Focus: Destined To Be Different!

Text: Mt.6:8

"Be not ye therefore LIKE unto them…"

Through spiritual rebirth a believer in Christ becomes a part of a unique brand of humanity. Paul makes us understand that if any person is in Christ, he is a new creation - a new species that has never been before. The old is gone and the new has come. Every one that is 'born again' or 'born of God' is a part of 'the new man.' As Christians we are a brand new humanity in Christ. We have not only been redeemed but also regenerated by God. We have a new identity and a unique destiny in Christ.

*The old man

Every one born into this world is a descendant of Adam. We share a singular ancestry, a common humanity and a moral depravity.

In the book that bears his name, James introduces Elijah as a man subject to like passions as we are. That means that Elijah was not in any way different from any of us. As a matter of fact, all men are the same - men and women alike. We are all fellows in the same ship - a kind of fellowship. Even Elijah said of himself at one time that he was not better than his own fathers or progenitors. What that means is that no man in his old nature can be really described as being better than another person of the same sinful nature. A liar is not better than a thief, because in the sight of God all sins are connected and flow from the same source. There is a sin of the flesh as well as a sin of the spirit, and the two simply function like the two sides of a coin. Sin is sin, be it big or small.

*The new man

The Christian is a new man in Christ. Christ brought a new humanity with Him into the world. In fact, Christ is the new man - the original and authentic Adam. John makes bold to say that "when he (Christ) shall appear, we shall be LIKE him; for we shall see him AS he is" (1Jh.3:2). In Christ the believer has become a partaker of the divine nature. Christ is the head of the new humanity. We share same nature with Christ.

*How God describes us

Under the influence of God, Balaam declares concerning Israel, "For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell ALONE, and shall not be RECKONED among the nations" (Num.23:9). Israel is described as a unique people and different among the nations of the world. In Galatians, Paul describes us as the Israel of God. But that doesn't mean that the church is a replacement for Israel, but it means that we have the same or similar identity and destiny as they. Moses says to Israel, "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a PECULIAR people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth" (Dt.14:2). The new man is different from the old man. The believer in Christ is a brand new man indwelt by the Spirit of God.

*Destined to be different

By virtue of our new identity in Christ we are called and destined to be different from the worldly men and women around us in the way we live and act. Israel said to Samuel, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us LIKE all the nations" (1Sam.8:5). In verse 20, they said, "That we also may be LIKE all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." It is an error for the new man to want to be or do things like the old man. 

It is not part of our divine destiny to be like the world or the old man. Also, we are not required by God to be or do better than the man of the world, but to be different - different, not better.

We are called to live differently, talk differently, relate differently, act differently, love differently, behave and work differently. Our Lord Jesus Christ says to us, "Be not ye therefore LIKE unto them" (Mt.6:8). We are required by Christ never to do business, play politics or do things the way the worldly people would do them. Our divine calling requires us being different and doing things differently, not being or doing better than them. We are called to be a holy nation, a peculiar people and a royal priesthood. We belong to the household of faith, and indeed, the household of God. Let's be different!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter