When the children of Israel moved into the Land of Canaan, they had left behind an old way of life in Egypt, and had been brought to another godless land. This was intentional on God’s part, because He had plans to use them in Canaan.
God wanted His children to be different (holy) from the people around them. The Children of Israel were to be a living, breathing advertisement (testimony) for God. And in doing so, they would also avoid the downfall of those around them who were losing the blessing of the land God had given them.
God gave His people a different standard of living than those around them. He raised the bar for His children. In Leviticus chapters 18-19, God set standards for every area of their life; from their sexual practices, to how they treated their elders.
This is still true today. God wants to permeate our lives. He wants to change every area of our life and lead us to think and live differently than the world around us. When we allow Him that kind of access and control in our lives, He will use the influence of our lives to permeate the culture with His presence and blessing. God wants to infiltrate our culture, and we are His agents through which He wants to bring about change. The rules God gives us are not for our restriction. They are for the purpose of making us salt and lights in a bland and dark world. (Matt. 5:13-16)
As believers, our moving van has pulled into the Canaan of our culture. The question is…are we getting the attention of our neighbors in such a way that points them to God?
Bret Legg is the Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.