And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. (1 Sam. 29:4-7)
Though David had only fought common enemies to the Philistines and Israel, or had left no survivors of small skirmishes to report on his victories over Philistines while with Achish, the rest of the leadership of the Philistines did not trust him in a larger campaign, especially if that campaign involved Israel. His presence and history made them wary and uncomfortable as David had been victorious over them on many occasions. Achish had not seen any behavior in David which led him to mistrust David, but could not overrule the other leaders of the Philistines. Achish had David depart, though favorably, from the armies of the Philistines and from their lands.
No matter how we might try, the world will never receive us as one of their own. If we are truly born again by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary we are no longer a part of this world, having been made a new creature in Christ. Even if we are out of fellowship with God and trying to act like the world, if we are truly in Christ, the world will not receive us, for we are no longer of this world, though we are still in it. We may have the best integrity and behavior, even being silent about the things which God hates and condemns, but our character, if we are one of His, will show and this sinful world will never accept us one of them. Just as David could play the part for a time, but eventually had to depart, so Christians who try to get along and be just like the sinners around them will eventually have to choose between following Christ the LORD or staying in the world they have been delivered out of into His Salvation. Jesus said we would either be for or against Him, there is no neutral, and that choice continues even after a child of God has come to repentance and been justified by grace through faith. We constantly choose which we follow and as David learned, eventually the world will expect God’s people to depart from them, no matter how much we seem to look or act like the world. God has called us to separation and holiness as His priests and ministers, to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word, and being obedient means rejecting this sinful world and its ways to follow our Lord and Saviour, our Creator, Redeemer, and King.
God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet