“You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD (Yahweh) am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” Le 20:26
Holy.
How often do we actually stop and contemplate what it means to be holy? Although these words were originally addressed to the nation of Israel, the command is extended in the NT and applies to all believers in all times. Israel would serve as a paradigm of the human heart as God chose them to be His own special people based on nothing they had done to deserve His favor. He redeemed them from the bondage of slavery and would lead them on a journey of epic proportions through the wilderness. In exchange, He simply asked that they love Him and keep His commandments. Israel would eventually arrive in the Promised land, but within a few generations they would go apostate and forget the God who had brought them out of their bondage and suffering and turn and serve other gods through means of child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. They would literally “whore” after other gods and cheat on Yahweh with whom they had entered into covenant with. They had agreed that he would be their LORD and they would be His vassal. In exchange for their loyalty and love, God would bless them. However, if they would break covenant, the heavens and earth would act as a witness against them and God would bring upon them the curses that were outlined in their covenant agreement. As you read the history of Israel, God does exactly what He says He is going to do. Israel broke covenant and He had no choice but to eventually boot them out the Promised land just like He said He would do.
I am Israel. I was born in bondage and sin. Dead. A corpse. I literally hated God. I needed to be rescued out of my Egypt. But God is a holy God and a holy God has no choice but to punish sin. The consequence is death. I must die! His justice must be upheld, but how? I am sick. I am wicked. I constantly whore after other gods of my own creation. I look for satisfaction in anything or anyone except the only One that can give me true satisfaction. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Jesus rescued me from Egypt. He ransomed me from the bondage and oppression of sin. The penalty, death, has been paid at the expense of a Holy God. And what does He ask of me? “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Just like Israel, Christ simply asks that I keep His commandments and to “be holy because He is holy.” He has separated us from the peoples so that we should be His. His very own special people that have been called to represent His love and to reflect His glory. But oh how I fail. Oh how I whore after other gods. I serve Him, but just like Israel I trust in my own strength, pride, and self-righteousness. Why is a holy God so patient with me and not yet booted me out of this land?
The more I gaze into the holiness of God the more I realize my own sin and the gap continues to grow larger. I am hopeless and the weight of my sin is immense. What can bridge this gap between my sin and God’s holiness?
The cross! That bloody, disgusting, rugged, tree on which a Holy God entered into our suffering and paid a price that was infinite. My sin was so great that the cost was infinite and an infinite God chose to enter into my suffering and pay the penalty that I rightfully owed! It is finished! But He did not stop there. He rose from the grave and conquered sin, death, and Satan. He has clothed me in His righteousness and given me His Spirit in order that I can be convicted of sin and testify of this grace and gift of repentance. He simply asks that I confess and it brings Him joy when I acknowledge my sin and turn to Him with a heart of repentance. Joy! Unfathomable. A Holy God receives joy when I acknowledge my sin and turn to Him!
I can never repay Christ for the what He has done, so the best thing I can do to show my love for Him is to keep His commandments! Oh God, may you grant me the desire and humility to submit to your Spirit and keep your commands so that I may love you!
