “We are one,” says he, “Doctrine doesn't matter and shouldn't matter,” he preaches. „As long as you believe in Jesus, as long as you agree that the Father Son and Holy Spirit is God, you are okay!  Let's move on.” And to get his point across, he is very morally upright. You never see such a person stealing, being accused of fornicating, neither will you encounter him in drunken shame.  He is ever quick to pride himself in his morality, “I don't drink, smoke or womanize.” His arrogance is rooted in self- acclaimed moral superiority which gives him a color of spirituality. 

 

The fearful thing about believers today is that this is the kind of person we would normally ordain as deacons and pastors in the church.  He appears very respectable to us. But heaven looking down sees this person, this moral sister, that “upright” brother and declares the person to be swine! And according to the white light of divine requirement such a person is rightly declared unclean. The best that is morality has being able to bring him is having a form of truth but denying the power thereof.

 

The Pharisees are a typical example. They were very pious Jews, ceremonially clean and separate from all outward defilement, never to be seen in  open trespass and indeed quick to condemn open sins and to judge mercilessly those fettered in the bonds of iniquity, but when the Son of God who is incarnate Purity encountered them, He discovered them to be incongruous to His own holiness and was left with no other option than to launch fearful woes upon them [Matt23].  Indeed all human righteousness ranks with the disgust of a cesspool [Isa.64:6] 

 

Changing the figure to the scene of the waters, the Lord continues to instruct his people. Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales-that shall be an abomination to you-Lev.11:9. By application the fins and scales correspond to the weapons of offence and defense. Fins are for coursing through water currents while scales are for resisting tidal actions on the moving creature. That which makes the animal without fins and scales abominable is that it has no means of movement in the waters except where the currents and tides of the ocean choose to drag it to!  But God does choose to send his disciples against the currents, adversities and storms of woes amidst troubles on most occasions has been the story of Gods most faithful servants! True believers proceed on the principle of faith and not of sight on which the waves of humanity choose to gallop. We are not to follow a multitude to do evil. No matter how popular an idea is in the world, the Christian cannot afford to ride atop the waves of mere human wisdom in matters of faith. Christ gave Himself that He might deliver us from this present evil age [Gal.1:4].

 

Our weapons of offense and defense must be implored if we would practically realize the highest purpose of God for us. The Word of God is our offensive weapon [Eph.6:17, Heb.4:12]. The Lord Himself swarm against the storm of hostilities and the battleships of Satan's maliciousness with the Word, it is written…it is written…it is written [Matt.4] was His impenetrable shield against the raging storm of wicked assaults. Our defense is the hope of Christ in us [1Pt.3:15]. It is a living hope [1Pt1:3] and while others are doing according to their own fancy we cannot. While others are following the dictates of the age, we dare not. And we may be asked, “what do you mean?” We answer, “We are not of the world. Even if conditions will not now favor us, we cannot condescend to that pitiable level of loving the world and all that is in it. Jesus who is our life will come and then our joy shall be fulfilled” And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure-1 Jn.3:3. 

 

Dear, Christian are you daily standing upon the word of God and looking for that blessed hope which is in Christ Jesus? If this is your story then you must not relent, you are not alone. The Lord greatly delights in you and will complete that which He has begun in you. Never mind the pleasures of sin which daughters and sons of this present age apparently enjoy. Their feet have been set upon slippery places and in due time they shall be made to reap the consequences of their own choices. But you be faithful to your God, and the Lord will surely preserve you from every evil work.  Presently our figure shifts to the birds of the air [Lev.11:13-19] Three kinds of birds are mentioned in this section and they are declared to be an abomination to us. The first are the carnivores which feed on flesh. Their strength, and nourishment is revealed as being drawn at the expense of another life. 

 

We must beware of people who preach to plunder the people of God. Indeed many ministries are built on the motivation of financial greed.  Godliness is not a means to gain and those who use it as such ungodly ends are only calling for God's wrath upon themselves [2 Cor.2:17] 

 

The second group of birds called abominable are the various kinds of owls and the bat. These spiritually represent people who while maintaining impressive religious observance are nevertheless different when alone by their selves. Their activities are principally in the dark. They will not come to the light because light is always the condemnation of dark deeds.  These sort of people are bachelors at daytime but married [that is fornicators] at night. They are choristers on Sundays but gossips on Tuesdays. Such people have not renounced the hidden things of shame and are still secretly delighting in the things that they openly denounce and hurriedly condemn in others. All such pretenders fall under the condemnation of the Lord. True believers must Provide all things honest in the sight of God and in the sight of men-2 Cor.8:21. 

 

Also in this section we see the ostrich. The biggest and most impressive of all birds; but it is unable to do the one thing that God requires of birds [Gen.1:20]. No matter how impressive we are if we fail to achieve God's highest purpose for our lives we fall under His condemnation.  And what is this purpose we ask, Fear God and keep His commandments for this is man's all—Eccl.12:13. It is surprising how such a big and very impressive bird falls under the condemnation of being abominable.

 

Many spiritual heavy weights today will be exposed to be featherweights when tested in the revealing crucible of heaven's testing.  Once a mighty king on earth was weighed in the scales of heaven and found to be wanting[Dan 5:22-28].

 

What is the fate of you and me when so tested? Many ladies today are seen painting and creaming their bodies for hours. Yet they are nothing but mud on high heels, and in the last analysis that body must be subject to the forces of decay.  Those whose whole lives are only devoted to acquiring academic certificates will discover that the world by wisdom cannot find God. Professing to be wise they became fools.

 

We must live to fulfill God's highest purpose and this purpose is to unite our hearts to fear Him. Nothing else is acceptable.

 

Again the figure is changed, as Jehovah continues to impart wisdom to His people. All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination unto you. These you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours. Those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. All other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you-Lev.11: 20-23. The irony of life in such a creature speaks its import to us. Created to fly but choosing to muddle in the things of earth disqualifies us from being acceptable to God.  Note it well; there is mercy for those who leap above the earth. Struggling, when seen in a drowning man is an evidence of life. But those who joyfully wallow in the mire of earthly things and whose entire life is focused on the pursuit of temporal things have no heart for things heavenly.  If we would be acceptable to God then we must Set your mind on things above and not on things on the earth-Col.3:2. This world with all its enticement is not God's last word to man. There is more beyond this life.

 

Our stay in this world is probationary and we must seek the things of God. If we settle our affections on things below then we would be unsuitable for life above and God would be guilty of sending us to heaven where we apparently do not want to be.

 

The same teaching goes for creeping things [Lev.11:29-31].  These creatures joyfully drag themselves on the earth with no ability to lift above it. Of note among these is the chameleon. An animal which is green in green environments and yellow in yellow environments; We cannot afford to live like this if we truly love God and desire to be publicly identified with His testimony in this world, being at home among God's people and equally relaxed at Satan's banquet is a disastrous amalgamation of two opposing principles.

 

Having considered the passage in Leviticus, we pause to consider again what we have truly learnt. First, we learn that God speaks through nature and all are without excuse. Second, we discover that we are what we eat. A vulture and a turkey may look alike but to distinguish between both, one only needs to toss a piece of meat in their direction and the passions of the forest within the breast of the vulture will  at once gain expression [Matt.24:28], while the turkey will strange away from such strange diet . Third, we see that every movement contrary to God's revealed pattern no matter how impressive is abominable to Him.

 

The truth is plain. God has His own pattern. The lessons to be drawn from this study is inexhaustible but the moral is plain. In a great land, there are many animals some unto honor and some unto dishonor. In a great ocean there are many creatures, some unto honor and some unto dishonor. In a great sky there are many birds some unto honor and some unto dishonor.   In a great Christendom, yea, there are many brethren some unto honor and some unto the dishonor.

 

Which are you? In spite of your many years of Christian profession the question stands, which are you? Who are you? And what are you?  Your time is fast fading away.  What will be said of your time  when the records are opened? Have you promoted the kingdom of God by a sanctifying influence on the brethren or have you dragged them down and left them twice the sons of hell as you met them.  It is worth thinking about. Your evaluation of your life and influence on others is between you and God. You can become a vessel of honor if you so wish, the Lord is awaiting your response. Let us pray.