Good morning! We’re continuing on in our series Holy God | Holy People: The Gospel According to Leviticus. Open your Bibles to the book of Leviticus and find chapter 18. I’d like to take the time to read through several key passages that lay the foundation for our message today.
We’ll begin with Leviticus 18:1-5
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your God. You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the Lord your God. So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord.'”
Now turn over to Leviticus 19:1-2
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
And finally Leviticus 20:22-24, 26
‘You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. Hence I have said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the people … Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.
If I were to ask you, “What comes to mind when you hear the word holiness?”—what would you say? Some might think of a monk in a monastery, set apart from the world. Others might picture a strict moral code, a long list of dos and don’ts. Maybe for some, holiness sounds intimidating, like something reserved for "really spiritual people."
But when God speaks of holiness in Leviticus, He’s not describing an impossible standard for a select few. He’s defining the identity of His people. Over and over, He says, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Holiness isn’t just about what we do—it’s about who we are. It’s about belonging to God. It’s about living in covenant with Him.
And that brings us to an important distinction: the difference between positional holiness and practical holiness.
Positional holiness means that through Jesus, we are made holy in our standing before God. We are declared righteous not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what Christ has done for us. Hebrews 10:10 says, "... we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Practical holiness is how we live out that holiness in daily obedience. It’s the call to reflect God’s character in how we think, speak, and act. 1 Peter 1:15 says, "Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior."
Here’s the challenge: The Old Covenant demanded holiness, but it didn’t have the power to produce holiness. It set the standard, but it couldn’t change the heart. The Law could tell people what was required, but it couldn’t give them the ability to live it out.
That’s why the New Covenant is so essential—because what God commanded in the Old, He enables in the New. Through Jesus, we are not only called to holiness, we are empowered to live it out.
And that’s the heart of our message today. Here’s the core truth: Jesus establishes the New Covenant, making us holy and empowering us to walk in His ways.
So what does it mean to be God’s holy people under the New Covenant? What does holiness look like in our daily lives?
To answer that, we need to start with the foundation of holiness in Leviticus—God’s call to holiness.
I. The Call to Holiness (Leviticus 19:1-2, 20:26)
“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” This is not just a command; it is an identity. Holiness is at the heart of Leviticus, and here in chapters 18–20, God makes it abundantly clear that His people are to be distinct. A holy God demands a holy people.
But let’s be honest—when we hear the word holiness, many of us struggle to define what that actually looks like. Does holiness mean living by a rigid set of rules? Doing all the right things; checking all the religious boxes? Does it mean withdrawing from the world and isolating ourselves? Or is it something deeper?
To understand holiness, we have to start with its source—God Himself. Holiness is not just about what we do; it’s about who He is.
A. Holiness Reflects God’s Nature
God’s call to holiness is established in His own character. He is utterly set apart, completely pure, and distinct from everything else in creation. When He calls His people to be holy, He is calling them to reflect Him.
Leviticus 19:2 makes this clear: “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Notice that holiness is not just for a select few—it’s a calling for all of God’s people. And that’s because holiness is not primarily about rules—it’s about relationship.
Think about it this way: you’re part of a family, your last name carries weight and meaning. It connects you to a lineage, to a history, to an identity. And with that identity come expectations. Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “That’s not how we do things in this family.” Not because of arbitrary rules, but because of who you are.
In the same way, when God calls us to holiness, He’s saying, "You belong to Me. You bear My name. Your life should reflect My character.” This is the core of what God was saying in Exodus 20:7 when He commanded: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain …”
As God's people, we’re not just commanded to be holy; We're identified as holy because they belong to Him. But that holiness also comes with a calling over our lives—it means living differently from the world.
Holiness not only reflects God’s nature, but …
B. Holiness Requires Separation
Leviticus 18–20 makes it clear that holiness is not just about religious rituals; it is about how we live. God calls us to a distinct moral ethic—one that stands in stark contrast to the culture around us.
In these chapters, God establishes boundaries in multiple areas of life: sexual purity, justice, compassion, and integrity. In chapter 18, God calls His people to reject the perversions of the surrounding cultures—prohibiting incest, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and child sacrifice. In chapter 19, He commands them to care for the poor, treat workers fairly, and uphold justice in the courts. Chapter 20 warns against witchcraft, dishonesty, and defiling relationships.
Over and over, God calls these actions "detestable," "perversions," and "abominations." These are strong words, not because God is harsh, but because He is holy—and He knows that sin distorts, defiles, and destroys both individuals and societies.
Now, I recognize that these are difficult topics in our culture today. Conversations about sexuality, justice, and morality are highly charged. But church, we must remember: God’s Word does not change with the culture. God’s moral ethic does not shift with the times. What God declares as sin in Leviticus is still sin today. Not because God is outdated, but because He is eternal.
That being said, it’s crucial that we speak about these things with both truth and grace. The goal is not to condemn, but to call people to the life that God designed for them. Holiness is not about restricting joy—it’s about restoring it. Sin distorts and enslaves; holiness leads to life.
And this is where we need to examine our own hearts. We can’t just look at the world around us and shake our heads—we need to ask: Am I living a holy life? Or have I allowed compromise to creep in? Am I distinct in my speech, my purity, my integrity? Does my life look different because I belong to Christ?
This is why God repeatedly says to Israel, "You shall not be like the nations around you." God’s people are called to live differently—to embody purity, integrity, and justice in a way that reflects the heart of their holy God. And so are we.
But holiness is not just about what we avoid—it is also about how we love. It is not just about separation from sin, but about devotion to God and others.
"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." This was not only a call to moral distinction—it was a call to live out our love for God. True holiness is not just about moral purity—it is about reflecting God’s love in the way we treat others.
And that brings us to the second essential truth about holiness:
II. The Command to Love (Leviticus 19:9-18)
Right in the middle of Leviticus chapter 19 we find one of the most popular verses of scripture even among nonbelievers, and for good reason! It’s at the core of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Here it is, Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.”
As we dig deeper into God's call to holiness, we realize that it is rooted in the command to love. You see, holiness isn’t simply about what we avoid. It's about how we actively engage with others. Leviticus 19 gives us a direct, clear command to love our neighbors as ourselves. But this love is more than just a warm and fuzzy feeling. It’s a commitment to live in a way that honors God by reflecting His character to others.
A. Holiness is Demonstrated through Love
The key expression of holiness in Leviticus 19 is the command to love our neighbor. In verses 9-18, God paints a picture of a community where love is not just a sentiment but a concrete action. He calls His people to live in relationship with others based on honesty, justice, compassion, and care.
In verses 9-10, for example, God commands that farmers leave some of their harvest for the poor and the foreigner. This act of generosity reflects God’s heart for the marginalized. In verses 11-12, He commands honesty and integrity in business dealings. In verses 13-14, He insists on justice in matters of labor and treatment of others, especially the vulnerable.
Jesus affirmed this very principle in Matthew chapter 22 when He was asked which of the commandments was the greatest. In verse 37-40 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus is saying that love for God and love for neighbor are not separate commands but are deeply intertwined. Our love and devotion to God is played out in our daily living; in how we view and treat others. You see, holiness is not just about avoiding sin but about living out our love for God as we love others.
In other words, holiness is meant to be visible in our relationships, in how we treat those around us. Whether we are dealing with our family, friends, coworkers, or strangers, our actions should reflect God’s love. Holiness isn’t just personal; it’s relational. It’s not just about being set apart from sin, but being set apart for love—love that mirrors God’s own character.
Holiness is demonstrated through love and because of that …
B. Holiness Transforms How We Treat Others
It’s not about rigid, rule-keeping and religious rituals; it’s about righteousness that expresses itself through love. Leviticus 19 paints a picture of a society transformed by love—one where people are not concerned only with their own interests, but actively seeking the good of others. It's not enough to just “not do” wrong. True holiness calls for us to live out our love for God in how we love others.
Now of course our culture has taken the concept of love and twisted it saying that if you don’t affirm my lifestyle choices, then you’re not just being unloving, you’re being hateful. But this is a distortion of what it means to truly love as God calls us to love.
In fact, in Romans 12:9 we’re commanded: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” I really like how the New Living Translation expresses this verse: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.”
You see, it is hypocritical to affirm what is evil in the eyes of God and call it love. In fact it is very unloving to do such a thing. I Corinthians 13 puts it this way: “Love … does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth …” (vs. 6).
This command of love demands fairness and impartiality. Look at what we find in Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.” The call to holiness means standing for what is right and true; acting with justice and fairness, regardless of someone’s social status or personal relationship with us. Holiness, then, transforms the way we engage with issues like justice, fairness, and equity.
Verse 16 adds another dimension: “You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people …” Our speech matters. How we talk about others, how we represent them in conversations, has everything to do with holiness. Holiness transforms the way we speak, leading us to speak truthfully, kindly, and with respect.
Think about the purpose of a light bulb. A light bulb doesn’t exist just to avoid darkness; it exists to shine in order to dispel darkness. A light bulb fulfills its purpose by radiating light into the room. In the same way, holiness doesn’t merely mean avoiding bad things—it’s about radiating God’s goodness and love and truth into a world that desperately needs it.
But let’s be honest—no matter how hard we try, we don’t love perfectly. We fail. We fall short. And that’s why we need something greater. That’s why we need a covenant that doesn’t just command holiness—but transforms us from the inside out.
III. The Covenant That Transforms (Hebrews 8:6-12)
Turn with me to the book of Hebrews and find chapter 8. Follow along beginning at verse 6.
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says,
“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”
For centuries, the people of Israel lived under the Old Covenant—a system that revealed God’s holiness but could never fully restore a sinful people. The Law demanded holiness, but it could not supply the power to live it out. That’s why Hebrews 8 describes the coming of a better covenant, one that doesn’t just command holiness but actually creates it in us.
Look again at Hebrews 8:6: “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” Jesus is not only the fulfillment of the Old Covenant; He is the mediator of a new one. And the difference is profound:
A. The Law of God Written on Our Hearts
Under the Old Covenant, holiness was an external obligation—written on stone tablets, carried out through rituals, and enforced through commands. But under the New Covenant, holiness is no longer just an outward demand. It’s an inward transformation.
Hebrews 8:10 puts it this way: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts.”
This changes everything. God is no longer just telling us what to do—He is changing who we are. His Spirit moves within us, shaping our desires, convicting our hearts, and giving us the strength to live in obedience—not just out of duty, but out of delight.
Think about it: Have you ever tried to force yourself to love something? Maybe a food you knew was healthy, a book everyone else loved, or an exercise routine you tried to stick with? You can force yourself for a while, but unless something changes inside you, it always feels like a chore. But when something truly captures your heart—when you want it from within—it’s no longer a burden.
That’s what God does in us through the New Covenant. He doesn’t just command us to be holy; He empowers us to live it out.
The law of God is written on our hearts and because of that …
B. The Love of God Expressed in Our Lives
Jesus doesn’t just make us holy in some abstract or mystical sense—He transforms how we actually live.
Hebrews 8:6 reminds us that Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. What makes it better? It doesn’t just tell us what to do; it gives us the power to do it. The holiness that God writes on our hearts begins to shape the way we speak, act, and love.
You see, holiness was never just about rule-keeping. It was always about relationship—being set apart for God so that we might reflect His love to the world. This is why the greatest command—to love God and love our neighbor—is not abolished under the New Covenant; it is fulfilled in Christ.
Paul puts it this way in Romans 5:5: “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Do you see the connection?
The same Spirit who writes God's law on our hearts also pours God’s love into our lives. Holiness is not just about avoiding sin—it’s about reflecting God’s heart. It’s showing kindness, walking in integrity, extending grace, standing for truth.
Holiness is not just a demand placed on us; it is a work that Christ does in us.
It’s not just about doing the right things and avoiding the wrong things. It's about being set apart to live for God, and that only happens through Christ.
Jesus establishes the New Covenant, making us holy and empowering us to walk in His ways. This is the difference between striving for holiness in our own strength and surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s work within us.
So the question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we relying on our own strength? Or are we surrendering to the Spirit’s work?
Because holiness is not something we achieve—it is something we receive in Christ. And when we live in that reality, holiness is not a burden. It’s the natural outflow of a heart that’s fully surrendered to Jesus.
