A Higher Authority

“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”

– Leviticus 20: 7-8

If you shop for groceries or cook, chances are you’ve seen them a thousand times — those special symbols on food packaging that certify its contents as kosher (literally “fit to eat”).

According to kosher food blogger Giora Shimoni, kosher food is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws, which are rules and regulations derived from Old Testament laws and rabbinical extensions to ensure quality, cleanliness, and safety. Hebrew National — a well-known brand of hotdogs — has a slogan that sums up its call to be kosher: We Answer to a Higher Authority.

Christ-followers do, too — and not just for food. Although we’re not bound by the strict Old Testament dietary laws that the Israelites followed, we still must remember that we worship a God of the highest standards. He wants us to lead healthy, Spirit-filled lives and maintain spiritually-healthy homes. And moreover, he expects us to keep our distance from the world’s anything-goes philosophy. We’re called to live differently rather than blend in.

It’s in 1 Timothy that the apostle Paul presents his three-pronged strategy for accomplishing this mission. First, he says men must recognize the dangers of overestimating their ability to endure temptation and sin, the twin maladies that can wreak havoc on our homes and families. Even King David — whom God called a man after His own heart — suffered the devastating consequences from his adulterous affair with another man’s wife. Paul’s point is that there are situations where it’s best to simply turn and run. We must therefore pick our battles with care.

On the other hand, there are some things we should pursue rather than flee — a perspective that tends to flummox society. For example, the world tells us to do whatever it takes to gain wealth and success. But since riches and fame can disappear in an instant, it’s actually our relationship with God and our family that must be our top priorities.

Lastly, Paul tells us what’s worth fighting for. If we’re not careful, our homes can suffer from the gradual — and often imperceptible — moral and spiritual erosion caused by the onslaught of modern culture. Indeed, we can find ourselves fighting outside the home while failing to lead the way for our family.

Flee, pursue and fight. As Christ-followers, we’re called by our Creator to do just that on the way to building and maintaining Spirit-filled homes — and keeping them kosher. We’re the people he chose before the foundation of the world to live out his standards. And it’s why every Believer answers to a Higher Authority.

The Enemy Within

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

– Leviticus 16:34

If you’re a current or former smoker, no one has to tell you how hard it is to quit the habit. As the famous author and humorist Mark Twain once said: 

“To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did; I ought to know because I have done it a thousand times.”

The same goes for Christ-followers when it comes to sin and temptation. Even though we’ve accepted Jesus as our Savior, asked him for forgiveness, and then received it, we still tend to fall back into those bad habits that we thought we’d left far behind.

But doesn’t the Bible reveal that we’re a new creation once we’ve put our faith in Jesus?

It does. But the transformation from our old selves is a work in progress that’s on God’s timetable. It’s also a change that takes place little by little, day after day along our faith journey. Moreover, the journey’s pathway is narrow, twisting, and full of unexpected hairpin curves. And we can end up in a ditch if we don’t keep our eyes on the destination.

That doesn’t mean we’re failures as Christ-followers. Let’s consider a life lesson taught by Paul — the apostle, who wrote much of the New Testament. In Romans 7:15, Paul complains that he continues to do the very things he despises. And at the same time, he fails to do the things he knows he should accomplish. 

Paul’s familiar struggles were nothing less than spiritual warfare … the same ugly conflict that we all fight every day. What’s more, it’s an important reminder that sin must be dealt with before we can dwell with God. But Paul also conveys this reassurance to every Believer:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” he tells us, “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

It’s good news that means we’re now liberated from sin’s power. And since we don’t have to accept its dominance in our lives, what’s most important is our trust in Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. So, when we inevitably give in to temptation and bad habits, we can freely ask for help from the One who has already paid the ultimate price for our many sins — past, present … and future.