The Essence of Set-Apartness

As Jesus prayed for His disciples, he proclaimed, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:16-17)  

The Greek word for “sanctify” in verse 17 is ἁγιάζω (hagiazō); it means “to set apart for sacred use or to make holy.” Christ iterated what is commonly declared throughout Scripture: the people of God are to be separate from the world; they are to be set apart for His holy purpose and set apart from the pollution of the world.

One of my favorite illustrations of set-apartness is in God’s designation of clean and unclean foods in the Old Testament. Let me elaborate…

In Genesis 1, animals are divided into three categories: those that walk on land, those that swim in the water, and those that fly in the air. In Leviticus 11, God sets apart which animals (foods) are clean and which are unclean:

1. Clean land animals – had a split hoof completely divided and chews the cud

2. Clean water animals – had fins and scales

3. Clean air animals – had wings and jointed legs for hopping on the ground

When you review the animals that were designated as unclean (and thus, detestable), you notice that they all have qualities that either transgress the boundary of their specific category or lack distinct categorical features.

For instance, the camel was considered unclean because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof; therefore lacking a distinct feature. The gull was considered unclean because it inhabits both water and sky, therefore transgressing boundaries - - make sense?

OT laws, such as those on appropriate foods, are often regarded as strange and restricting, but not only were they a perpetual reminder to the Israelites of their calling as God’s chosen people, they were wonderful symbolism. You see, the animals God approved of, reflected the type of people the Israelites were meant to be – morally and spiritually distinct in their category as His children, His chosen people. Likewise, the unclean animals reflected what Israel was to avoid – a mixing. A mixing of the beliefs and practices of surrounding nations.   

Our behavior, our thoughts, our desires, our standards, our dress, our words, and our response toward evil… everything about us should be set apart, or removed, from the standard response of the world. No one is perfect but, as said once by Francis Chan, if our lives make sense to unbelievers something is wrong. We have a sacred purpose… it’s our destiny to be different.