God continued to instruct Moses and the people as to how they were to live: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths’” (19:1-3). Certainly, there is a holiness of being, that is, a change of nature. Once enemies of God, we are now friends with God. Once haters of God, we are now lovers of God and are loved by him. Once lovers of sin, now we long for deliverance from sin and for righteousness. But this holiness always works its way out in action. Notice the verbs, here: “you shall revere” and “you shall keep.” Think back to the Ten Commandments. Israel was told they must not do certain things and must do other things. Holiness is active, isn’t it? Throughout Leviticus and the law texts, over and over again, the people are instructed as to what they must do and what they must not do. Holiness is active. It can be seen. It is witnessed by others. Of course, holiness is much deeper than merely actions, however. Jesus gets to this in the Sermon on the Mount when he applies the law not only to our outward actions but also to our desires and thoughts. Here’s the thing, when the Bible speaks of holiness, it speaks of a comprehensive and obvious reality. Might I adapt one of my favorite illustrations, that of the duck? If he looks holy, if he speaks with holiness, if he lives as a holy man, then he is holy!
Love God with all your soul and strength.
With all your heart and mind;
And love your neighbor as yourself:
Be faithful, just, and kind.
Deal with another as you’d have
Another deal with you:
What you’re unwilling to receive,
Be sure you never do. --Isaac Watts, (1715)
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