Set Apart

by Mathew Block

When God established Israel, He warned the people that they must not act like the nations around them. “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you,” He said. “You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules, and keep my statues and walk in them. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 18:3-4).

There is always the temptation to “do as the Romans do” when in Rome. But God calls His people to be different. “You shall be holy to me,” the Lord urged the Israelites, “for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26).

Of course, the Israelites did not manage to obey this commandment with any consistency. They fell time and again into the sins of neighbouring nations, worshipping their idols and abandoning the true God.

Nor do we do any better. St. Peter instructs Christians: “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). And yet we are not holy in and of ourselves. We fail to “be perfect, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). We fail to be “in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:14-16). We fail, again and again and again.

It is only through the mercy of Christ that we are forgiven of these failings. Morover, it is only by His bloody sacrifice upon the cross for our sins that we have even become His people in the first place. “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people,” St. Peter explains. “Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). Now, he says, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (2:9).

Through the cross, Jesus has rescued you from your sins. He has taken them upon Himself and given you instead His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). And this merciful exchange—Christ’s righteousness for your sins—grants you citizenship with the people of God. You belong to Him. And that’s what allows you to begin to be different in this world.

Living in the holiness of Christ, we strive to follow His commandments. Not that this is easy. The trajectory of our culture today is strongly opposed to the teachings of Christ and His Word. Consider, for example, the issue of physician assisted suicide. This practice was legalized with purportedly good intentions—a misguided attempt at compassion for those suffering near the end of life. As time carries on, however, even the pretence of compassion fades. Now assisted suicide is not offered only to the dying but also to the disabled. In 2024, it will begin to be offered to those struggling with mental illness.

And the “good intentions” continue to decline. A recent study by Research Co. finds that an alarming number of Canadians now believe physician assisted suicide should be offered to those having difficulty finding medical treatment (51 percent); those who are homeless (28 percent); and those in poverty (27 percent). These are all people who could be helped in conventional ways, if we as a society only had the will. Instead, Canadians increasingly delude themselves into believing it is compassionate to kill the poor and homeless.

These are hard times. But the Church has the beautiful privilege to share the comfort of the Gospel for those living in hard times. As Christians, we are called to be different—to be advocates for true compassion and justice in this world, even as we long for the next. In this issue, we consider what that difference looks like in three areas. We consider the sorrow of childlessness, and how we can bring real compassion to people walking this difficult path. We get a first-hand look at what it’s like to bring the mercy of Christ to people struggling with addiction and living on the street. And we consider the question of physician assisted suicide in greater detail.

By responding to these issues in a way different than wider society does, we bear witness to the power of the Gospel. In fact, one reason why we have been set apart as a “holy nation” is in the hope that the difference in our lives will attract others to Christ. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable,” St. Peter writes, “so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). We are set apart, in other words, that others might ultimately join us in Christ.

O God, give us strength to live as You would have us live—to do as You would have us do. Set us apart, dear Jesus, and work through us, that Your light may shine in this dark world and so draw others to the mercy of the cross. Amen.

Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran and the Communications Manager of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).