The Command to Holiness

Just as the sun gives light so that we may see clearly, so the law of God opens our eyes to see our true need for His mercy. If the Israelites were going to be God's people, they had to be a holy people, following God's law perfectly. But they were always breaking His rules, becoming unholy, or unclean before Him. The Israelite people realized very quickly that they could not follow God's rules perfectly. They were becoming more unclean all the time, deserving of death.

When Jesus came to earth, He talked about God's law in even more detail. He said that hating someone was just as sinful as murder. He explained that thinking bad thoughts is just and wrong as doing bad things. And he taught that if we did not forgive others, we would not be forgiven by God. The law was given to show the Israelites that they were not holy; no matter how hard they tried, they could not keep God's rules. They were stuck in a hopeless cycle of sinning. Because God is just, He must punish those who do not obey His law, though He dearly loves us and wants us to love and enjoy Him. 

God wanted something better for His people. He created men and women to be an example to the universe of Who He is. Because His people were constantly in sin, they were no longer a reflection of His nature; they could not express His life. Because God is holy, He must have a holy people, a people who are set apart from the world and live the right way. No one has yet been able to keep God's law- except for One man.