Becoming Christians Set Apart for God
Is The Church or Believers Set Apart for God?
Rom. 8:29~30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
The same word for foreknew is found also in 1 Peter 1:20 “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” The Bible says that because He foreknew and predestined from past times that he has chosen or called some to Himself.
This is not the general call you may hear from the pulpit or an evangelist but the effectual call from God. When it says “He also called” all those that God calls without exception; become justified or saved to Himself. Those that are called are set apart by God to be His chosen people and further to do works that he has prepared beforehand; as noted in Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The words "prepared beforehand," mean to predestinate, or appoint before. The proper meaning of this passage is, "to which good works God has predestinated us, or appointed us beforehand, that we should walk in them." This word appears nowhere else except in Romans 9:23, where it is rendered " prepared beforehand." It involves the idea of a previous determination, or an arrangement beforehand for securing a certain result. The previous preparation here referred to was, the divine intention; and the meaning is, that God had predetermined that we should lead holy lives.
This is why God gives every Believer at least one or more gifts and the empowering of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; to equip us for the works He has given us to do. We are set apart when we are chosen by God; then in that sense when were made, we were set apart by God.
2 Cor. 6:14~18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. as God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."
Christians are to become set part for God. We are to come out from among them; essentially saying that we are to be different, not partake in their ways and be set apart. Here in Lev. 20:26 “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.”It tells us to be Holy, because the Lord has bought you and separated you from the world and has set you apart.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” Consider further that the Lord is saying here that you are a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people”
The word saints in mentioned 93 times in scripture and refers to God’s chosen ones, His believers. See these few verses.
Romans 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Matthew 27:52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
It is stated that we were first given the name of Christians in Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Is The Church Set Apart in Daily Living?
Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Again we shall begin with this verse; which ends in ‘we should walk in them’. God gives each of us as believers one or more gifts to help us in the works he has prepared for us to do. We can see from the example verses below that walking or doing a good work is pleasing to the Lord.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Colossians 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Every Christian is intended to represent the Lord Jesus here on this earth. One of God’s purposes for His people is to conform us to the image of His Son.
Rom. 12:1~2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
In the process of conforming us to Him, we are to become holy. We must not only submit to God's commands and principals, but seek to imitate his holiness. See verses related to this in left column.
Sanctification is another word for holiness. Both translated from same word in NT and have same meaning. To be holy or sanctified is to be set apart. Becoming holy should be the desire of every Christian; but how often this not appears to be true in the Church today.
The Bible describes in much detail what we are to do. There are verses such as these.
Rom. 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Ephesians 4: 22~24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness..
Col. 3: 1~17 put off & put on Holiness is like putting off (away), putting on
Here it tells us about all the things to put on, to be set apart.
Gal 5:22~26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Here it talks about the fruit of the Spirit that we should become like. Here are just a few verses of many that tell us of Christ-like behaviours and attitudes we should grow in.
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Personal grace is something we have the responsibility to develop by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Grace works out like this. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.
Romans 6:14,15 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
Set Apart, putting it into Practice
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