As we look at the second responsibility of a Christian as taught in Leviticus 11:44 and I Peter chapter 1, we see the exhortation to holiness. Holiness is a responsibility that the modern church does not speak of much. I am not sure most Christians understand the biblical definition or the importance of it. If they did, we would see more Christians living holy lives according to the scriptures. Why is this the situation we have in American churches? Is it because they are being taught a watered-down gospel, teaching them that you pray a prayer and start doing good works? Is it because they think God expects it but will turn his head as if it didn’t matter and welcome them into Heaven? Like a parent who tells a child to do something but lets the child’s disobedience slip when they refuse to obey? I believe most Christians do not understand what holiness is, nor do they know that God commands it.
In Leviticus 11:44 and 20:26, God commands His people, those set apart from the rest of the world to Him. God’s people had an obligation to be different, to be set apart for His glory according to the Covenant God had made with them. They had been called out to be distinguished from the other nations of the world. They had been given explicit rules and were expected to keep them.
Leviticus 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
Leviticus 20:26 “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”
In Matthew 15:11, we are reminded that because of Jesus, we are not tied to the law regarding what we eat but are called to righteousness. Our holiness is still required, but it is not according to what we take into the mouth but what comes out. The Old Testament Christians were to refrain from eating anything God considered unclean. The New Covenant calls us to holiness as a lifestyle in I Thessalonians 4:7.
Matthew 15:11 “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”
I Thessalonians 4:7 “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”
We are under the New Covenant, but that does not diminish the requirement for holiness. In I Peter 1:15-16, Jesus has called us; we are God’s people, and He has called us to be holy. The word conversation does not refer to what we say, but the word in Greek means our conduct. This implies everything we do or say.
I Peter1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Because we are made in God’s image, we are to seek to be like Him. His highest attribute is His holiness. This attribute cost Him the life of His Son, and it cost Him separation from His Son. They had never had a second where they were separated, nor have they since, but on the cross, when Jesus died for us, God turned His back on His Son because our sins were placed on Jesus, and God’s holiness would not allow Him to look upon sin.
What does that mean now that we have established God’s requirement to be holy? To ensure we are getting the correct understanding of the word, we need to go back to the meaning of the word in its original language. The Greek word is “hagios.” This word means pure, innocent, perfect, modest, and chaste. Are we fulfilling the true meaning of this word? Does God expect us to be without sin? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are made holy in initial sanctification. We are set apart as God’s children. While we are in this body, we still have a sinful nature, but with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we should not sin when we know something is wrong. As believers, we are designed for practical holiness. This is conduct appropriate to our position in Christ. When we seek to please God, the Holy Spirit will prick our hearts and minds when we sin or are tempted to sin. God expects us to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit. While we are not wholly without sin while here on earth, we should have the desire to please God and not ourselves. We have the choice to obey or disobey, but God expects obedience because we love Him.
Micah 4:5 teaches us that we walk after the god we choose. Many who call themselves Christians today would rather feed their passions than check them and deny them. We are called to be holy. It is time we were honest with ourselves before we allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking we can live the way we desire and still go to Heaven. If God is your god, walk after Him, living to be holy. It is God’s ultimate design of faith to make the believer like the God in whom he believes.
Micah 4:5 “For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.”
