How does 1 Peter 1:15 connect with Leviticus 11:44 on holiness?

The Thread of Holiness Woven Through Scripture

“but just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” (1 Peter 1:15)

“For I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44)

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Why Peter Reaches Back to Leviticus

• Same Speaker: The God who issued the command in Leviticus is the One who calls believers in 1 Peter.

• Moral Continuity: Holiness is not a temporary Mosaic requirement; it reflects God’s eternal character.

• Covenant Expansion: Leviticus addressed Israel; Peter addresses the scattered church (1 Peter 1:1), but the expectation remains unchanged.

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Key Parallels Between the Verses

• Command, Not Suggestion

– Leviticus: “be holy” (imperative)

– Peter: “be holy” (imperative)

• Grounded in God’s Nature

– Leviticus: “for I am holy”

– Peter: “He who called you is holy”

• All-of-Life Scope

– Leviticus: Regulations touched diet, worship, hygiene—every sphere.

– Peter: “in all you do,” spanning conduct, speech, relationships.

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One Unchanging Standard

• God’s holiness is absolute (Isaiah 6:3).

• He never lowers the bar; rather, He provides the means—ultimately Christ’s atonement and the Spirit’s indwelling (Hebrews 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:2).

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Holiness in the New Covenant

• Positional: Believers are set apart in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).

• Progressive: We actively “pursue holiness” (Hebrews 12:14).

• Empowered: The Spirit enables obedience (Galatians 5:16-25).

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Practical Expressions Today

• Guard the heart: What we watch, read, and listen to shapes inner purity (Proverbs 4:23).

• Speech that reflects grace and truth (Colossians 4:6).

• Sexual integrity in thought and action (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

• Compassionate separation: Distinct living without withdrawal—shining as lights (Philippians 2:15).

• Continuous self-examination, confessing sin quickly (1 John 1:9).

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Living Set Apart While Embedded in the World

The same holy God who spoke at Sinai now indwells His people. Leviticus shows His demand; 1 Peter shows His provision and call in Christ. Because Scripture is accurate, literal, and authoritative, believers gladly obey, displaying God’s character before a watching world.