Alien Nation
“You must be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:2
Must Be Holy – The Bible is the story of God’s confrontation with His created world. You cannot expect to read the text without being challenged, convicted and concerned. Yes, it contains words of comfort. Yes, it contains promises of blessing. Yes, it contains the outline of redemption. But at the core, the Bible is a book about a Holy God confronting unholy men. There is a good reason to fear this book. There is also a good reason to be driven to embrace it. Both reasons are about holiness.
Before we make the mistake of thinking that holiness is about personal purity, spiritual maturity and an apprehension of the beatific vision, let’s remove our thoughts from that Greek model of individual ascension to the divine and consider what holiness implies in Hebrew. First, holiness is not really a commandment. It is a description of those who are Kingdom-conscious citizens. That’s why the Hebrew text uses the words qedshim tihyu. You are holy, in the sense that you must be holy in order to be part of God’s Kingdom. The crucial term qedshim is an adjective. It describes the quality of those who are God’s children. How did we obtain this quality? Not by anything we did at all. We were set apart by God for this purpose. Holiness is granted to us, not achieved by us.
Does this allow us to do anything we want? Absolutely not! In fact, in Hebrew thought, holiness is manifest in actions. That’s why if you continue to read Leviticus 19 you will find instructions about honoring parents, keeping Sabbath, agriculture, business practices, charity, wages and justice in society. Each and every one of these instructions is about the manifestation of holiness. In other words, holiness is not about my personal, inner spiritual state nor my attainment of glorious perfection. It is about us in community. There is no Hebrew concept of holiness apart from all of us together. The “you” in this verse is plural! The manifestation of holiness is always among others.
Christians often speak of being set apart. That is the essential idea of holiness. But we don’t take the next step. Holiness is being set apart from the world according to God’s instructions for living. In other words, holiness is living life together as God directs. You cannot be holy by living apart according to your own definition. That would be like entering the court of the king but refusing to follow his protocol. That is the mark of an insurgent, not a citizen. Yeshua endorsed this distinction by quoting Leviticus 19:2 in Matthew 5:48. His followers are to embrace the same manifestations of holiness in community that are described in Leviticus. If they do not, how can they claim to be “set apart” by God?
Difference is the essence of holiness. God doesn’t do things the way the world does things. His people don’t do things the way the world does things. Wherever we find those who claim to be followers but who are not different, we find confusion, ignorance or rebellion. Powerlessness, despair, discouragement, anxiety and insufficiency accompany this sad state. The adjective qedshim cannot be applied.
Are we different? Are you (singular) a participant in a community (plural) of manifest difference? Is holiness tangible action among us? Do you think of holiness the way God thinks of holiness, or are you still trapped in your Greek individualism?
Topical Index: holy, Leviticus 19:2, Matthew 5:48, qedshim tihyu
I am challenged by Skip’s words today. I guess maybe it is because at my roots I tend to be a loaner. Others are not to be totally trusted. Well, not quite true, but I do approach others with caution. I know I can not live like a hermit. Yet the responsibilities of living with others sometimes becomes overwhelming. Even among us who respond to Skip’s writings I find myself wishing to keep some distance and not to totally embrace them. Is this a learned response that I carry from a long way back, which carries a “My way or the highway” approach I feel from others? These are my struggles this day. I think I will go out and take a long walk.
“Even among us who respond to Skip’s writings I find myself wishing to keep some distance and not to totally embrace them.”
Same here, Roy, to be honest…
-Do you think of holiness the way God thinks of holiness?-
Think? G-d allows us to use our minds? It’s ok to think? Oh, yeah..there was something mentioned in “the book” -about “love the LORD your G-d with all your heart,soul,mind and strength? (Mark 12:29-31).
Someone (long ago-no doubt) has said, “the thought is the father of the deed.” Probably some “pagan”-Greek dude. Gotta be careful of your sources you know. Is it ok if I think about that awhile? May I think before I act? or should I just do?
My daughter (when she was young) jumped off the front porch wearing roller skates. Action/adventure!! Let’s fly!! The consequence of her choice? A nice pink cast to wear on her arm. “What were you thinking?” I (erroneously) asked her. How ‘Greek’ of me to use my mind.
Repentance. In the Hebrew- teshuva. In the (bad ol’)Greek (shudder..) metanoia. Our Bible interestingly enough has two parts to it. Just like our brains. Two sides. It seems there are “two sides” to every story! and of course “two” is the number of witness. (interesting..) Repentance (a change of heart/mind) as we all know is a “good thing” and it is most assuredly a “G-d thing.” It is our starting point in our walk with Yeshua and as we (eventually) find out- it is an everyday, every moment happening. I like it. Why?- because some fellow wrote (hope he wasn’t Greek) : “The quality of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” (I’ll go ahead and throw in a very Hebrew-“Selah” for good measure). “Selah”- “the pause that refreshes.” lol!
We will (hopefully) find out all “right thinking” proceeds out of the mouth of G-d. (these are -His words) To quote from His book: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life”. (Proverbs 4:23)
Truth is universal. (It is.) It is equally applied to everyone. Universal in its appeal, individual in its application. Abraham,Isaac,Moses. All three different, all three the same. G-d’s book is written to redeem Adam and restore him to the garden. He has given unto us everything we need for life and godliness. We hold in our grubby little hands a book of instruction. We must receive (welcome) His words. These (living) words of YHWH must take root within our minds and then flow out into our hands as we go about our common round of life. We are (today) “ambassadors of the our King.” We must live missionally. G-d has assigned us (all) a very special place in this present darkness. And (Hallelujah)-light always overcomes darkness. Our job is to let the light within shine into the dark places. O,send out thy light, send out thy truth is a wonderful prayer for today. We are the carriers, but G-d (just as we) will not fill a cup that is dirty. Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. (Isaiah 52.11) And how do we become clean and rightly related to a holy G-d? I think we know the answer.. If G-d says to us, “you must be holy”, do you think He will provide “a way” for that to be?
I need to pull up to a stop sign here (“bigtime”). Please listen (hearken) to this one thing. “Holiness is not the way to Christ. -Christ is the way to holiness.” Thank you Holy Spirit for “reminding” me of this. Amen.
Remember His words? “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened unto you?” We must be holy. Come out from among them and be separate. Yes, different. We are “twice-born people living in a once born world.” It’s no wonder we are uncomfortable. This world is not our home- (something written about “strangers and sojourners”, pilgrims..-a journey)- we’re just passin’ through! But we have a mission along the way as well. And it is not just to “survive in the desert.”
Do you want your children to thrive? or to “survive?” We must each, teach them what it means to be holy. We must teach by example.- (ouch!)
Is it possible to live a “holy” life? I know where the starting line is.. and do I ever have some “repenting” to do. I wonder if my G-d would give unto me a repentant heart if I were to ask Him..
“Ask, -and you will receive.” If you’ll excuse me.. I’m feeling a serious need to pray.
I hesitate to contradict, but I get the feeling from Jewish literature that this passage is, in fact, read as a commandment.
In my understanding, the Hebraic view of holiness can be divided into two components. There is intrinsic holiness which God himself imparts, and there is applied holiness, which God has given us to accomplish. This can be seen in multiple cases. For example, the creation narrative says that God “sanctified” (made holy) the seventh day. And yet, he instructs us to remember/observe the Sabbath day to sanctify it, in the fourth commandment. So the Sabbath day has intrinsic holiness imparted by God, yet he also asks us to participate in the process of sanctification ourselves by setting the day apart though our actions.
In the case of the community of God’s people, we are intrinsically made holy by God’s sovereign selection. Yet Peter, quoting Leviticus 19:2 (qedoshim tihyu), clearly states it in an imperative, not descriptive, form: “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” (1 Peter 1:15). Thus, God has already made us holy, and yet he also calls us to make ourselves holy by our behavior.
This applied holiness is not to be taken as synonymous with righteousness, purity, goodness, or salvation. It is simply, as you said, a state of being different, separate, and designated for a divine purpose.
Thank you for this excellent clarification. The two-part view of holiness sums up both the ontological designation of God’s election and the practical imperative to act accordingly. My concern for the ontological status overlooked the practical imperative. Your correction is most welcomed.
“Truth is universal”
“Difference is the essence of holiness”
My background in philosophy is not strong enough to say much of any significance on the subject of Jacques Derrida, but he was sort of the “cat’s meow” in contemporary philosophy when I was in school many years ago.
As I recall, Mr Derrida made a big deal about the dangers of Truth with a “capital T” and the importance of the difference between “difference” and “differance” in French.
Reading TW, I have begun to see what I suspect might be a Hebrew worlview embedded in the protocols of Mr Derrida’s discourse.
Ah.. the Truth! Can it be known?.. lol! Yeshua stood before Pilate when Pilate asked the (oft repeated) question.. “what is truth.” All the while- “Truth” was standing right in front of him. In His own words (when will we listen?), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14.6).
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17.17) We have a written testimony bound in a book. It is G-d’s book. Yes, inspired (G-d breathed) and without error. This is the written word and G-d uses the words contained in this book in the (lifelong) process of conforming us to the image of the Son.
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8.20)
I would love to have Mr Derrida know (experientially), truth with a capital “T” can be found in the inspired book of the ages. David said, in Psalm138:2: “For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” God’s Word is His communication, His promise, the revelation of Himself to His people. It is (now) a lamp to our feet in a dark and fallen world, without it we would have no way to know God or how to do God’s will.
Please do let Mr. Derrida know, G-d only speaks truth. His words are without error. “G-d is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23.19)
Different? yes, very. G-d says what He means and means what He says. Very different from us. Yet, we are made in His image.
Hebrews 12.14 enjoins us to “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:”
My question today is this- Would G-d ask us (remember “na?”) to “pursue holiness” without giving us the necessary means to fulfill His request? I think not.
Philippians 2.13 says “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises (Romans 4.21), and we see time after time in G-d’s book;- where G-d guides, He provides.
Holiness (the process of sanctification) is far from static. This is a lifelong working of blessed Holy Spirit of G-d conforming and transforming each of G-d’s children into the image of our Christ and readying the bride of Christ to rule and to reign with Him.
“Truth” was standing right in front of him.
Hi Carl,
Just to play devil’s advocate, I would argue the following:
Truth is an abstract concept.
Jesus was a Jewish man who called himself the son of man or the son of God.
Therefore Jesus does not equal Truth.
Some day we’ll start a discussion about time. Experiencing it is simple. Thinking about it is complicated.
In Greek thinking, truth is indeed an abstract concept. But the root of “truth” in Hebrew is A-M-T (’emet), which is anything but abstract. In Hebrew, truth is what is faithful, reliable, steadfast and just, connecting both words and actions. In fact, Scripture claims that God is the only God of truth (Exo. 34:6), and that His character demonstrated in action is the only proper measurement of truth. So, as you can see, the Hebrew idea is firmly anchored in relation, not cognition. This is way Yeshua speaks an entirely Hebrew thought when He says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” He does not mean that he is a “correct concept.” He means that He is totally reliable, completely trustworthy and entirely faithful – in fact, His expression is a claim of divinity.
Thanks for the clarification Skip.
BTW the following comment of yours that I accidentally included above was a “slip.”
“Some day we’ll start a discussion about time. Experiencing it is simple. Thinking about it is complicated.”
But it was a good one 🙂
Glad you liked that line. Feel free to use it anytime you wish.
Try Husserl, The Phenomenology of Internal Time Consciousness. Then Heschel, God In Search Of Man. Then J R Lucas, The Future.
Then we’ll talk. 🙂
oh my friend! my heart grieves for you if you think Jesus was only “a man.” Wow!- no, no and no! Do you recall the confession of …….? “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living G-d.”
Hear my confession today.. “He is the Christ, the Son of the living G-d!” Yes, yes, and very yes.
Was Jesus a Jew? Absolutely. Was Jesus a man? Absolutely. What He G-d incarnate? Absolutely. Did the Logos become carne? Absolutely. Is every word of G-d pure? Absolutely. Every man, woman,child, person, place or thing in this blessing book was at one time- a reality. The are “real” people, (just like us), who lived and walked upon this green planet. We learn from their stories, we observe their behavior. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we weep, but above all these things we see (observe) YHWH is working (intimately and intricately) in each of these lives.
The “stories” we read are uncannily similar to our own lives. How is this possible? Because, my dear friend, our Bible is no ordinary book. (lol!) This is the book that reads the reader! (lol!)
When we allow the words of YHWH to penetrate (sometimes-like a bunker-buster bomb!), into our hard and impenitent hearts, and these words find fertile soil in which to grow, my dear friends.. life happens! (I talkin’ somersaults here!)
We need, we need to be people of the book. All of us. Why? Because Yeshua (the G-d/man) has said- “the words I speak unto you- they are spirit and they are life” You see, my friend- He is the ONE who wrote the book! It was the Creator we crucified on the cross!
Shalom,
The communal Holiness, as Skip has commented upon numerous times, is not only a reflection of our G_D’s character but an integral component to the constitution of the Kingdom. Aaron commented that the applied holiness is not to be taken synonymously with righteousness, purity, goodness, or salvation but may I suggest a minimal variance.
Certainly any applied Holiness does not self elevate or promote self righteousness …. grace and mercy are indeed free gifts from ELOHIM (Praise HIM). Yet the holiness and constitutional ways of the Kingdom are certainly righteous and pure and good. Application of these constitutional ways, I would argue, are thus synonymous with righteousness, purity and goodness …. but not for salvation … but because of salvation! This is the wonder of His Kingdom … the unrighteous acting righteously in response to the grace, mercy and in dwelling of He Who redeemed us from death.
Agreeing with Skip …. it is all about difference! It is all about living righteously surrounded by a dying creation defined by unrighteousness. The constitutional by-laws of the Kingdom and the actions of its constituents are designed to reflect the light to the nations and to draw the weary and lost back to HIM! This is the purpose of Israel …. this is the purpose of us …. it is all about HIM and getting the lost sheep to see HIM through our community …. through Israel!
Nice commentary brother Skip! And Aaron … nice addition as well! 🙂
Yes, brother Carl. We all need reminding. We all are in desperate need of repentance. God grants this! He will and He does do this simply because WE do not have the capacity without Him. It all begins and “ends” with Him. We are complete, fulfilled, continuing, going forward in Him, He is our goal, our prize, our reward:
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Cor. 1:30-31
This is why we so desperately need to know Him so intimately. How did He live? How was He pleasing to the Father? How and what did He speak and to whom? What IS His will then and now? As an example to follow, these are just a sampling of questions, we all are asking. What does it mean to reflect the image of our Father as Yeshua did and how does that translate into practical living? Many, of course, live with the esoteric view that He did a good thing for us and we are satisfied with just showing up and possibly becoming involved in church ministry without actually engaging in the relationship with Him and others. I find this interesting:
Hebrews 12:14 declares “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” This word sanctification is translated in the KJ as “holiness”. The interesting observation is the lead off of this statement. It is in reference to the relationship we have with everyone else…”all men”. This causes me to wince as I evaluate my relationships with others, as I ask the Lord to help me with this-to regain lost ground over the years of isolating myself, in an attempt to insulate myself from the pain associated with those who are not convicted by this precious jewel of His Word. Those “sanctified” believers who have somehow been led to believe external cosmetics would allow them to continue to operate as the world, while also allowing them to somehow feel “justified” because of their membership with a group considering themselves as “different” from those not of their mindset or persuasion. Conviction of the Holy Spirit is a work of painstaking beauty from God who knows this conformity to the ideals of man eventually leads to the tower of Babel-confusion and a self-sufficient attitude. This is a continual reminder for me of my need for Christ and His righteousness because I have the tendency to think I have a slight degree of it (personal righteousness) tucked away in my life. I am grieving over lost years of opportunities missed for showing the love of the One who loved me when I did not love Him. BUT…once again He comforts me and tells me I am blessed as I mourn the missing of the mark. AND He encourages me and gives me hope that He is with me alway…all the way to the finality of my redemption which is a never ending state of BEING with Him! WOW…an Awesome and HOLY God. Listen…do you hear what I hear?
Rom 6″16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone {as} slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
Rom 6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
What is this continual Biblical theme of “obedience” all about anyway? The Holy Ghost “bumps” we perceive through our emotional make-up or the stoic blockading of such to prove we are holy and have been “touched” by God? OR could it mean exactly what the Lord said as He describes His view of holiness by our actions filtered through the intents and motives of our hearts?
Blessings y’all.
Just to clarify a bit…the “Holy Ghost ‘bumps'” I referred to in my response to is a euphemism used in Pentecostal/Charismatic arenas alluding to the sensation of “goose bumps” indicating having been visited or touched by the Holy Spirit. I mention this b/c for many years it appears my “church” held this to be an indicator of their intimacy with the Lord along with the gift of tongues. Not totally knocking this, just explaining the phrase, I hope!
Good morning Mary.. I would like to quickly comment on “Holy Ghost bumps.”
I have also heard these referred to a “gospel (goose) bumps” as well!- (lol!)
I remember (John 14.26) years ago, a young man singing in the morning service of our church. Even though a multitude was present- the air was silent, and electric. Yes,- there was a very special, sacred Anointing upon that man. As I love to say- “G-d did that.” Fast forward to today. That young man is no longer with us, but now in the Presence of the ONE he loved. I “stumbled upon” a book he had written and quickly purchased a copy, just because I heard him sing (years ago) and knew in my heart- that man loved Jesus. (How did I know that?- :). The title of the book is.. “Because We Love Him” and the subject of this book- (I am now-in the process of reading it!) is “holiness.” (Hello?..)
Love to feel the power and Presence in such a way! Taste of heaven! Glimpse of glory! Wonder-ful!
Holy: Set apart for His purposes.
We are preparing for a wedding of dear friends under the chuppah tonight.
This will be the second “believers” wedding in Israel I have helped with, and must say I love the symbolism and meaning of the Jewish wedding.
It is really a joining of two of Abba’s children asking His blessing and leading in their God given roles. Pictured: A three strand chord is not easily broken.
Only the bride wears a ring. The bride and bridesmaids with candles, circle the groom seven times to break any walls between them, and to “claim her territory” I actually see the whole story of Gods relationship with His people, past, present and future, played out in the traditional Jewish betrothal and wedding traditions. It has been a wonderful study. I even see Sukkot in all of this, and His final coming to claim His bride.Sooo powerful!
Given what I am writing in my book, Perfect Enemy, the symbolism seen the bride’s actions is VERY important. Thanks for this reminder.
May I confess a “holy jealousy?”- Antoinette- to be a witness of such a thing! How beautiful!
We also look forward to a wedding ceremony- soon to be. We are listening for call of the trumpet and the shout from heaven- “behold, the bridegroom cometh!” Ahh.. the “blessed hope.” Could it be today?