Unclean Unto You

Leviticus 11:4

Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

Several times in Leviticus 11, God tells the Israelites that something was unclean to them. This statement means that which was unclean to them was not unclean to others. God knew that if they were to be successful in following Him, there had to be a difference in how they lived. They could not live like all the countries around them, for if they did, they would serve the gods of those countries and live the lifestyles of those gods. God made certain things unclean for His people because He brought them out of Egypt to be their God.

In the Christian life, there are some things that are to be unclean unto you. There are some things in your life that may not be bad, but they will hinder you from being what you are supposed to be for God. Just because something is not bad does not mean that you should do it. Whatever in your life hinders you from being for God or doing for Him what you are supposed to do is unclean for you, or something you should avoid. Let me share several things that can be unclean unto you.

First, there are some friends that should be unclean unto you. Any person hinders or holds you back from being or doing for God what you should do should be avoided. This is a hard statement for some because they don't want to give up certain friends. However, those friends may be the hindrance that is keeping you from being for God what He has planned for your life. These friends may not be bad people, but they hinder you and keep you from what God wants to do in your life.

Second, there are some activities that should be unclean unto you. Any activity that keeps you from serving God in the manner that He wants you to serve Him must be unclean unto you. It does not mean that the activity is sinful, but it hinders you from doing for God what He wants you to be. For instance, I enjoy watching college football, but I don't watch it much because it would keep me from soul winning and following up on converts on the most critical day to get people lined up for church. Any activity that would keep you from being for God or doing for Him what you know you are supposed to do should be unclean unto you.

Third, there are some jobs that should be unclean unto you. Any job that holds you back from being faithful to church or serving God should be unclean unto you. Yes, you need to pay your bills, but God can pay those bills if you will trust Him. I would rather work a job that makes me get by with little but allows me to continue to serve God than work a job that pays more money but keeps me from being faithful to church and serving God.

Fourth, there are some investments that should be unclean unto you. If investing in something holds you back from serving God, you must avoid that investment. There is nothing wrong with investing money so you can make money, but if the investment hinders your faithfulness to God, that investment has become dirty to you.

Always realize that something that is unclean may not be wrong, but it becomes wrong to you because it hinders you from being holy so that your God can use you in the way He wants to use you.