What Does It Mean to Be Holy?

Garden of the God's, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Striving after holiness is like trying to capture the purity of the sun. We can never truly attain to the holiness that God expects.

"Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2 New Living Translation

I wonder what Israel felt as they stood at Mt. Sinai and heard these words relayed to them from Moses' lips.

I would guess that there were those who were caught up in the glory of the event and were ready to yell out, "We can do it!  Just tell me what I have to do to be holy." There is a part of each one of us that thinks we can attain holiness, that is, that we can become like God.

However, there were others who probably understood exactly what these words meant and headed toward despair. "There is no way that we can attain to the holiness of God. So let's give up!" Why try when you know that you're going to fail? Right?

What God wants us to remember is what he also wanted Israel to remember. This call to live a holy life is based on the grace of God. God had already made the nation of Israel his prized possession, even before he spoke these words to Moses. God has already made us his prized possession.  

Jesus was perfectly holy in our place. His holiness is our holiness. Through Jesus you and I have been declared holy. 

In today's reading from Leviticus God describes what it means to live as his holy people. If you want a sneak peak, then read Leviticus 19:9-18.  

We're called to a life of holiness because we have been declared holy.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR