Holiness to the Lord

The theme for the book of Leviticus could look something like this:

Sanctify yourself and be ye holy, even as God is Holy.  

Be ye separate from the World!

What does it mean to be holy and sanctified?  Holiness, when referring to a place means set apart for a sacred purpose.  I think it means similar when we are speaking of a person becoming holy.  We should set ourselves apart for a sacred purpose.  Holy means the opposite of common or profane so we should avoid things that are common in the world and profane.

Sanctification is the process of becoming free from sin, pure, clean and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  We can work toward sanctifying ourselves through Christ.  

"Jesus came to sanctify the world" (Doctrine and Covenants 76:41)

"Sanctification cometh to those who yield up their hearts unto God. (Helaman 3:33-35)

Why could Jehovah command His followers to be holy? He can ask us to become holy because He made it possible.  Without His atonement, we would not be able to repent and sanctify ourselves. Also, He can command that we be holy because He was holy.  He asks that we become holy, even as He is holy.  (Leviticus 11:44)

What could we do today to avoid the same downfall? 

We need to do 4 things:

Obey the commandments

Repent

Study the Scriptures regularly

Pray

How can the principles from the book of Leviticus help you become holy? I can see that I need to live differently than the rest of the world.  I am His.  I want to live in a way that separates me from the worldly ways.  I must be clean and pure.

Leviticus 19 and 20 list many commandments.  I have listed them below and highlighted the ones that I think the world struggles the most to obey today.  

Honor Parents

Keep Sabbath Holy

Not worship idols - (though the idols of today look differently than the golden calf)

Do not make graven images

Don't steal

Don't lie

Don't profane God's name

Don't rob neighbor

Be Honest

Don't curse Deaf or cause the blind to stumble - Bullying

Judge in righteousness

Don't hate your neighbors

Don't avenge or bear a grudge

Love thy neighbor as thyself

Obey the commandments

Obey the laws of intimacy

Don't cut your flesh

Don't prostitute yourself or your children

Reverence sanctuary

Don't commit adultery

Don't participate in homosexual relationships

If I had to pick one of these commandments that I most want to improve myself on, I would look closely at the commandment to not avenge or bear a grudge.  I think it is common for the natural man to want to get even or hang on to hard feelings of anger, distrust and resentment.  These feelings are holding us back from purity and sanctification.  It goes right along with the commandment to judge in righteousness. I want to try to let hard feelings go and forgive freely so I can continue to progress toward sanctification.