February 12th | Leviticus 19

I have two small kids and when I ask them to do something like, “Clean up your room” or “Go take a bath” they will often respond with, “Why?” My response is typically, “Because I’m your Dad and I SAID SO!” I know I should tell them a reason but many times, me being their father is good enough of a reason. I am their father and I want the best for them, I don’t want them to live in a pig stye or smell bad. Therefore, I tell them to clean up and take a bath! Their question of why is really saying, “Can’t those things be optional today?” “Can’t I clean up tomorrow instead?” 



How many times do we see the commands of God and think, “Can’t I do that tomorrow?” or “That doesn’t mean ALL THE TIME does it?” In Leviticus 19 God gives a pretty clear command to the Israelites. 

Leviticus 19:1-2, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy,”

God has commanded that we be holy. But unlike me talking with my kids, He gives us a reason. 

Leviticus 19:2, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

God is holy. That is reason enough for us to be holy. You might think that holiness can be optional but the Bible is clear. Unholiness and sin is what separates us from God. 

Isaiah 52:9 says, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” 

Your relationship with God is dependant on your holiness. That should be reason enough for us to pursue holiness, reject sin, and seek God every day! I don’t know about you, but for me, I often struggle with pursuing holiness. I want it to be optional some days. I struggle with jealousy, pride, and anger. There are times when I REALLY don’t want to be holy. And there are plenty of times I fail. For the people of Israel, their only option to be holy was based on them keeping the law. Their relationship with God was constantly in flux because they would sin, have to make atonement through sacrifice, then do it all over again. 

Praise God for us that Christ has come. The truth is, you CAN’T be holy. 

Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.” 

We cannot be holy but Christ can. And the good news for us is that Jesus’ holiness is imparted to you. Today holiness is still not optional. In 1 Peter this call for holiness is still echoed to the early church. But the difference is we have a risen Lord that can MAKE us holy. Don’t seek to keep a list of rules to be holy today. Surrender to Jesus and ask Him to MAKE you holy through the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we truly can be holy as God is holy.