Joel M Bradshaw

31“Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.”–Leviticus 15

Adam and Eve found this out: sin brings separation from the Holy God. Israel had the tabernacle in the middle of their camp. This is where God chose to ‘place’ His presence. Yahweh was Immanuel long before the promise of Isaiah 7. God With Us. He was with them.

So God did the Israelites a favor by declaring to them things that ceremonially or ritually caused them to profane God’s holiness. The cost of having holiness travel alongside you is that you don’t want to ‘muddy those waters’.

Peter experienced that once with Jesus.

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken…” (Luke 5:8-9)

God demanded separation from the mundane in terms of ritual obligation. That holiness was meant to illustrate the separation He expected of Israel and her pagan neighbors regarding life and priorities. He expected them to be holy as He is holy. And the cost of sin was death.

As you ponder your own sin, remember these great theological verses, with emphasis added.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:8-9)

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 6:22-23)

Behold the cost of holiness Jesus paid to now in Him make us holy!–JMB