28 September Leviticus 19

Be Holy

Leviticus 19:1-2 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

God encourages believers to live holy lives, and this message is repeated throughout the New Testament. 1 Peter 1:13-16 (AMP) “So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”

Let’s look at God’s holiness and what it means by confirmation of the following:

1 Samuel 2:2 (AMP) “There is no one holy like the Lord, There is no one besides You, There is no Rock like our God”.

Isaiah 6:3 (AMP) “And one called out to another, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is filled with His glory.”

God is absolutely perfect and different from anyone or anything else, and His holiness makes Him unique. There is no sin or wrong in Him at all. He is above everyone, and no one can be compared to Him. Albeit God's holiness is a part of everything He is. His love is holy, His mercy is holy, and even His anger is holy. These ideas can be challenging to understand, just like it’s hard for us to have a full understanding of God.

Israel is God's chosen nation, set apart from other groups of people. They are unique to Him, and God gave them specific rules to follow so that others would know they belong to Him. As believers, we should also be "set apart" from the world, living by God's standards instead of following the world’s ways. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but He wants us to live differently from the world.

1 Peter 2:9 (AMP) “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light”.

“Holy means not only sanctified, separated unto God, but also different, distinct, from everything that is common. Only God is different, distinct, from all things. Hence, He is holy; holiness is His nature. He chose us that we should be holy.” As posited in the New Testament Recovery Version.

Ephesians 1:4 (AMP) “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight”.

We don't become holy by changing ourselves but by God sharing His holiness with us. From the moment we are saved, God wants to fill us with more of Himself until His holiness fills our lives.

How can we be holy?

1. Belong to Christ

1 Corinthians 1:30 (AMP) “But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin]”.

2. Reading and living the Word of God

John 17:17 (AMP) “Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth”.

3. Cleansing ourselves

2 Corinthians 7:1 (AMP) “Therefore, since we have these [great and wonderful] promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness [living a consecrated life—a life set apart for God’s purpose] in the fear of God”.

In conclusion, God's call for us to be holy is both a privilege and a responsibility. His holiness sets the standard for our lives, guiding us to live in a way that reflects His character and sets us apart from the world. While we are not expected to be perfect, we are called to live differently by aligning ourselves with God's will. We allow God's holiness to shape our lives by belonging to Christ, immersing ourselves in His Word, and continually cleansing our hearts and minds. As His chosen people, we are invited to live purposefully, demonstrating His love, grace, and truth in all we do. Holiness is not something we achieve on our own but a gift from God as He fills us with His presence and transforms us to be more like Him.