“I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:45, NIV).
I grew up in church. Through the years, I remember hearing preachers say, “If you come across a ‘therefore’ in Scripture, then find out what it’s ‘there for.’” Here in our verse for today, we have one of those. So let’s dig into why Holy Spirit put it “there for” us.
“Therefore be holy…” Be holy! Does that feel like a tall order? In fact, this Scripture takes the pressure off, rather than putting it on. The “therefore” is there because holiness rolls out of the preceding phrase. The Lord Himself brought us up out of Egypt. He did the heavy lifting to set us free from slavery. The order is so important here. First comes the mighty intervention of God, setting us free from sin. Then comes the grace-empowered result: living in that freedom.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1, NIV).
Our Lord conquered sin for us, and in us, when He died and rose again. He is proclaiming to our hearts here the amazingly good news that we don’t have to live in slavery anymore. It’s done. It is finished. Freedom is beautifully available for our daily living.
How do we apply this? Romans 6 is such a rich chapter to meditate on, and get deeper and deeper into our hearts. It contains the answer to this question.
“We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness” (Rom. 6:2,16,19, NIV).
So we see that He calls us to daily offer ourselves to Him. As we do so, righteous living takes a hold of us, akin to the way slavery absolutely owns the one enslaved. The further we walk down this road with Him as living sacrifices, the more He works His holiness into the fabric of our lifestyles. Day by day, we we walk more fully in this truth:
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (v. 14).
Thank God that He not only takes us out of Egypt, but takes the desire for Egypt thoroughly out of us!
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I sense Holy Spirit asking us these questions: Do you consider yourself free? Do you consider yourself dead to sin? Do you consider yourself holy?
“So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11, NET).
What are your thoughts on all of this?
Feeding On Jesus 
True holiness is not just in our prayer time, worship or relationship with God. It is worked out daily as we bump heads with one another, work together (sometimes argue) and learn to serve each other. If we love one another, day by day, in small practical ways holiness comes unexpectedly as a result of our turning to God for His help through thick and thin.
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SUCH good insight, thank you so much, Pastor Pete! I’m so glad you shared this. Blessings today!
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At the cross I have come to believe IT IS FINISHED is His proclaimed statement that when we now are born again into HIS KINGDOM ongoing sanctification (holiness)is the work of GOD THE holy spirit in our lives. We must confess, repent and let HIM then with LOVE and forgiveness perfect us into the image of Christ. Clothed in his blood covering we need to walk on in FREEDOM with HIM.
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Amen and amen! Hallelujah, thank You JESUS!
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As I read this, I kept remembering this song on an album by Keith Green years ago that challenged us to examine our commitment to the Lord. The song was humorous, but the question was serious – when things get hard, do you want to go back to Egypt?
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I had forgotten about that song! But it’s so perfect for this conversation. Thank you so much for reminding me of it, Annie!
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Thank you !
To prepare oneself to The Rendez-vous with God
https://helenemusiques.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/se-preparer-au-rendez-vous-avec-dieu-to-prepare-oneself-to-the-rendez-vous-with-god-prepararse-al-cita-con-dios-prepararsi-all-appuntamento-con-dio/
GLORIA DEO IT’S TOGETHER THAT WE WILL WIN !
HELENE JOSEE M
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You are welcome, dear Helene!
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What a beautiful savior, one who frees & rescues us and then seals us to himself through the work of the Holy Spirit… taking away all that slavery to sin wrought in us to make us more like him!
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Amen! Father, we thank You with all of our hearts! How beautiful and powerful is Your salvation provided for us!
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Thank you so much, Susan, for sharing your thoughts here!
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