Be Holy, for God is Holy

Leviticus 11.29-47

        When reading the instructions to the many laws regarding offerings and sacrifices, we could be overwhelmed with the seeming impossibility of ever being able to fulfill all requirements. How the priests and people remembered all they were to do, when they were required to do it, and how it was to be done was only magnified with the reality of their continual sinning before the Lord. There were laws regarding animals, purification, leprosy, and more. The Lord called on His people to be holy, to be free from anything that would defile them, to live righteously; He called them to take any uncleanness seriously, and to never desire sin, never wink at sin, and never ignore sin. Knowing the Lord was holy, the people were compelled to live holy. For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves… For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy (Leviticus 11.44-45).

        Thankfully, by God’s grace in Christ Jesus, we have been set free from the multitude of these sacrifices and rules. However, we must never take a lackadaisical attitude about sin and cleanliness in our daily living. May we ever realize that rather than being cleansed by the blood of animals, we have been cleansed of all sin, once for all, by the blood of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ; He has made atonement for all uncleanness and we are seen as totally righteous before the Lord our God who has redeemed us. Realizing His sacrifice on our behalf should motivate us to nothing less than diligently strive for purity in every area of our lives, resisting all temptation to sin. This holiness goes much deeper than laws of animals and diseases. This is the purity of the heart and life; the desire for personal holiness so as to never defile the name of Jesus Christ. This is a firm and unwavering commitment to live reflecting Christ in every aspect of our lives.

Cleansed for holiness – we have much to be thankful for –
Terry