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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 6 May 2025:
Deuteronomy 14:2 — “The LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
Are you still amazed by grace? Do you understand the incredible thing God has done for you and the great fortune you have that so many others don’t have?
God’s people are set apart for Himself—not because of their merit, but because of His love and choice. This identity as God’s treasured possession is the foundation for everything else in the chapter, especially the commands for purity and distinctiveness. This reminds us that our behavior must reflect our belonging. We don’t pursue holiness to earn God’s love—we live holy lives because we are already His. Knowing you are chosen should lead to living differently.
Deuteronomy 14:3 – “You shall not eat any abomination.”
There are many theories for why God told His people not to eat the certain animals and foods He told them not to eat. Some talk about health reasons; some think because the pagans ate these food, God used dietary laws as a way to separate His people from other people, to keep them focused on their holiness. Likely these reasons are both true, along with other reasons, some we might never understand. As stated previously, all we really need to understand in order to obey God’s laws in general is that He said it.
However, in this specific case, Christians believe they are no longer bound by dietary laws and the specifics of the Mosaic ceremonial and civil laws, which applied to the Old Covenant and pointed to Christ and the New Covenant in Him. The New Covenant does not nullify the Old Testament law entirely, but fulfills, transcends, and reinterprets it through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some parts (like ceremonial and dietary laws) are no longer binding on Christians, while moral principles (like love, justice, and faithfulness) are upheld and even deepened. While ceremonial and dietary laws (such as clean and unclean foods) are no longer binding for salvation or fellowship with God, as affirmed by Peter’s vision (Acts 10) and the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the moral principles behind them still carry enduring wisdom and reflect God’s character. We discern what still matters by studying how Jesus and the apostles interpreted the Law—honoring God’s intent, not just the rule—and by walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:4), who empowers us to live by the law of love and holiness without discarding God’s wisdom or carelessly declaring any part of His Word obsolete.
While Christians are no longer under the dietary laws (see Mark 7:18–19 and Acts 10), the principle of separation from ungodly influences remains: we are to live in ways that distinguish us from the world. The call is not to ritual purity but to spiritual holiness—what we consume with our eyes, ears, and hearts matters. Christians are to filter their lifestyle through the lens of holiness and self-control.
Safe to say, we should never put anything in our bodies that does not honor God or that hurts the body. We should take care of our temples as an act of worship and demonstrate thanksgiving and the character of God in the way we eat. Many Christians know the way they eat is unhealthy, yet they do it anyway. For other Christians, “proper” nutrition has become an idol. This too is an abomination. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31)
Deuteronomy 14:22–23 – “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed… that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.”
Tithing was not just an economic or religious duty—it was a spiritual discipline that taught trust and reverence. Giving back to God the first and best part of the harvest trained the heart to fear and honor Him as Provider and Lord. For Christians, generosity is not optional or legalistic—it’s a form of worship. Faithful, joyful giving builds dependence on God and guards against greed.
The tithe facilitated an environment where the people ate together and all were fed together, resulting in fellowship, camaraderie, unity, and charity. How often does your church feast together?
Deuteronomy 14:23 — “…that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.”
God’s commands are intended to teach you how to love and respect Him as God.
Deuteronomy 14:24-26 – “And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.”
Money was created to be a substitute for goods to facilitate trade across great distances. God’s word has much to say about the sin of manipulating the value of currency because it essentially robs people of their goods; currency manipulation is a form of stealing, and the people most affected are the poor. Jesus flipped the tables and drove out the moneychangers in the Temple because they were manipulating the currency and stealing from the poor and from the church.
God forbade his people from earning wealth on the interest applied to money and loans because it is money for nothing and a way to take advantage of others. (Deut 23:19; Proverbs 28:8; Psalm 15:5; Ezek 18:12, 13; Deut 23:20; Levitcus 25:36-37; Nehemiah 5:7; etc) All personal finance advice today encourages people to “make your money make money” by lending it to others with interest, rather than merely selling or trading the fruit of your honest labor at fair market value. This is a trap. This is why bankers are so rich and the poor are so poor.
Abrahams plan for retirement was much different than the rich fool’s plan condemned by Jesus in Luke 12. Abraham built an industry (sheep) that would continue to produce in order to sustain him in his unproductive years (which were few). The rich fool’s plan was to hoard resources in order to have something to live off of in his unproductive years. The rich fool’s plan looks a lot like most retirement plans today. God’s plan for his people is not to hoard golden eggs but to raise geese that lay golden eggs. (Proverbs 27:23-30)
Deuteronomy 14:28-29 — “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.”
The tithe is intended, in part, to provide for those in need. Today, most give less than 3% of their income, and charity has largely been turned over to the government and to private secular organizations. God intended a far different plan.
God commands provision for the vulnerable through structured generosity. Holiness is never just vertical—it always has a horizontal expression. God’s people are to care for the poor, the outsider, and the marginalized. For Christians, this means using what we have to reflect God’s justice and compassion. Christlike character is revealed in how we treat those who can do nothing for us in return.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 6 May 2025: Honor God today by giving your best—not just your leftovers—to support His work and care for the vulnerable, as a reflection of your identity as His chosen and holy possession. This means looking at your resources (time, money, attention, effort) and intentionally dedicating the first and best portions to God. Give generously to your church and to those in need—not out of obligation, but because you belong to a holy and generous God. Christlikeness is shaped through sacrificial giving that reflects both reverence for God and love for others.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 