What Does Holiness Look Like?
That's not holiness.
Describing what holiness looks like is as frustrating as trying to describe to a mechanic what noise your car is making. It’s just hard to explain. My mechanic, Bob, has a cheat sheet taped onto the front counter in his shop that actually explains different car noises like clunk and squeak and rattle. It’s quite helpful.
Open to the book of Leviticus and you’ll read God’s guide to help you understand holiness. The word itself means “set apart” or “consecrated,” as in distinct from what is ordinary and definitely from what is sinful. “You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,” God instructed (10:10). That’s holiness. He goes on, reminding us in chapter 19 that he himself is holy and requiring us to be holy too. And what does that look like?
“Do not pervert justice.” God expects us to be honest and to live by set Biblical principles. “Do not use dishonest standards,” he explains. Living by one set of standards for yourself that allows you to do what you want but a different set of standards for everyone else that doesn’t allow them the same privileges – that’s perverting justice. That’s not holiness.
“Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” God expects us to treat everyone with respect and not harbor any bias that treats anyone unfairly. Saying that a Democrat can’t be a Christian or that a Republican isn’t compassionate – that’s unfair judging. That’s not holiness.
“Do not go about spreading slander.” Slander is telling rumors of unsubstantiated truth in a sinful way. “Did you hear about Rose? I heard she didn’t just quit but was asked to resign” – that’s slander. That’s not holiness. “Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life,” is meant to prohibit a person from taking advantage of somebody else’s physical misfortune. Parking in a handicapped spot or other areas reserved for the physically challenged, when you are not such a person – that’s taking advantage of the less fortunate. That’s not holiness.
“Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” God expects us to approach others about their bad behavior because we love them, not because we hate them. Sharp criticisms, sarcastic jabs, or showing someone up in front of your peers means there is hatred in your heart. That’s not holiness.
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge.” God expects us to let go of others’ sins. Constantly reminding your spouse about his or her sinful tendencies, or storing a few of his or her sins up in your pocket do you can haul them out during an argument – that’s bearing a grudge. That’s not holiness.
“Love your neighbor as yourself,” God explains. His expectations for holiness don’t get any clearer, then again, understanding what God expects isn’t the problem. Practicing it is. We’re kidding ourselves if we think holiness is attending church or completing confirmation class so that we can rattle off the Ten Commandments (and as a bonus vaguely recall Luther’s explanations). That’s as holy as a thief who memorized the building schematics of Community State Bank, and then robbed it. Holiness is using what we understand in a way that loves God and others. But my sinful self much prefers to love “me.” That’s why without God I’m not holy, because I have loved me more than God and my neighbor. I’m biased unfairly because I love me. I spread rumors because I love me and want me to look better than others. I take advantage of others’ misfortune because I’m so tuned into loving me that I don’t see their needs. I criticize because I love me and don’t have a problem hurting others to make me feel good. I bear grudges to hold others under my control because I love me. What a wonderful world it could be if I loved everyone else as much as I love me! But I’m so concerned about me that I neglect Jesus’ command to love my neighbor, and therefore I don’t love God as much as I claim.
In the midst of high and holy expectations spelled out as the minimum standard, your Savior pledges that his holy love doesn’t just make demands but first gives and blesses. 73 times in the 27 chapters of Leviticus he calls himself “I am” or “the Lord your God.”
He reminds you in two little words, “I am,” that he “is,” he is the one who exists on his own, the only being totally independent from any other force in the universe. Since he doesn’t require fuel, depend on the economy, take his place in the food chain or answer to superiors, your holy “I am” God is above imperfection, weakness, or outside influence by other powers.
He then uses his name, “the Lord,” with capital letters in your Bible to remind you that this is Jehovah God of the covenant and he is holy and faithful to his promises. When he says you are forgiven or you will be fulfilled it’s perfectly and completely done. And if that sounds like something too good to be true for you – like winning prizes seems to always happen to everyone else but not you – then he reassures you that he is “your God.” That word “your” is a personal possessive pronoun. God is saying that you possess him in a holy and personal way. He is all yours. You are all his. Nobody else stands between you. Nothing else separates you. Your relationship is holy, set apart from everything else.
So instead of looking in the mirror for the answer to unholiness, look in God’s Word and look at God’s works. Then, God will reflect his holiness through you.
PRAYER: Holy God, you expect more of me than what I can give. And I expect less of myself than you do give. Help me find the answer to my dilemma of unholy living in the perfect forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Calm my fears that listen too willingly to the threats of the devil. Give me new life in the power of baptism and let me live in love for you and for others. Frustrate those who make false claims about holy living as if obeying your commands makes us righteous, and lead them to the good news promises of your love. Amen.