Deuteronomy 14 repeats material familiar to us from the book of Leviticus. Perhaps it appears rather remote from where we live today. What may be the most important consideration for our understanding are the introductory words, “You are sons of the LORD your God” (14: 1). Everything Moses compelled upon God’s people issued from that. It is often mistakenly stated that the sonship of the people of God and His fatherhood toward them is an exclusively New Testament truth. While it is true that this doctrine is much more fulsome in the New Testament one need look no further than this verse to discover that the sonship of saints is present in the Old Testament as well as the New.
Family identity is a unique identifier of people. No matter where we travel or what we may do. we cannot alter who our parents are. We can go so far as to change our name but our father and mother remain the same. It is so spiritually as well. The fact of His fatherhood gives God a unique position from which to call for a life of distinct holiness on the part of His people. Since we bear His name, our every action reflects on Him, our Father. Any word passing our lips may incline others to surmise things about the character of our Father.
God is more than a powerful tyrant commanding slavish obedience from His subservient people; He is a loving Father compassionately compelling faithfulness from His chosen children. Adoption is a hallmark of God’s people (Gal. 4: 5 – 7). We who once were not members of God’s family have received the full privileges of sons (Jhn. 1: 12; Rom. 8: 14 – 17).
Sonship makes an illimitable difference. It is not as though I have a job which I may quit if it does not suit me. Once I am a son I am always a son and sonship has responsibilities. No responsibility is more critical for sons and daughters of God than holiness. That’s what Deuteronomy 14 is all about. God proscribed the life of the Hebrew to demonstrate the total otherness His people were to manifest.
For us holiness may be less about dress and diet (though those certainly have a place in the process) and more about internal matters but children of God must be circumspect because of our special familial relationship to God. When it comes to many of today’s choices we may say, “Others may, I cannot because I am a son of the Lord my God.”