Idolatry Forbidden

2 Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. —Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)



The Holiness of God

In Hebrew, to be holy primarily means to be separate form the ordinary or profane. God is holy, and people. things, and actions may be holy by association with God. Psalms and Isaiah frequently refer to God as the Holy One (Psalms 78:41, Psalms 89:18; Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 5:19; Isaiah 30:15). Places where God appeared and was customarily worshipped were also holy (Genesis 28:11-22; Exodus 3:5). The temple in Jerusalem was the most holy place in Israel because God's presence dwelled there (1 Kings 8:10-11); consequently, persons and things relating to the temple were holy (Leviticus 22:27). Israel itself was a holy nation (Exodus 19:4; Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 7:6) because the Lord set it apart for His purposes.

The New Testament Reaffirms The Ideas Of Holiness Found In Judaism

The New Testament reaffirms the ideas of holiness found in Judaism. God, the temple, and the law are all holy. The physical temple is deemphasized because Gentle Christians had moved away from the practice of Judaism and because the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, but the temple occurs as a metaphor for Christian holiness (1 Corinthians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 6:19). God is addressed as "Holy Father" by Jesus (John 17:11), praised in heaven by the threefold "holy" of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:6-10), and addressed by the petition of the Lord’s Prayer, "Hallowed be Your name" (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2).

God Is Holy And Separate From His Creation

God is holy, separate from His creation by His very nature. To be holy literally means to be cut off or separate, and denotes apartness, the separation of a person or thing from the common or profane to divine use.

Holiness (Major Old Testament Verses)

• The character of God is the standard (Leviticus 19:2);
• is incomparable (Exodus 15:11; 1 Samuel 2:2);
• commanded (Leviticus 11:45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7);
• necessary to worship of God (Psalms 24:3-4);
• we are to avoid everything inconsistent with it (Leviticus 21:6).

Holiness (Major New Testament Verses)

• We are to bear fruit unto holiness (Romans 6:22);
• we are chastened by God so we may partake in His holiness (Hebrews 12:10);
• called by God to a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7).