The Weight of the Word

A PECULIAR PEOPLE

  In I Peter 2:9 we read, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Peter addressed these words to scattered Christians of his day and also of our day. If he were here to speak to us today, Ie would bear the same message. He declares we are a chosen generation, a generation of people who have been [Page 33] called of God, called out of sin to walk with him in this present world. "A royal priesthood." Yes, thank God, we have been washed from our sins in his own blood and have become kings and priests unto God and his Father (Rev.1: 5-6). The world may look upon Christian people as the off scouring of the earth, a narrow-minded people who are deprived of the pleasures of life, but, thank God, we are drinking of the river of pleasure that flows from the throne of God and are kings and priests unto God. "An holy nation, a peculiar people." In this verse Peter pictures a wonderful throng of people who have been chosen of God to live holy before him in this world and to be robed in white garments and rejoice around the white throne in heaven after this life is over, a throne of which the world is not worthy.

  He declares this chosen generation shall be a peculiar people. This is a part of the teaching of God's word that so many people resent. If they could be a Christian and be as the multitudes of earth, live as they live, act as they act, they would gladly be a Christian. But there is something about being a Christian that makes an individual or group peculiar; and when this peculiarity is absent, God is absent. The Lord spoke through Moses to Israel long ago and said, "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed , and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar people treasure unto me above all people." God's people have always been a peculiar people; and as long as they obey his voice and keep his covenant, they will always be peculiar. In Titus 2:13-l4 we read, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself [Page 34] a peculiar people, zealous of good works." So in this gospel dispensation as well as back under the law God's people are peculiar.

  The word peculiar has several meanings. First, it means that we are the purchased possession of Jesus Christ. Through his precious blood we have been redeemed or brought back from sin's bondage and are the private property of Jesus. And being purchased by the blood of Jesus also means we are peculiar in that we are different from the usual. We no longer live according to the lust of the flesh, doing those things which are unseemly. The old life has passed away and all things are become new. No longer are we seeking pleasure in the things of this world. The moving picture theatres, the dance halls, the crowd that drinks their liquor and carouses around in the sinful things no longer attract us. We've lost our desire for those things, and now we're looking for the children of God that we might unite in prayer and worship to God. Praise God for the transforming, regenerating, life-giving power of the blood of Jesus. Peter said the folk will think it strange that you run not to the same excess of riot, lasciviousness, and reveling, and banquetings, and will speak evil of you. They can't understand what has happened that you don't like to do these things any more. They'll ask, "Where do you get any pleasure? You don't do this, and you don't do that; how do you live such a life?" Beloved, this is just a part of the peculiarity of those who have come in contact with Jesus of Nazareth and have tasted of the river of life. The Christian is eating and drinking things the world knows nothing about, if so be they are feeding at God's table. Praise God! I'm glad I'm peculiar in this respect. Since I found [Page 35] in my heart, the things of this world have faded into oblivion, and I'm, drinking at a fountain that never shall run dry. With joy IÕm drawing water from the wells of salvation. Yes, this is just part of the peculiarity of the saints.

  The word peculiar also means characteristic of one only. The seed of holiness is to determine the one. ItÕs the seed of holiness that has characterized the people of God all along the way. Even before the foundation of the world, God ordained his people should be holy (Eph. 1:4). Holiness of heart and life will be the thing that will characterize the people of God on the day of judgment as well as in this life. In this modern age of lukewarmness many folk, who at one time believed in holiness of heart and walked holy before God, seem to think that was a fogy idea and now have apostatized and fail to live holy and fail to advocate the doctrine. LetÕs look at ancient Israel at the time Isaiah wrote his book. The condition of Israel was deplorable. She was in a backslidden condition, the whole head was sick and the heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head was no soundness in it. She needed someone to cry out against her sins and turn her back to God. In the 6th chapter Isaiah received a vision of the thrice holy God seated upon a throne. As he looked upon this scene, he realized he was undone before God, and instantly one the seraphim flew unto him and touched his mouth with a live coal from off the altar, and he was cleansed. Then he heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom, shall I send, and who will go for us? Immediately he volunteered. The message he was to deliver to Israel was this, "Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but [Page 36] understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and convert and be healed." Isaiah, said, "Lord, how long? How long shall the people be dull of seeing, hearing, and understanding?" "Until the cities be wasted without habitation, and the houses without man, and the land utterly desolate." Then in verse 13 he said, "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof." It is evident from this reading, what is going to happen. God is going to pour out judgment upon Israel for her sins, and from this purging process a remnant will come, and holiness will be the substance thereof, or real nature. The teaching here is that the holy seed will characterize the remnant. This has been true all back through the ages. Many folk have professed to be God's children, but the seed of holiness or holy living will be the only thing that will constitute them as the children of God. The Hebrew people of Jesus' day thought because they were of the chosen race they were inheritors of the kingdom of God regardless of their personal status in relation to sin. Jesus was teaching some of the believing Jews and told them if they would continue in his word they would be his disciples indeed; and they would know the truth and the truth would make them free. They answered, "We be AbrahamÕs seed and were never in bondage to any man.Ó The Jews were a people laden with iniquity, yet they felt they were God's people while rejecting his Son and continuing [Page 37] in sin because they came of the seed of Abraham.

  Today we have a generation of people laden with iniquity yet making a profession of godliness. The great percentage of folk today claim to be Christian but one at the wickedness in our land and one asks, "Where Christians?" We are living in the evening of the gospel day when the pure gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached under the anointing of the Holy Ghost and as it is being preached, it is judging the world. Men are accepting it or rejecting it; and as they make their decision, they are being judged by it. Little does our profession to if we fail to live according to God's word. Through this process of judgment, or the preaching of the pure gospel, the lord is preparing a people for himself, and the seed of holiness will characterize the one, or the remnant. Only a small remnant of the so-called Christian world will come through this judgment of the preaching of God's word, and those who do come will be purged and purified and live holy lives and will constitute the bride of Christ when he appears the second time to receive her and present her to the Fattier. True enough, the doctrine of holy living, one of the peculiarities of the children of God, is very unpopular in the world. Men love darkness better than light. They love the cesspools iniquity more than the glories of serving the true and living God. Nevertheless, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. If we are to be the children of God we must be peculiar in that we live holy lives, which means Christ-like living—living that is, separated from sinful things of this world, clinging to that which is pure and clean and upright. Are you peculiar? Are you [Page 38] living as God tells you to live? Will you be among the white robed throng in heaven? If you expect to be, you must live holy before the Lord in this present evil world.

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