You Shall Be Holy

My wife and I are reading through a devotional by Jon Nielson entitled, The Story. It will take us through the whole Bible and show us how the themes of scripture are woven throughout. We're in Leviticus 19. This chapter explores the type of horizontal relationships that believers should have with one another, relationships grounded in holiness. Here is an excerpt from the book:

The whole chapter is grounded on a key phrase from God in verse 2: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." First, the holiness of God's people is meant to be demonstrated in their relationships with one another. God calls his people to leave fall crops and grapes on the ground in the fields they own in order to provide food for the poor among them, who could come and glean the extra. God's people are instructed against any kind of oppression, deception, hatred, or injustice toward others. In other words, God's call to his people is for all their relationships with the people around them to be characterized by justice - fair, righteous, good, godly treatment. Second, the holiness of God's people is meant to be demonstrated in their different behavior than the nations around them. Prostitution is to have no place in their community life, and sexual relationships outside marriage are dealt with very seriously. They are not to eat flesh and blood, tattoo themselves, tell fortunes, or even cut their hair in a certain way. God is calling his people to a way of life that is affected in every area by his holiness and his salvation....Because God is holy, he calls his people to live holy, set-apart lives as they respond to his salvation. This must affect the way we treat the people around us, and our lives must look different from the lives of those who don't know Jesus.

In the New Testament, Christ calls us to holiness among his people. We are to be set apart by how we treat each other (John 13:34-35):

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

The world will not know that we are Christians by the great size of our churches, or the fancy buildings we might build, or great films we might make, or business empires we might build. According to our Lord, what will make the world sit up and notice, what will make them see that we are different, what will set us apart as holy...is the way Christians treat each other. Non-believers are unable to love each other like the Holy Spirit allows us to love one another. We are commanded to demonstrate this love to each other. Backbiting, gossip, strife, anger, etc. among believers does not set us apart; we become like everyone else.

Love one another.