"You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine." (Leviticus 20:26)
The process of developing holiness. God said to Israel, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45). Because God wants us to become like him, it is necessary that his people be a special kind of people, holy men and women. The basic idea in sanctification is “being set apart for God”; those thus set apart live in a way that is pleasing to God. They have no power of their own to do that, but God enables them (2 Cor. 3:17–18). Sanctification is not an option. God requires it of all his people (1 Thess. 4:3).
References:
The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, (Harold Shaw Publ., Wheaton , IL; 1984), pp. 357-358
Friday, February 14, 2014
Feb 14 - Obedience - Leviticus 18-19
In chapters 18–20 we pass from the worship of the people to their behaviour. Chapter 18 prohibits unlawful marriage, unchastity, and Molech worship; but the last is dealt with more fully in 20:2–5.
The first reason Israel should not indulge in what God has prohibited was because they “shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. ” (18:3) A Christian should not live as a non Christian. He must remember that in Christ, he is a new creation, he has been given a new life.
The second reason for obedience is simply because of God’s authority. “I am the Lord your God...You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules;” (18:5) He has the right to reward obedience and punish disobedience. “if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” True life is given by obedience to the word of God, for there is no goodness apart from Him.
Disobedience brings about punishment. “For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” (18:29-30)
Some people ask why is God so cruel command extermination of the Canaanites. Here the reason is clear, not because God is evil, but because of the sinfulness of the Canaanites themselves. “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” (18:24-25)
Thanks and praise be to Christ, who bore this punishment on himself that we would not be punished. And which upon the most important reason of gratitude why we obey God, because we love Him. For He is, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.” (19:36-37)
The first reason Israel should not indulge in what God has prohibited was because they “shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. ” (18:3) A Christian should not live as a non Christian. He must remember that in Christ, he is a new creation, he has been given a new life.
The second reason for obedience is simply because of God’s authority. “I am the Lord your God...You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules;” (18:5) He has the right to reward obedience and punish disobedience. “if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” True life is given by obedience to the word of God, for there is no goodness apart from Him.
Disobedience brings about punishment. “For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” (18:29-30)
Some people ask why is God so cruel command extermination of the Canaanites. Here the reason is clear, not because God is evil, but because of the sinfulness of the Canaanites themselves. “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” (18:24-25)
Thanks and praise be to Christ, who bore this punishment on himself that we would not be punished. And which upon the most important reason of gratitude why we obey God, because we love Him. For He is, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.” (19:36-37)
Feb 12 - Anew - Leviticus 14
What is the significance of the fact that the leper had to be healed before he was cleansed from the defilement of his leprosy?
The significance was that the leper now possessed a new life. The sick, old, decaying, disease, SIN laden body has been cleansed, put to death and a new healthy life been given.
"Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" (John 3:3)
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."
(Gal. 6:15)
The significance was that the leper now possessed a new life. The sick, old, decaying, disease, SIN laden body has been cleansed, put to death and a new healthy life been given.
"Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" (John 3:3)
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."
(Gal. 6:15)
Feb 10 - Strange Fire - Leviticus 10-12
The sad story of Nadab and Abihu presenting unauthorized fire to God shocks us to the spine every time we read it. We should never forget that we are to fear our Lord who is a consuming fire. In this age where God is pictured just a loving grandfather who will forgive you no matter how you live, we must return to scripture what our right knowledge of God is. A God of loving kindness, yet a just God whom we should be in awe.
What happened? Why did God act like this? How does the examples Nadab and Abihu remind us that we are to live before God?
Lastly, if you were Aaron, would you fall into despair and grip your fist in anger towards God? Note how this passage portrays the touching story of Aaron’s full acceptance of God’s verdict on his own sons.
What happened? Why did God act like this? How does the examples Nadab and Abihu remind us that we are to live before God?
Lastly, if you were Aaron, would you fall into despair and grip your fist in anger towards God? Note how this passage portrays the touching story of Aaron’s full acceptance of God’s verdict on his own sons.
Feb 9 - An Atonement on our Behalf - Leviticus 7-9
The directions for the ceremony of consecrating the tent of meeting, the altar and the priests were given in Exodus 28 and 29. “I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.” (Exod. 29:44) Leviticus 8 gives an account of it.
In the sacrifice of the ram of ordination (i.e., of dedication to special service), the blood of the ram was put on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand and on the big toe on the right feet. It symbolize the atonement of our sin that the ram died on our behalf. With the death of the ram, we were brought from the punishment of death into a redeemed life. We are given a new life. Should we present this new life to the bondage of sin all over again?
“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Rom. 6:13.
In the sacrifice of the ram of ordination (i.e., of dedication to special service), the blood of the ram was put on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand and on the big toe on the right feet. It symbolize the atonement of our sin that the ram died on our behalf. With the death of the ram, we were brought from the punishment of death into a redeemed life. We are given a new life. Should we present this new life to the bondage of sin all over again?
“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Rom. 6:13.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Keeping a Close Watch
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Tim 4:16)
The balance of life and doctrine is the key to spiritual success. Doctrine has everything to do with life, because what we believe about God determines how we live. The more we know God and his workings, the more we will love him, and the better we will serve him. Do you love Him know? Will you love him less if you learn more of Him and His Word? The greed need of people today is to know more of God - to know more about doctrine. Doctrine is the most practical thing in life.
A godly lifestyle has everything to do with maintaining doctrine because if we do not live according to what we know of God and His word, we will either disbelieve or will attempt to change his word.
Are you keeping a close watch on your life? How is your speech? How is your love? Your faith, your purity? It is biblical or is it secularized? Do you really believe what you say you believe?
A true Christian life works out its own salvation (Philippians 2:12). They save themselves and then save their hearers. How is your life? How is your doctrine?
The balance of life and doctrine is the key to spiritual success. Doctrine has everything to do with life, because what we believe about God determines how we live. The more we know God and his workings, the more we will love him, and the better we will serve him. Do you love Him know? Will you love him less if you learn more of Him and His Word? The greed need of people today is to know more of God - to know more about doctrine. Doctrine is the most practical thing in life.
A godly lifestyle has everything to do with maintaining doctrine because if we do not live according to what we know of God and His word, we will either disbelieve or will attempt to change his word.
Are you keeping a close watch on your life? How is your speech? How is your love? Your faith, your purity? It is biblical or is it secularized? Do you really believe what you say you believe?
A true Christian life works out its own salvation (Philippians 2:12). They save themselves and then save their hearers. How is your life? How is your doctrine?
Feb 8 - The Sin and Guilt Offerings - Leviticus 4-6; Matt 24:29-51
In Lev 1-3, we are introduced to the burnt, meal and peace offerings. Now in Lev 4-6, we have the sin and guilt offerings. But distinguishes between them?
“If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord's commandments...If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally...When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the Lord his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,” (4:2,13,22)
Unintentional sin is the distinguishing factor. Oh how often we sin unintentionally. But before we despair, God provides divinely a rescue, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” (Lev 17:11)
Reflect on what was done with the body and with the blood of the sacrifice in the sin offering (4:6, 7, 11, 12). They remind us of God’s intense hatred of sin and its fearful consequence on those whom pay the price of sin.
Lastly, the sin and guilt offerings have much in common, but the sin offering was an atonement for man’s guilt towards God, whereas the guilt offering was an atonement for man’s guilt especially to man, thus the restitution needed to the offended.
“If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord's commandments...If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally...When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the Lord his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,” (4:2,13,22)
Unintentional sin is the distinguishing factor. Oh how often we sin unintentionally. But before we despair, God provides divinely a rescue, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” (Lev 17:11)
Reflect on what was done with the body and with the blood of the sacrifice in the sin offering (4:6, 7, 11, 12). They remind us of God’s intense hatred of sin and its fearful consequence on those whom pay the price of sin.
Lastly, the sin and guilt offerings have much in common, but the sin offering was an atonement for man’s guilt towards God, whereas the guilt offering was an atonement for man’s guilt especially to man, thus the restitution needed to the offended.
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