On Being Set Apart

Numbers 5:3 (link)

Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

This verse comes in the midst of the guidance God gives on how to deal with lepers. This is before Jesus, so the capacity to be healed of leprosy is a rare occurrence - in a very real sense, at the time that this passage, having leprosy was a kind of death sentence. Thus, the only resolution for leprosy, and many other problems, was to set apart - to implement separation.

Scripture shares with us a reason for separation ... and most of the reasons are associated with the presence or lack of uncleanness. If God tells us to set someone apart from us, we can be fairly certain that their presence may defile others in some way. Likewise, if God tells us to be set apart, the reason is again associated with being defiled, but from the other end - we are in danger of being defiled.

This is important because believers are called to hold themselves to a particular standard, to be "in the world, not of the world". This can, on the surface, include going to church, attending spiritually-rewarding engagements, and any number of other events.

The key here is this: are you truly set apart? Have you truly committed your actions, your thoughts, and you tongue to Christ Jesus?

Or phrased another way:

How many aspects of your daily life and/or your internal life have you held to Christ Jesus to ask if He is pleased with their character?

Hyper-challenge:

• Identify something in your life you have never actively or consciously considered was under God's jurisdiction

• Ask Christ Jesus to reveal in what manner you might offer that area in your life consciously to Him.

• Earnestly promise God to implement that change.

• Repeat as your walk with Christ dictates.