It is easy to be challenged by Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
The temptation is to see them as something out of reach for us. Another way of looking at these words is to see them as a grand invitation and opportunity.
The invitation is to adopt the personality and character of the Greatest Being of All. If Jesus commands this behavior, we can count on His help to enable us to experience it.
As God spoke to Moses at Sinai, He gave the Israelites the same opportunity.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to all the congregation of the Israelites and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:1-2).
Holiness involves a separation from the values of the surrounding nations and an adoption of God’s character traits. Peter emphasizes the aspect of separation in holiness and the adoption of God’s attitudes and actions.
Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance.
Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16).
Empathic Actions
We can praise God that this is His attitude toward us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14)
Just as God “feels with” us in our brokenness, human holiness will extend an attitude of empathy to practical action. This is God’s command for compassionate care for the poor, immigrant, and most vulnerable of society.
It is associated with holy living – becoming like God in character and action.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
You shall not strip your vineyard bare or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:9-10).
The disadvantaged are to receive similar care.
You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:14).
Recalling Peter’s words that we refrain from doing what our ignorant self once did, we refrain from making fun of the deaf. If we continue in that practice or similar acts, we come face to face with the truth of Jesus’ words about our inner self.
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
Equal Just Under the Law
We would be in a “world of hurt” if God chose to use His laws as a way to act for His advantage and harm us in the process. If God unleashed His power in an unholy manner, we would suffer unimaginable harm. Praise God that is not the case.
As people who strive to imitate God’s character and actions, we are admonished to be like Him and refrain from using the law for our benefit.
“You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:15).
Just because something is deemed legal by the justice system doesn’t make it right in the eyes of God.
I recently read a book by a “talking head” on TV who offers legal analysis. A prominent and wealthy individual was facing serious criminal charges. Contrary to other books about the same person, this commentator wrote that money and influence would win the day.
He was right. Money and influence tipped the scales of justice to provide a favorable ruling in what appeared to be a clear case of criminal activity.
God’s judicial system requires that neither the poor nor the rich receive preferential treatment.
Taking on the character of God’s holiness is not an easy task. It requires work to provide for the vulnerable and courage to bring justice to the powerful.
The pay-off to holiness is that we have the opportunity to live a Jesus-kind-of-life. We have the awesome invitation to be more like the Greatest Being in the World.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 