---Peculiar People / Set Apart unto Jesus ~~

--"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you of darkness into His
marvellous light. --[1 Peter 2:9] --

--We have become accustomed to seeing people with an odd appearance.
Many people have bought in the idea of self-expression, perhaps as an answer to insecurity, and so it is not unusual to see those who look anything but "normal." Although today's key verse talks about peculiar people, which in modern English could include odd-looking ones, that is not the meaning of the phrase in this verse.

The context shows that God's people are in focus. They are a purchased people. They are a precious people. The are not necessarily odd, but different or set apart. They are "in the world" but not "of the world" (John 17:11,14).

Israel was odd too--or at least different and separated. They had dozens of rules to follow! Were all those rules necessary? Was it really important to be so different from all their neighbors? Do these question sound familiar? One way to answer is yes, it was necessary for Israel to follow God's rules and to be different from their neighbors--not to make them odd, but to set them apart as God's people.

Today God still requires His people to follow His laws and to be different from the world around them. Why? Because the ultimate form of worship is obedience. God calls His people to be holy like Him, and since God has an enemy trying to destroy His kingdom and those who follow Him, it only makes sense that He requires His servants to obey some laws. These laws in turn protect His followers from the enemy and set them apart as His people. ~~

[**When Jesus came to earth He fulfilled the law. No person can keep all the laws. Therefore we must keep our eyes on Him, the author and finisher of our faith.[Hebrews 12:2]. There is no forgiveness of sin apart from the shedding of blood. The law points us to Jesus. Jesus died on the cross to pay our sin-debt. Receive Him and He will help you follow in HIs steps. [Hebrews 9:22-28]
--BSW/DR