Set Apart not Aside

OT Fail

Do you know what the biggest fail was of the OT?

It was the mission of God, they were called to be a people group that was known for their faith and that was to be shown through the way that they lived. God wanted the ancient near east world to take notice of Israel becuase of their higher standard of living, thats why we have the book of Leviticus and Dueternomy, they are our OT ways of being set apart.

However that lead Israel to holiness and their mindset started to become the better then the rest mindset. That they had it better then everyone else and that they should be lorded over other nations. This is shown through the book of Kings and Judges, all of the rules think Holiness makes them above others.

NT Success

When Paul starts his mission we can see through his letters that he urges that the gospel is not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. 1 Th 1:7-8

1 Thessalonians 1:7–8 NIV

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,

When it comes to being Set Apart, the theology idea that we are set aprt from the world becuase God has set us apart can hold us back from the mission. See we are Set Apart, we are not to live like the world, but that does not mean we are to be Set Aside.

We are to live lifes that are holy and God honoring but to live those lives with others. That even if someone is sinning they know you are respectable becuase of your live still. You live differently becuase you do and do not live a certain way.

So I encourage you to live a life that is not Set Aside, but be active in living a life that is God honoring with those who know Jesus and those who do not, becuase that is what God had intented as OT mission, that Isreal would be a nation known for their life style and that would ultimently lead to Christ. It’s only when we see ourselves as better then or more holy then that we start to limit and push our status above others and that is where the mission suffers.