"For you [are] a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. - Deu 7:6 NKJV
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are commanded to do some things and not to do others in order to fulfill the call to be separate from the world. God ordained a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation to be His special people (1Pe 2:9). These people, Christians, are to proclaim the praises of God who called them out of the darkness and into His marvelous light through Jesus Christ. If we live according to the customs of the world, which are wicked, we cannot proclaim the light of Christ while looking like the darkness.
Some people are not aware of what they should avoid as followers of Jesus Christ because they are not taught the truth of the scriptures nor do they read for themselves. The Bible says, Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, - 1Ti 4:1 Notice, they will depart from the faith. This verse tells us at one time these were once in the faith of Christ but will give into deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. So, what will happen to cause these people to leave the faith? I believe one thing that happens is some continue living in the world as if they are still part of it and fail to pull away from those things that hold them captive.
Apostle Paul talks about being unequally connected with those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Paul talks about the contrast between light and darkness, righteousness and lawlessness even to the point of asking, “And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 2Cor 6:15
His point is that we are not to be joined to one who does not have faith in Jesus Christ because there will be consequences. These two types of people, righteous and lawless, do not fit jointly together whereby they could supply each other with what is needed. Worldly people are carnal, and the word says that they are at enmity with God; they are enemies of the cross if they live according to this world. Non-believers and believers alike often have different gods, though they may not be aware of it their gods can be themselves, money, fame, and multiple other things, but believers are told to have no other gods before our God.
Paul goes on to say, 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among [them]. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." - 2Co 6:16-18 NKJV.
God is the God of those who believe in Jesus Christ. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: - John 1:12 NKJV
He is the God of all for He is the Creator of all, but He is the Father of those who have given their lives to Him through the Son, Jesus Christ whose Spirit lives within them. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, - Rom 8:16 NKJV
God promises us that He will receive and dwell in those who separate themselves from the world. Being received by God brings great rewards both in this life and the afterlife. There are conditions to being received by God, one must believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9). Jesus told us the only way to the Father was through Him; Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. - John 14:6 NKJV
The Sway of the Wicked One
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies [under the sway of] the wicked one. - 1Jo 5:19 NKJV
What this verse is saying is that the world is under the power of Satan. However, Christians have been given all authority and power over the evil one. If the world is living under the power of evil because it will not receive the truth of Jesus as Lord, then we as believers certainly endanger ourselves when we tie ourselves to anyone or anything of this world. This is not to say that we don’t speak to unbelievers else how could we tell them the good news and help them get free from the wickedness of this world? Indeed, we don’t run from unbelievers we love them and help them find freedom and Truth. However, we don’t entangle ourselves to those of a different belief.
What are Wicked Customs?
9 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations [wickedness] of those nations. 10 "There shall not be found among you [anyone] who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, [or one] who practices witchcraft, [or] a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 "For all who do these things [are] an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 "For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you. - Deu 18:9-14 NKJV
Making your child pass through the fire is in regards to those who sacrificed their children to gods such as Moloch, but today we see millions of children sacrificed to various gods through abortion. Today we have prophets who ask for money in exchange for a word from the Lord and other preachers that tell you to sow a seed of a specific dollar amount to receive healing or blessing. Still, others give a scripture they say will come forth over your life if you sow that dollar amount associated with a verse number! This is ludicrous, and yet these ministers are getting away with this daily and not being held accountable for their deceptions.
It is pure wickedness to try to buy or sell the anointing as we see in the case of a sorcerer named Simon. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 "You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. - Act 8:18-22 NKJV
These men and women who have put money before the truth of the gospel so they can line their pockets financially will face judgment by the Father at some point. God will not allow these sins to go on forever. Jesus said, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. - Mat 10:8 NKJV
His Spirit distributes the anointing and gifts of God, and He alone releases as He chooses, anything other than this is witchcraft and manipulation which is rebellion and is as the sin of witchcraft (1Sa 15:23). Stubbornness is considered iniquity and idolatry in the eyes of God as well for it is an attribute of pride.
Lastly, if you read Ephesians chapter four, you will see several characteristics of wickedness that are considered to be the old nature of a person before they receive the new nature of the Spirit of God when they are born again.
The word custom means habitual practice, frequent repetition of the same act, or an established manner. Those who have not received the Spirit of God are alienated from the life of God because of their spiritual blindness to salvation; their understanding is darkened with the ways of this world because of the ignorance in them (Eph 4:18). These people are in the habitual practice of things like lying, stealing, laziness, pornography, drugs, drunkenness, adultery, fornication, and other sorts of sinful behavior. They are past feeling, having given themselves over to evil sensuality and works of greed and uncleanness.
Sin is Deceitful
Sin is deceitful, a delusion that misleads the mind. Many people sin in error because they are not aware of anything except what the world says is good and evil, right and wrong. Not so for those who have had their heart open to the gospel because they can know the truth and be set free.
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, ... 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. - Heb 3:7-8, 12-13 NKJV
Let’s Pray,
Heavenly Father, today I come to You with a heavy heart for the Church and my own life. Thank You for the privilege I have as a child of Yours to go to the throne room where I can find grace and mercy in time of need. I repent of the sins of stubbornness, pride, and other ways of the world. I ask You to enlighten the understanding of my heart that I might go deeper with You, that I might desire Your kingdom more than this one. I repent on behalf of the Church for these sins and others that have caused us to be inflicted with all kinds of illness and consequences of sin. Help us Holy Spirit to live a holy and separated life unto God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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