Leviticus 15:31. “Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.”
SEPARATE FROM UNCLEANNESS. There is much that can defile a believer in the world today. There is the uncleanness that comes from uncontrolled and unchanneled thoughts. The Lord Himself indicated that those things from within are what defile a man. I must commit myself to “thought-control” lest I am defiled and am unable to worship or have fellowship with God. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he,” convicts me and reminds me that I am to “bring every thought into control to the obedience of Christ.”
There are actions that I may take by choice that can defile me. Some actions will only defile me; others will defile others. Peter led some of his fellow-disciples to return to the fishing boat when they had been called to a higher calling. If I allow discouragement to affect my commitment to the work I have been called to, I am defiled and need to separate myself again to the work I have been called to. “Consecrate me now to Thy service Lord.”
Actions and words by others can defile me if I allow myself to attend to those things that call to my fleshly instincts. Much that is seen or read creates a sense of dissatisfaction as if something is missing in my life if I don’t get every new thing. All advertising is planned to make people discontented and if I succumb to everything my treacherous heart desires I will be defiled. I need to make sure I do not allow anything that defiles, enter my mouth or be allowed to distract me from the separation to the Lord I have been called to.
Even the laws of the land will not allow certain things to mix. To make different philosophies work, there has to be the expression of differing opinions. One needs to be clear as to whether to obey God or man. Those things that belong to God only, must remain untainted by the subtlety of human preferences. May God keep me to commit myself to Him alone even if I have to separate myself from the mixture of the ecumenical pressures around.
“God and Father who has divided the light from the darkness, day from night: I do understand the value of keeping separate what Thou hast separated and keeping together what Thou hast put together. Help me to have a discerning mind and spirit to know what is right and what is wrong. Help me to discern teaching and “try the spirits” that I will know and act on Thy will alone. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”