We can have the noblest of intentions, yet fail miserably in the execution of same. "For to be carnally minded is death, but to spiritually minded is life and peace" Romans 8:6.

When we are concerned with what others think or say or do; when we judge according to our own understanding, are we not yet carnal? As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:3 "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

Every denomination and religious group has their version of what the scriptures mean. Man has gone to great lengths in his attempt to seem different from those around him, according to outward things such as dress, conversation, traditions, modes of living etc., but is this the kind of 'peculiar' that God desires? Or is it more than these things?

How we perceive ourselves is very often quite different than how we are perceived by others. We are all very adept at seeing the mote in the 'other guys eye,' while being totally oblivious to the 'beam in our own.' There is but one reason for this, and that is SELF.

Some of the most grievous atrocities that have been committed by men against other men have been done in the name of God and religion. If we are not walking in humility, then we have nothing to be proud of when it comes to our own perceived righteousness, or correctness, or execution of principles. Sadly, many times when we are called weird, its because that is what we are, not because we are the shining light in a dark world that we imagine ourselves to be.

Paul was peculiar. Peter was peculiar. Jeremiah and Isaiah were peculiar. What made them different from the people around them was not simply the doctrines they held or the knowledge they had accumulated. The only thing that made them peculiar was the fact that they arrived at the place in this life, where they walked according to the power of the Spirit of God within them. They genuinely followed Christ, they said and did only what the Spirit told them to say and do. Many today are convinced that they are being led by the Spirit in their words and actions, but their fruit (results) say differently. They may have their doctrines in line with the Word, but their execution is off. How so? They are not walking in love. This is the absolute, nonnegotiable requirement. How much love we are actually walking in, is what separates the men from the boys.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" John 13:35.

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" Galatians 5:13.

"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;" Ephesians 4:2.

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:" 1 Peter 1:22.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God"1 John 4:7.

"And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another" 2 John 1:5.

Humility goes hand in hand with love.

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:4.

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" Matthew 23:12.

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" James 4:6.

"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:" 1 Peter 5:5-6.

This requirement is not something new, it has always been a requirement:

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" Psalms 34:18.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" Psalms 51:17.

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" Isaiah 57:15.

"For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" Isaiah 66:2.

'Our words' may indeed give us the appearance of being weird, but they will never make us the kind of 'peculiar' that God desires. Why? ...Because they come from us, our flesh, our intellect, our desires. We may have all the sincerity we can muster, but if the Holy Spirit is not the source behind our words and our works, they will accomplish nothing for the Kingdom of God in this world. We need to recognize that it takes more than having the right doctrines. It takes our death to self. Not just part of self, but the whole thing. We have to die all the way. We may desire this with our whole heart, but only God can bring it about. [And as this happens, we often come to a much greater understanding of what is meant by 'God's ways are not man's ways.']

When we speak forth truths that the Lord has laid on our hearts, we have done the extent of our duty. We are not responsible for what the hearers do with it. Often we take it personally upon ourselves, and in doing so we can get in God's way, even though unintentionally. Contrary to pretty much everything the modern Church promotes, the Work is the Lord's, not ours. The focus of religion is on works, things that require the participation of our flesh.

Only the Holy Spirit can and will draw the heart. The words may be perfect, but if the Spirit isn't drawing, nothing will happen. Too often, we try to debate and argue a point. We may be entirely right in our position and are frustrated because of the response or lack of response that we receive. Let's not make the erroneous assumption that the Holy Spirit needs our help (or our interference) in His business. We cannot assist anyone else in this process of dying to our flesh. There is no 'step program' we can enlist, that works the same for everyone. God deals with each one of us uniquely and individually, creating within our hearts - His Abode.

God is indeed looking for a peculiar people. Not peculiar according to any carnal standard... but peculiar in the sense that they are His and His alone... "another voice they will not follow." They have submitted to the work of the cross in their lives, and been crucified to the flesh and all of the lusts thereof.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself A PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee" Titus 2:11-15.

In the above passage the flesh side of man is predisposed to zero in on..."zealous of good works," as justification for all of our efforts, while missing the precursors to being able to perform them. That being... "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself A PECULIAR PEOPLE."

We make the common error of assuming we are further along in our spiritual growth, than we are really are...