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| Decidedly
Different
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To suggest that
the Christian is different is to state the obvious. He cannot
be what he is and be the same as everyone else. Peter says it
well: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Three things stand out in
this passage: the priesthood comes of a connection to royalty;
the nation is one that is sanctified; and the people are
peculiar, which means they are distinctive, not ordinary. All
three of these things speak to the kind of people who have
chosen to follow God.
There are several areas in which Christians are–and must
be–different. I have chosen four to discuss briefly.
The Christian is decidedly different because:
He sees a bigger picture. His view is not focused on
this world only, but on the world to come. In fact, he is
impressed with the transitory nature of all that appertains to
this world to the point that he puts only relative value on
things of the earth. “Love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world,” says John (1 John 2:15-17), “If
any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but
is of the world. And the world passeth away, with the lusts
thereof, but he that doeth the will of the Father abideth
forever.” The Christian sees further, sees more clearly,
sees more joyfully than the person in the world. He has a
higher view.
He serves from a higher motive. He is not energized
by the same things that energize the people of the world. Paul
emphasizes our motive when he says, “And above all these
things, put on love which is the bond of perfectness” (Col.
3:14). Love is the divine motive and it provides the impetus
for all the Christian’s actions. He begins and ends all that
he does out of love for God and love for his fellow man (Matt.
22:37), seeing the possibility of service to both as the real
road to happiness in his life. Love is not just an emotional
experience to the Christian; it is an energizing force leading
to holiness, piety and good works.
The impressions on his mind come from a different source.
A Christian’s mind is tuned to a higher frequency, open to a
more lasting influence. He understands the value of higher
thinking and godly impressions. “Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think
on these things” (Phil. 4:8), is Paul’s way of getting the
right impressions into the mind of the Christian. The true
child of God will find ways to make sure these impressions are
a reality in his mind, thus producing a force for good in his
life.
He regards his being as a privileged obligation. The
Christian sees himself as having real worth only because of
his connection to his Master. In his mind he see his life as
having been purchased for a reason–to bring honor and glory
to his Father and His Son. “I beseech ye, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service” (Rom. 12:2). To him that means he is
constrained to voluntarily present himself to His God on a
daily basis, to render to Him his love, respect, and
faithfulness, and, by so doing, to let his light so shine that
others may see Christ living in Him (Matt. 5:16). In seeing
himself as given over to God, he sees himself as proving
“what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of
God” (Rom. 12:2).
Yes, we’re different. Not odd, but different. Not social mis-matches,
unfit for society, but peculiar in a special and holy
way–one calculated to bring honor to God.
Dee Bowman
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Copyright (C)
2009
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
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