For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:

Here is the bottom-line reason for the dietary laws. Verse 44 begin with “For” this is the reason, this is the purpose behind all that we just read. And that reason is as compelling as creation and life. “For I am the LORD (Jehovah) your God.”  Why should God’s people here keep these commandments? Because God is God.

He adds to this “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.” The word is the Hebrew word qadosh; and it means sacred, a saint, a sanctuary: It comes from another Hebrew word qâḏaš; to sanctify, to dedicate, to consecrate, to be separate, to be set apart.

God goes on in verse 45. Once again, He gives the reason. For I am the LORD that brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. Ye shall therefor be holy for I am holy.” God tells his people I brought you out, I separated you from Egypt, no be separated to me.

Be ye holy for I am holy. 9 times in the book of Leviticus this command is given in one form or another.  The theme of the book of Leviticus isn’t what to eat, or wear or what day to work, or what day to worship. All those laws are there of course but their purpose was to make His people understand holiness. His holiness and in Him their own holiness, Jehovah’s sanctification and their own, the Lord’s separation from this world and their own.

In the last verse, vs 47. God reemphasized His purpose, "To make a difference between the unclean and the clean."

You see, the nation of Israel was to make a difference. Abraham the father of the nation had to make a difference and so he was separated from the pagan nation of Ur to search for the city of God. Moses had to make a difference and he was separated from Egypt to Midian. David had to make a difference and God separated him from the flock and from his family to the throne of Jerusalem. Before any of God’s people can make a difference, they must be separated unto God and away from this world.

That separation  and the way God defines it, is the core of holiness. And it didn’t stop with the Old Testament.

Be Ye Holy Today

Twice in the New Testament the phase or the idea of holiness from Leviticus is directly applied to God’s New Covenant people.

Peter quotes it directly, 1 Peter 1:13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Peter tells the early believers who were coming out of the worst forms of paganism, gird up the loins of you mind, prepare for action, be serious, be determined, set your hope completely on the grace you’ve found in Jesus Christ, be obedient, don’t conform to your past sins but Jesus is holy, then you be holy. Then he quotes from Leviticus, “as it is written, ‘Be ye holy, for I am holy.”

It is the same command as was given thousands of years before at Mt. Sinai. God is holy. You belong to God because he has brought you out through His grace, therefore be holy because He is holy.

Holiness doesn’t mean sinless perfection. There are people who teach this or even teach that God has made them gods in their own right. That is the worst for of heresy and exactly what Satan told Eve in the garden, “Ye shall be gods knowing good from evil.”

This command has nothing to do with sinlessness. You can’t reach a place in your walk with God while on this earth where you are no longer sinning. You can through God’s grace and power overcome sin and it no longer controls or dominates you, but sin can and will still affect you.

Paul expands on the idea of holiness and separation in 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. ...7:1​ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The overall idea is clear, God is holy, and we are in fellowship with God, so we can’t also be in the same kind of fellowship with this world and its darkness. “come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”

Holiness is separation to the Lord and away from this world. Simple enough. What is not always simple is how we show that separation. How do we show that we are the people of God by the way we live, dress and act today?

Of course, in today’s world you could argue that just being normal sets you apart. And there is a lot of truth in that. But God is seeking more from his people, than just being normal.

I do think it is important for God’s people to be different enough to make a difference. Some groups dress in dark clothes, long dresses and head coverings to be different. Some don’t use any kind of machinery. Some say you have to wear a tie and coat when you go to church. Others go to greater or lesser extremes

Personally, I think being bald is the true mark of holiness, because there is nothing between the top of my head and God.

 Paul writing to Titus gave a list of qualities that should be in the members of the churches that Titus was training pastor to lead. I think if we can seek after these qualities, then we will be well on our way to “Be Ye Holy.”

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Conclusion

How is our holiness today? Our holiness, is measured by two things and neither of them is how perfect a saint you are. First how close are you to the Lord? If you are keeping yourself close to Him, then you will be drawn toward Him and away from the world. That is the second measure.