Deuteronomy 14: 2
For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
God chose the Israelites to be His chosen people. That choice has now been extended to us, the believers in Jesus as the Christ. This verse is important in a couple of ways. First, so that we understand that we are a chosen, holy people unto God. Second, that this selection means things are different for us than for others.
First, the key thing to understand about being a chosen people is that we have been set apart. God has opened the gates to all who will believe in Him and accept Him as their God. This confuses people because it sounds like everyone is part of His personal possession. God has determined that those who will come into relationship with Him shall be set apart as a Holy people for Him. We have some say in this determination when we give ourselves to His lordship. After that event, He sets us apart from other humans to be His special and chosen people. There is a clear delineation in god’s sight between those who have been set apart and those who have not. He sees His chosen as a distinct group, clearly different from others. We are a Holy People, a Royal Priesthood, serving the Lord God.
Second, the King James Bible’s translation for this verse calls us a “peculiar” people. Peculiar reflects the “set apart” status. It also shows a difference between God’s people and others. The Israelites looked different, ate differently and had other habits which were unique to them. God gave them a set of practices which improved their hygiene and kept them safe. He has done the same for us. The “rules” God gives us are meant to keep us safe and to aid us in being successful. These rules, when we follow them, tend to make us different too. We don’t look the same, act the same or speak the same as non-believers. So, if someone thinks you are odd, you might be right on track.
