How does Leviticus 11:45 connect with 1 Peter 1:16 on holiness? The Same Voice Behind Both Verses Leviticus 11:45—“For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16—“for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ ” • Peter quotes Leviticus verbatim, showing that the command did not expire with the Old Covenant. • The authority is God Himself; His holiness is the timeless standard binding Israel and the church alike (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Redemption Fuels the Call • Leviticus: holiness flows from the Exodus—God “brought you up.” • 1 Peter: holiness flows from a greater redemption—“you were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). • In both cases, God’s saving act precedes the command; obedience is response, not prerequisite (Ephesians 2:8-10). Holiness as Separation and Dedication • Leviticus 11’s dietary laws marked Israel off from surrounding nations, illustrating separation for God’s purposes (Exodus 19:4-6). • Peter applies the same principle ethically: abstain from “former desires” (1 Peter 1:14), live differently amid a pagan culture (1 Peter 2:11-12). • Holiness is not isolation but consecration—belonging entirely to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2). Continuity of Covenant Identity • Leviticus 20:26 echoes 11:45: “You are to be holy to Me, because I, the LORD, am holy.” • Peter picks up the language: believers are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). • God forms a people who reflect His character in every age (Psalm 93:5; Titus 2:14). Practical Outworking Today • Pursue moral purity: “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). • Cultivate reverent fear: “conduct yourselves with reverent fear during your stay as foreigners” (1 Peter 1:17). • Embrace daily cleansing: “let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1). • Display distinctiveness: shine “as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15), just as Israel’s dietary obedience testified to surrounding nations. Summary Link Leviticus 11:45 establishes the pattern—God rescues, reveals His holiness, then calls His people to mirror that holiness. 1 Peter 1:16 re-affirms the same pattern for believers in Christ. One unchanging God, one unchanging standard, one redeemed people set apart for His glory. |
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