Throughout scripture, we encounter individuals who lived a life of consecration to God. But for those of us living in countries where Christianity can be openly practiced, it might be challenging to fully comprehend the profound sacrifice and consecration required to walk with God. This is because, while it is a privilege to express our faith freely in these countries, we might lose sight of the importance of living a life of consecration and sacrifice to God, possibly because we become distracted by the comforts the world has to offer. Comfort can sometimes hinder our Christian journey, causing us to overlook the need for consecration.
Living a consecrated life involves many sacrifices. We give up comforts and fleshly desires to pursue holiness. However, consecration is meaningless without first recognizing Christ's sacrifice and consecration. He led a sacrificial life and shed his blood to bring us back to God. Hebrews 4:14-15 states, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ” He is the one who overcame sin through consecration. He was tested but did not sin. Therefore, the first rule of consecration is to emulate the one who lived a sinless life. If we aim to mirror Christ or wish to be transformed, we must engage in daily consecration.
To live a consecrated life means leading a sacred, holy, and blameless life. It involves being disciplined enough to avoid any form of defilement or sin. One example from the scriptures of someone who understood the importance of consecration is Daniel. Daniel was among those selected to serve in the king's palace. They were provided with a daily portion of food to ensure they were well-nourished and trained for three years before entering the king's service. However, in Daniel 1:8, it is noted that "Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods."
It is essential to recognize what can defile us as believers and to distance ourselves from these things in our journey with God. In today's world, defilement can be so subtle that we might easily fall into sin if we're not vigilant. What we watch, listen to, where we spend our time, the people we associate with, and even what we eat or drink can defile us. In the idolatrous city of Babylon, where Daniel lived, and considering the Jewish tradition of avoiding unclean food, Daniel took no risks and was disciplined enough to avoid anything that might defile him. To us, it was just food; to him, it was defilement. I believe that as Christians, we have trivialized things we should avoid and allowed sin to become commonplace in our lives. Christ was without sin, and we must be disciplined to live a life like Christ.
It is also crucial to recognize that dedicating our lives to God and His purposes, often doesn't make sense to many people. These people include both the unbelievers and some of our fellow believers. The chief of staff whom Daniel requested to avoid the king's food said, "If you don't eat this food, you'll begin to look weak and ill. You will look worse than other young men your age. " In a world filled with sin, deciding to avoid or resist sin might not be understandable to many. However, it is in consecration we become more like Christ. By separating ourselves from the things of the world, we get to gain the things of God.
Matthew 16:26 poses the question “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? ” The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes reflected, “I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire! But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.”
The author of Ecclesiastes acquired everything the world had to offer, yet understood that all he obtained was ultimately meaningless. It’s like chasing the wind. All is vanity. Nevertheless, consecrating ourselves to God is great gain to our souls. We lose nothing when we consecrate our lives, time, and desires to God. Conversely, we lose everything when we are tainted or defiled by worldly pursuits and desires.
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