The word 'consecration' is used in the Old Testament a little differently from how we use it today. In the Old Testament the idea seems to have been that a person or an object was 'consecrated' or set apart in a holy way by a designated person.

Evangelical literature of the 19^th century tended to use the word more and more as relative to the Christian calling, perhaps best defined in Francis Ridley Havergal's well known hymn "Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee". That hymn denotes a person's surrendering themselves and all they are and all they possess to God. It records a person's obedience to Paul's words in Romans 12.1-2, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices.

The first disciples began by following Jesus and their baptism was for repentance in order that they might re-establish their relationship with God as his people ‑ Israelites under the Law. As Jesus' ministry progressed so did his demands in the way they followed Him. He began to show them that following Him meant denying self …taking up their cross and placing him first in their lives.

All this we have understood in that word 'consecration'. Paul defines for us the meaning of following Jesus when he writes to the Romans (6.4) that we have been buried with him in baptism so that we might rise with him in newness of life. It has been said that children and young teenagers are too young to understand what consecrating mean. But would waiting for baptism till late teens or early twenties even then provide us with a full and complete understanding of the Christian way, called by Jesus the 'Narrow Way'? To 'consecrate' is a beginning, but understanding grows as life goes on.

As we read and study the Scriptures it becomes clear that this is a vast subject. For James, son of Zebedee, his consecrated life seems to have been at most a year or so while for his brother John it was a very long life to about a hundred. For some it has ended like Stephen's in the death of a martyr ‑ but for many it is a long and full life of service. For each of us, it is a lifetime that is just long enough to accomplish all that God needs us to do here on Earth and then be ready to enter his presence.

The Christian life is one of growth and development. Jesus used various pictures to describe that process and one of the most well known is his reference to development of 'spiritual fruit'. The apostles thought in terms of a walk with Christ, and getting to know Him and becoming like him occupied much of their attention. Sadly, there are many for whom this is not the central feature of their Christian lives. Paul wrote that he wanted more than anything else to 'know Him'. That is a very different thing from 'knowing about him'.

Consecration in the New Testament sense means becoming part of God's great family and then like Jesus we shall know him as 'Father'. It begins, as Jesus said, by being 'born again'. It ends when we are truly reflecting his likeness.

A Christian has many privileges and responsibilities, but they do not include judging our brothers and sisters. Learning to love is our preoccupation ‑ following in the Master's steps is our true joy.

DN