You Shall Be Holy

Probably the question most asked me during my career of ministry is “What will we look like in Heaven?” To which my only answer can be, “Like the Christ”. We humans of physical proportions can’t really imagine being within the presence of God. Texts to be realized on the upcoming weekend share the idea once proposed by Moses as incorporated into Jesus’ teachings of respect and aid for the Others. We can debate this–or we can just DO it.

LEVITICUS is generally overlooked as a system of archaic rules–but in 19:15-18 we have some expectations about our conduct as a worshiper of YHWH which may separate us from the business-as-usual crowd. Let justice be both to the poor and the great. Speak honestly about the Others, and don’t profit from your neighbor’s life. Do not hate or bear a grudge: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Barbara Brown Taylor considers this to be the connection between human behavior and identity, between the relationship with God and the relationship with the Neighbor. (FEASTING on the WORD, A 4:195ff) Note well that God doesn’t expect those in Holy Image to DO good, just to BE good!

Some scholars argue that I THESSALONIANS is the earliest writing in the Christian canon. 2:1-8 speaks about Paul’s accepted apostleship, which always has its source in Christ. We share the Grace which comes from God with all Neighbors as a God-given direction, aware again that we who bear a Holy Image are expected to live up to such an Image. “They’ll Know we are Christians by our Love”, gently sharing ourselves with others.

MATTHEW 22:34-46 describes yet another Holy Week confrontation of Jesus with the Pharisees, who were trying their best to entrap Jesus: “which commandment in the Law is the greatest?” Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…and a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The questioner(s) deal here with the centrality of Holy Living; beyond tradition, they seek to know about daily attitude.

Please note that the phrase, “You shall be holy”, is not a REQUIREMENT but a PROMISE! Followers of John Wesley often use the term “GOING ON to Perfection”. We’re not there yet, not in this life, but we have our spiritual eyes set on this goal of being in Christ. Without this Promise we’re stuck shuffling through the daily swamp; but with God’s help, we SHALL be Holy!

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Join us each Tuesday for a smidgen of the Lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday; at horacebrownking.com