Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)
Across the world, the message that is consistently delivered to mankind is to do your best to fit in. This recommendation is achieved through accommodation and being willing to do whatever possible to fit into what society deems acceptable. Though adapting to culture is sometimes wise, Christians must not be fooled by what the world claims is right.
In the Old Testament, God made it clear to the children of Israel that they were to be distinct, not because of skin color or the language they spoke, but because God commanded His people to be holy (Leviticus 19:2). God issued this command because He is holy:
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy… (Leviticus 11:44a)
What does it mean to be holy?
To be holy simply means to be set apart or distinct.
Therefore, God desired that the children of Israel and all Christians be distinct from the world. Their distinctness would not come from the clothes that they chose to wear or the language that they spoke. Rather, the distinctness of God’s people would be their endeavors to be more like God, the epitome of holiness.
The epistle of 1 Peter is addressed specifically to Christians. These Christians had encountered some great hardships. They had fled from Jerusalem because of persecution. Being followers of Jesus carried great responsibility and privilege for these Christians. Unfortunately, those who opposed Christianity were intent on doing whatever they could to destroy these followers of Jesus Christ.
Enemies of Christianity were so intent on opposing it that they were willing to throw Christians out of their homes, separate them from their families, and banish them from Jerusalem.
The persecution was heavy, but why was it occurring? They hadn’t broken any laws. They were facing great hardships simply because they claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ.
To encourage these persecuted Christians, Peter reminded them that they were special to God. They were unique in God’s eyes because they were a chosen generation. The beauty of the passage cannot be missed as Peter declares to fellow believers that they are a holy nation:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…(1 Peter 2:9a)
In his work, A Commentary on the New Testament 1 Peter, R.C.H. Lenski develops this idea of a holy nation by sharing that, “a holy nation is one that is wholly separated from the unholy and dedicated to God.”1 The beauty of this statement cannot be missed as one considers that the children of Israel were dedicated to God.
The blessing of Lenski’s statement is that it allows Christians to recognize that they are not only called to be separated from the mindset of opposing God, but they are also called to be separated unto God. They are to be set apart for God’s use. The call to holiness includes moving closer to God in order that one might become more like God.
As the persecuted Christians read this epistle from Peter, they must have been encouraged by the letter because it reminded them that though they had been kicked out of their homes and separated from their families, they were able to draw nearer to God amidst all of it.
In his book, The First Epistle of Peter, Peter Davids reveals that there is much more to this verse of Scripture than immediately meets the eye. Davids concludes that the terms used by Peter communicated to the persecuted Christians meant that “they were to be reminded of their privileged position in the presence of God.”2
When we think back to the priesthood that was established in the Old Testament, we are reminded that this position was to be marked by holiness for God. The priests that served as the spiritual leaders of the Israelites had the greater privilege as they served God in their position.
To properly think of the priests’ position, we must not compare it to today’s role of pastors. A pastor’s primary duty is to help shepherd and feed the flock from the Word of God. Today’s pastor can feed the flock by carefully communicating God’s Word through the exposition of the Scriptures. Though a pastor should maintain holiness in the sight of God, the priests carried much more responsibility.
According to what God had established, the priests were to be right in the sight of God as they prepared to offer sacrifices for the people. Failure to be right in God’s sight when offering sacrifices would result in great punishment and, at times, death. The failure of the priest would directly affect the rest of the nation of Israel.
Ultimately, these persecuted Christians needed to be a holy nation because they were to show forth the glorious light of God to those that they would encounter. As the world looked at these Christians, they were to see a group of individuals who were truly distinct. Truly, their distinctness would come from the fact that they served the one true God.
If these Christians who had faced great hardships had chosen to forsake the faith and had strived to instead live like the world, what a tragedy that would have been. But Peter’s encouragement must have been beautiful to them as they were reminded that, because of Christ, they could be distinct and set apart. No matter the circumstances, these persecuted Christians could choose to be a holy nation for God.
In Conclusion
Reading the epistle of 1 Peter reminds today’s Christians that the encouragement echoed in this passage still rings true today. Though persecution of Christianity may look different today, Christians must still strive to be holy and set apart for God. Without being set apart, the Gospel is not allowed to be fully displayed. By endeavoring to be holy people, we will help to further the cause of Christ, and God will be glorified.
Peter’s statement still rings true today. It allows us to understand that we must be intentional in our journey to holiness. Until Christians are reunited with Christ, they will never be truly and completely holy. However, once Christians can see Christ, God’s Word promises that they will be transformed into glorious bodies, allowing them to be truly holy for all eternity. What a day that will be!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
1 R.C.H. Lenski, Commentary on the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishing Company, 1966), 102.
2 Peter Davids, The First Epistle of Peter (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), 90.