Holiness Is A Family Matter (Leviticus 19; I Peter 1:13-25)

HOLINESS IS A FAMILY MATTER (Leviticus 19; I Peter 1:13-25)

Godly Families are God's School for Lovingly Shaping a Social Ethic that Transforms Civilization

"Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy." If we want to have a deep rich fellowship with God we must be willing to change: to become Holy according to God's definition of holiness. But what changes do we need to make and what are the benefits of making those changes? The answer to these questions becomes clear when we realize Leviticus 19:2 is quoted by the Apostle Peter in I Peter 1:15-16. The Holy Spirit has made this connection between Leviticus 19 and I Peter 1 to teach us some very important principles for growing in holiness that results in experiencing a pure true Love.

LEVITICUS 19 I PETER 1:13-25

(Leviticus 19:2) (I Peter 1:15-16)

19:3 "Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his

father: I Am the LORD your God." 1:14 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts in your ignorance"

19:3-4 "I am the LORD your God. Turn ye not

unto idols. I am the LORD your God." 1:17 "And if you call on the Father, who without respect

of persons judgeth according to every man's work,

pass the time of your sojourning here in fear."

19:5 "If ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings."

19:21 "he shall bring a trespass offering unto the LORD.

And the priest shall make atonement for him. . .

for his sin which he hath done." 1:18-20 "Ye were redeemed with the precious

blood of Christ as of a Lamb without

blemish and without spot."

The great purpose of God is clearly revealed in all these seemingly insignificant laws in Leviticus 19

19:18 "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self: I

AM the LORD." 1:22 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying

the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love

of the brethren, see that ye love one another

with a pure heart fervently:"

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When we correctly understand the Principles that underlie the Precepts we are able to Perceive God's important, transforming, and glorious purposes. So today we are going to discover the ageless divine principles supernaturally revealed in the past so we can apply them to our lives today and "grow in fervent love with a pure heart!" The burden of forced obedience by the Old Testament law has been replaced by the empowerment for loving obedience by God's Grace! (Rom. 5:5; 13:8-10)

I.) THE FOUNDATION FOR A LIFE OF LOVE IS FOUND IN A HEALTHY RESPECTFUL FAMILY ENVIRONMENT

WHERE THERE ARE CLEARLY ESTABLISHED RULES (LAWS) OF BEHAVIOR (Prov. 1:8-9; 6:20-23; Eph. 6:1-4)

A.) "Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father" (19:3).

1.) Some translate fear as reverence. But the Hebrew word clearly has a meaning closer

to our English fear. A healthy fear of our loving parents lays the foundation for a

proper and healthy fear of our loving heavenly Father (Prov. 9:10; 16:6)

a.) Why? Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 30:17.

We fear them because they have been entrusted by God with the authority to Discipline their children. Discipline carried out in harmony with the teaching of God's word will always bear witness to the moral standard God has instilled into every child through his conscience. So though a child might "hate" you for a while because of the pain of discipline; once the child understands God's good and eternal purpose behind the discipline he will come to love and respect his parents even more (Heb. 12:3-11). Laws without penalties are nothing more than good advice. We all must learn to avoid the severe consequences of sin by learning accountability to a higher power and authority (I Pet. 4:1-2).

II.) TO EXPERIENCE LOVE'S UNLIMITED POTENTIAL WE MUST MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM THE PHYSICAL

AND EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR EARTHLY PARENTS TO THE ETERNAL SPIRITUAL

RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. (Lk. 2:48-52)

A.) "Turn ye not to idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God."

(19:4) (Eph. 5:5)

1.) When the family is emotionally insecure or uncertain of their eternal destiny they will

fall victim to idolatry. They will look for emotional satisfaction or security anywhere.

2.) Security for the present and certainty about the future can only be found when

we have placed our lives in the loving hands of THE SOVEREIGN God!

a.) That is why God reminds us 16 times in 37 verses, "I am the LORD your God."

(Lev. 19:2,3,4,10,12,14,16,18,25,28,30,31,32,34,36,37)

b.) The Christian God is sovereign. He has the last word when it comes to what happens in

our life. Why would we worship any god that is less than sovereign?!

(Prov. 14:12, 27; 29:26). Why would you worship a god made by man instead of the one