The Lord also said to Moses, 2 “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. 3 “Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God. 4 “Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. 5 “When you sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord, offer it properly so you[a] will be accepted by God. 6 The sacrifice must be eaten on the same day you offer it or on the next day. Whatever is left over until the third day must be completely burned up. 7 If any of the sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will be contaminated, and I will not accept it. 8 Anyone who eats it on the third day will be punished for defiling what is holy to the Lord and will be cut off from the community.
Leviticus 19:1-8 NLT
Jesus did not come to cancel out the law as described in the book of Leviticus. But He came to make a way for us to be transformed so that we can live a life that truly reflects the Holiness of God.
To be holy means to be more like God, our separation unto Him and His truth – and naturally, separating ourselves from those things that are not like Him and not according to His truth.
- God’s Holiness is His defining characteristics.
- God’s Holiness is a term used to describe His goodness and His power.
- God’s Holiness is so powerful and consuming that it consumes everything that is unholy.
- God’s Holiness is so powerful and overwhelming that it might even be dangerous to approach.
To reflect God’s Holiness we need to reflect the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Living a holy life is a result of being born again, not the road to God. You live holy because your relationship with and love for your heavenly Father drives you.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
When we reflect the fruits of the Spirit, we reflect God’s Holiness.
In most cases the law worked on the principle of avoiding or distancing yourself from certain things, actions and situations in order to stay holy. Following the law cannot spare us from being judged by God for our sin. Through faith in Christ, we can be made righteous in God’s sight. Entirely apart from the law, we can be redeemed by the atoning sacrifice of Christ’s blood, willingly shed for our sin.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 3:23 NLT
Four common responses to our realisation that we fall short of God’s glorious (or holy) standard.
- Prideful/Self-righteous response
- Apathetic response
- Paralysed by shame and guilt
- Try to earn our Holiness
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
Isaiah 6:1-7 NLT
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
The vision is a picture of connection and no longer avoidance. God is showing Isaiah how Jesus would make a way for us to be transformed, in order to live a life that reflects God’s Holiness.
Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 3:24 NLT
Jesus did not make a way through avoidance but through connection. John 15 says that if we want to bear much (Holy) fruit, we need to be connected to the true vine, which is Jesus.
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Romans 10:4 NLT
Our right standing with God needs to move from just being head knowledge to becoming a core truth that we believe with everything on the inside of us. If your knowledge of God and His Word is only “head knowledge” and never reaches the heart, you will see very little life change.
Stop focusing on your unholy behaviour, fix your eyes on Jesus and what He has already done. Make use of declarations of faith. Make a habit of wording those declarations of faith as positive questions throughout your day. Remind yourself that your circumstances are not permanent by adding “for now” or “yet” your sentences.
When you sacrifice a peace offering to the LORD, offer it properly so you will be accepted by God.
Leviticus 19:5 NLT
When we truly take hold of this truth that Jesus is the bridge that brings the law to pass in our lives, then we will not just enter into His throne room with boldness, but we will also have the openness to carry His presence wherever we go. And it is His presence that protects our peace.
