for what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? and what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that i set before you today? [deuteronomy 4:7-8]
a holy nation.
what a privilege to be a people chosen by God, to live in his glorious presence, and to worship him in all his holy splendor! this truth is driving moses to worship, as he presents israel, once again, with the righteous law of God, pleading for them to walk in it, and warning them of the consequences of rejecting it.
because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are now that people! we, followers and servants of Christ Jesus, have the perfect word (law) of God, and we have him so near to us (the Spirit lives in us!) that his power works in us and through us to do whatever he wills here on earth as it is in heaven.
and just like the nation of israel, we have a high priest who is constantly laying out his ways before us, who is driving us to worship, who is constantly encouraging us to walk in his light, and who is ever warning us when we stray from the perfect path of his goodness.
but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. [1 peter 2:9-10]
Jesus has called us out of darkness to be this holy nation. in ephesians, paul says we were once a people far off and that we have been drawn near by the blood of Christ. [eph 2:13] this means we are blessed with God’s presence, awakened to his glory, and overjoyed at his goodness. then he calls us to act like it!
beloved, i urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. [1 peter 2:9-10]
as a holy nation, we are called to be set apart, as separate, and as different from the world. Jesus prays for us to the Father to this end…
i have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as i am not of the world. i do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. they are not of the world, just as i am not of the world. sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. as you sent me into the world, so i have sent them into the world. [john 17:14-18]
Jesus sends us into the world in order to be different from the world because we have the presence of God, the goodness of God, and the word of God living and active in power within us! so i ask as moses asked, what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that i set before you today?
brothers and sisters, be stirred up to worship! walk in the light of Christ! be compelled to go into the world with the power of the gospel today, controlled by the love of Christ, walking in the boldness of the Spirit, because you are of the royal priesthood of the King over all!
~ arwen eastman