Different Characteristics Exodus 20; 32; Romans 12:1-2

This post concentrates on the different characteristics needed by the Israelites and Christians.

‘Different Characteristics’ describes how the Israelites in the Sinai desert displayed themselves to the surrounding nations.

Different characteristics were what God expected. He gave them commands about worship, Exodus 20:3-4. “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything…” However, they chose to not obey and asked Aaron to make an idol, Exodus 32:2-5. “So, Aaron said… “Take off the rings of gold …And he received the gold from their hand and… made a golden calf”.

Then, they declared that this golden calf brought them out of Egypt. So, Aaron proclaimed a feast day for worship of the golden calf. That day resulted in the people duplicating the sexual activities of idol-worshipping nations, Exodus 32:6. “And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”

By God’s commands, the Israelites should display a different religious behavior from the nations all around them and especially Egypt from which they came. Sexual activities did not belong in worship of God. In this way, the Israelites should demonstrate what God wanted instead of satisfying sexual appetites.

In the same way, Christianity displays a different lifestyle.

The Apostle Paul stressed this different aspect of following Christ in daily life, Romans 12:1-2. “…present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”

So, this difference means that Christians do not engage in fornication or adultery or conform to the way the world lives. Their lives become daily sacrifices of holiness as spiritual worship.

Note, the Israelites were to serve as an example for the world around them as to how to serve God. Likewise, today God’s children model to the world how God desires them to live.

So, what did we learn?

1.The Israelites formed and worshipped an idol instead of obeying God.

2.Israel failed to model what God wanted in worship.

3.Today Christians should exhibit example behavior as to how God wants us to worship and live.

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