Do you remember how the book of Leviticus began? With the finished Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord coming down. Then the priests were anointed and received their instructions before beginning their service.

After that, we have the call to be holy as the Lord is holy. This call is for everybody, but there is a higher expectation of holiness from the priesthood. All God’s people could stand in the courtyard, and they had their own holiness code. Priests had extra demands for holiness because they were allowed access to the Holy Place. But the High Priest, who alone could pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies and into God’s presence, had to follow the highest expectations of holiness.

Those who are responsible for leading the people of God must accept these high expectations, or how can they lead others? But in the New Covenant, we are all part of a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) – a higher level of holiness is expected of all of us. As we press closer and closer into the Lord, even into his presence, so we also should become more and more holy.

Holiness is both something that God has made possible for us through Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:22) and also something that we can pursue through turning our backs on sin and selfish desires (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:21). It is not just something we do, but a whole way of life (Isaiah 35:8). If we desire God, then let us also desire holiness.

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NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH