What is the meaning of Leviticus 22:31? You are to keep My commandments • The verse opens with personal responsibility: “You are to keep.” God addresses each person directly, signaling that obedience is never optional or delegated (cf. Deuteronomy 30:16, “If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God… then you will live and multiply”). • “My commandments” reminds us that the standards come from the Lord Himself, not culture or tradition (see Matthew 15:9). • Jesus echoes the same heartbeat: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience is love expressed in action. • John later affirms, “For this is the love of God: to keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The call is doable because God also supplies grace. and practice them • Keeping commandments involves more than intellectual assent; it requires day-to-day application. James 1:22 counsels, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • Jesus’ parable of the wise builder (Matthew 7:24) underscores that the blessing lies in doing: hearing plus acting. • The phrase recalls Ezekiel 20:19, “Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and practice them.” The Lord desires consistent obedience woven into ordinary routines—home, work, worship, relationships. • Practical outworking looks like: – speaking truth instead of falsehood (Ephesians 4:25) – showing mercy and justice (Micah 6:8) – cultivating holiness in body and spirit (1 Peter 1:15–16). I am the LORD • God supplies the ultimate reason for obedience: who He is. “I am the LORD” (YHWH) grounds every command in His unchanging character (Malachi 3:6). • The declaration recalls the preface to the Ten Commandments: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt” (Exodus 20:2). Redemption precedes requirement; grace motivates obedience. • His unique authority means His word is final (Revelation 1:8). We obey not merely for blessing but because the Sovereign, covenant-keeping God has spoken. • Knowing the Lord personally transforms duty into devotion: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5). summary Leviticus 22:31 calls every believer to a life of heartfelt, active obedience grounded in God’s own character. We cherish His commands, put them into daily practice, and do so because He alone is the LORD—our Redeemer, Authority, and ever-faithful God. |
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