A Unique Way

“The Lord spoke to Moses: ‘Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.’” (Leviticus 19:1-2 CSB)

Leviticus 19 is a reiteration and expansion of the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20 the commands are listed, but here in Leviticus the same commands appear but with additional explanation and expansion. In both cases, however, the holiness of God appears at the outset.

In these first two verses, God commanded Moses to tell the people to “be holy.” The first thing that suggests is that “being” must always precede “doing.” One cannot do what is holy until he or she is first holy. And that holiness is set in place by the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus declares us holy, and we accept it on the basis of faith, just as the Israelites had to.

The word “holy” means “separate” or “other.” The idea is that we as believers are to follow a way of life that is unique in comparison to the world we live in. These commandments help us to see the degree of uniqueness the Lord calls us to follow, and there are several basic principles that we derive from them.

First, we are to do no harm to our relationship with the Lord. That sounds like a negative injunction, but its meaning is positive. We are to give priority to our relationship with the Lord, but from the text we learn that we are not to engage in idolatry or in anything that would damage our fellowship with the Father.

Second, we are to do no harm to the land we live on. Why would God be concerned about that? The answer is: because the land is what produces the harvest that sustains our lives. Through the land God blesses us, among other ways, of course.

Third, we are to do no harm to our relationships with others. We are not to engage in any kind of behavior that produces harm to others and otherwise serves to destroy the relationships we have with family members and our neighbors. Stated positively, we are to build up those relationships.

A world that is separated from God and does not know Him is not concerned about these matters to the degree that God calls us to be concerned about them. They may indeed have some concerns about the land and about family and neighbor relationships and may even seek to relate to these in positive ways. That is commendable, of course, but the world tends to leave out the foundation for all of this, which is a personal relationship with the God who created us. That relationship is available only through Jesus Christ. This relationship makes all the other relationships worthwhile and causes them to become what they are supposed to be, separated unto God, so that we can follow a unique way.

Lord, We thank You for the day You have given to us today, and we pray that we may walk in this unique way You have called us to. Amen.