1274. Ye Are a Special People

Ye Are a Special People

"And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the Living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2Co_6:16-17).

1. "Ye are a people."

(1) The yearning of God's heart was for a people for His own possession. God had created worlds but they did not satisfy Him. The heavens, with the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all manifested His glory, He doubtless delighted in these things, the works of His fingers, but God's heart wanted something more than worlds.

God created angels multitudinous in number, and various in rank. There were the cherubim, and seraphim; there were angels, and arch-angels; there were the angels "about the throne" and the angels who were sent forth as "ministering spirits." God greatly delighted in His angels, for they praised Him day and night, and they were faithful to do His will. The angels shouted for joy when God's fingers wrought their handiwork; when sun and moon and stars were created.

However, Father, Son and Holy Ghost yearned for more than worlds and for more than angels. God wanted a people for His own possession. Men redeemed by grace, and born of the Spirit, are above the angels; they are more to God than angels. God wanted a people.

(2) Israel was a people chosen of God. God says of Israel, "The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you." "For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth" (Deu_7:7, Deu_7:6).

Thus Israel was loved and chosen, and set aside unto God as a people. But Israel betrayed Jehovah; she played the harlot, she scattered her ways unto every green tree; then, the Lord God temporarily set Israel aside.

(3) The Church was a people chosen of God. When Israel was set aside God called out of the nations another people, the Church. He loved the Church and He bought it with His precious Blood. He washed the Church from all her sins, and He robed her in the robes of His righteousness. The true Church contains a people called out from all the nations of the earth; she will one day be presented to Christ, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.

2. Ye are a special people.

The Church is not only a people, but a special people. There are four things that may be suggested by the word "special."

(1) A "special people" suggests a separated people. God has called the saints to come out from the world. He says, "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or, what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2Co_6:14-15). Thus God enforced the command: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." If God is to be our God, and if we are to be His people, we must obey His voice and come out and be separate.

(2) The word "special people" suggests a beloved people. God loves His own people more than He loves any other people. Of course, "God so loved the world," and, "God commendeth His love towards us while we were yet sinners;" but God does not love the world in that holy sense of fellowship with which He loves His own people. A parent may love children in general, but a parent loves his own children the best.

Saints hold a place in the love of Christ that none others hold.

(3) The word "special people" suggests a yielded people. We are peculiarly the Lord's, because we have presented ourselves to the Lord. The wicked have turned, "every one to his own way," but saints have turned to God. The wicked are "servants of sin," and, "servants of unrighteousness," but saints delight in designating themselves as "servants of God."

To saints alone there comes the call of God: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God."

If we are not our own, if we have been bought by a price, if we are a special people, a people for God's own possession, we should present ourselves in loving bondage to a loving Lord–we should take His yoke upon us and learn of Him.

(4) The word "special people" suggests a possessed people. One version indeed translates the Scripture "a people for His own possession." Not only do we come and present ourselves to God but He accepts us and claims us as His own–He possesses us.

When satan possesses his house, he protects it, and shields it, and guards it–"his goods are at peace."

When Christ possesses His house, His people, He shields them, and guards them, and protects them; they too are kept in peace, perfect peace.

3. We are a special people that we may show forth the glories of separation and of dedication.

(1) There is a sad story in Jeremiah 13. It reveals God's call to Israel to glorify Him as a special people. The story concludes: "For, as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto Me the whole House of Israel and the whole House of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not hear" (Jer_13:11).

Poor Israel! How she grieved the One Who loved her, and chose her to be His special people. Instead of bringing glory to God, and becoming unto Him a praise, and a glory, she caused the name of her Lord to be blasphemed among the Gentiles.

(2) Will the Church be a glad story for God? During the time of Israel's rejection she has been chosen as a special people to show forth the glories of Christ. Shall she fail?

Christ has said unto the Church, "Go ye into all the world and preach My Gospel." Have we gone, bearing His glorious name, and the story of redeeming grace?

Christ has said unto His Church, "As the Father hath sent Me even so send I you." Christ glorified the Father in every word, and act, and deed, as He went about doing good. Have we glorified the Father?

Christ said unto His Church, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Have we honored Him as we should?

Illustration: It is said that Queen Victoria, as a girl, lived in ignorance of the fact that she was the heir to the throne. When the royal family deemed that it was time for her to be acquainted with this fact, the story is told of how they prepared a paper with the kingly line, and with her name written as the successor in that line, to the throne. This paper was placed upon a table in Victoria's bedroom. She entered the room, alone, and when her eye caught the record of kings and of queens, and her own name as the successor to the throne, she fell upon her knees and wept. The responsibility and the glory of her position overwhelmed her.

Surely saints who are as a special people, the representatives of the Heavenly Father, sent forth to show the glory of their Lord, should realize the responsibility of their position.

Others may go to places of sin, to places of questionable amusements, but we may not.

Others may use improper language, and harbor unclean thoughts, but we may not.

Others may mix and mingle with the world and run riot in the desires of the flesh and of the mind, but we may not.

We are a special people, and we must show forth the glories of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR