The Underlying Principle of Holiness
Bobby Liddell
God has always demanded holiness of those who would approach Him. The reason is clear–He is holy. Thus, those who would come into His presence and have fellowship with Him must be holy (Heb. 12:14; Rev. 21:27; 1 John 1:6-10). The apostle Peter penned these words: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
Peter’s inspired quotation comes from the Old Testament book of Leviticus. In it, the word holy and its cognates appear 131 times, and the related word clean and its cognates appear 186 times.1 In this sense, cleanness is essential to holiness under the Old Testament law. The principle of man’s reciprocal holiness, based upon and responding to God’s inherent holiness, is one often stated in the third book of the Pentateuch (Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 25-26; 21:6-8).
Not only is God holy, unlike man, He is eternally, inherently, infinitely holy. Holiness is a characteristic of His nature which is wholly in keeping with His deity (Isa. 6:3). Were He to lack in holiness, He would not be God (Hab. 1:13). Holiness is the watchword of Leviticus. In this inspired book, God declared the truth and revealed His will regarding the most holy offerings (2:3), holy place (6:16), holy crown (8:9), holy people (11:44-45), holy God (11:44-45), holy garments of the priests (16:4), holy sanctuary (16:33), holy fruit (19:24), God’s holy name (20:2), holy priesthood (21:6), holy things (22:2), holy convocations (23:4), holy bread (24:5-9), holy jubilee (25:11-12), holy house (27:14), holy possessions (27:22-23), most holy devoted things (27:28), and holy tithe (27:32).
These occurrences and the number of them should impress upon us the importance of holiness and the principle of holiness which continues in man’s relationship to God today. The various requirements such as of diet and separation, as taught in Leviticus, were to show to the Israelites that great care was to be taken by His people and priests, as He said, “that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean” (10:10).
What is holiness? In regard to man, holiness entails separation, dedication, and consecration. Basically, to be holy is to be set apart. Since things connected with God are counted holy, holiness is absolutely essential if man would be connected with God. Leviticus shows how sinful man can come to have fellowship with the sinless God. Leviticus symbolically sets forth the basic principles which underlie all dealing between God and men. The principles have not changed. The Levitical priesthood and sacrifices have been fulfilled in Christ and hence abolished; but the spiritual realities which they pictorially presented abide for all time.2
The specific commands, given in Leviticus and peculiar to the Old Law, to regulate, restrict, and require what was to be done (or not done) in order for one to be holy are not binding under the Law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). Nevertheless, there are principles, upon which these commands were given, which apply today. As then, so today, we are to be holy, for God is holy.
1. James E. Smith, The Pentateuch (College Press, 1992), p. 350.
2. Ibid., p. 354.