What is the meaning of Leviticus 18:26? But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances Leviticus 18:26 opens with a clear call to obedience. God’s “statutes and ordinances” are not suggestions; they are binding commands meant to shape every facet of Israel’s life. • The phrase “keep” means to guard, treasure, and actively observe (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). • Statutes cover enduring, moral requirements; ordinances address specific applications. Together they form a seamless way of life (Psalm 19:7-11; Matthew 5:17-19). • Jesus affirmed the same principle: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). • Obedience brings blessing and communion with God (1 John 5:3). Disobedience ruptures fellowship and invites discipline (Hebrews 12:6-7). and you must not commit any of these abominations The “abominations” are the sexual sins listed in Leviticus 18:6-23, plus child sacrifice and worship of false gods (18:21). • God labels them detestable because they violate His created order and defile the land (18:24-25). • New-covenant believers are called to the same purity: “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21). • Holiness is not legalism; it is life-giving protection. Abomination leads to judgment, but obedience preserves community health and witness (Ephesians 5:3-7). neither your native-born nor the foreigner who lives among you God’s moral standards are universal. • One law for all: “The same law shall apply to the native as to the foreigner” (Exodus 12:49). • Outsiders dwelling with Israel were expected to honor God’s holiness (Numbers 15:14-16). • In the church age the principle endures: Gentile believers were urged to “abstain from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:19-20), showing that God’s ethical code transcends culture and ethnicity (Romans 2:14-16). • Practical outworking: – No double standards; leadership must model purity (1 Timothy 3:2). – Hospitality includes lovingly upholding God’s boundaries for guests and family alike. summary Leviticus 18:26 commands God’s people to guard His timeless directives, reject every practice He calls abominable, and apply these standards impartially to natives and foreigners. Obedience flows from love, safeguards community purity, and testifies that the Lord alone defines right and wrong for all peoples. |
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