Holiness, as separation from the worldly

God's people are called to holiness, which involves being distinct from other people. In the OT, this is seen in the command to separate from other nations and from everything that can compromise commitment to the LORD. In the NT believers are called to distance themselves from the ways and values of the world, which can be dishonouring to God and destructive to obedience to him.

Israel is to be set apart from other nations

Leviticus 20:23–26 See also Exodus 33:15–16; Leviticus 15:31, Leviticus 18:29–30; Deuteronomy 7:1–6, Deuteronomy 23:9–14; Ezra 9:1–2, Ezra 9:10–12; Isaiah 52:11

You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. But I have told you that you will inherit their land, since I will give it to you as an inheritance — a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the peoples. You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you. You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Common things are designated clean or unclean by ritual law

Clean and unclean animals

Leviticus 11:46–47 See also Leviticus 11:1–23 parallel Deuteronomy 14:3–20; Mark 7:14–19; Acts 10:14

This is the law regarding animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that crawl along the ground. You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’”

What is holy must be kept separate

The Israelites must distinguish between the holy and the common

Leviticus 10:10–11; Ezekiel 44:23

Contact with the profane desecrates the holy

Acts 21:28 See also Jeremiah 51:51

crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

Unclean people and things must be removed

Numbers 5:1–3; Ezra 10:10–11 See also Leviticus 7:22–27, Leviticus 13:45–46, Leviticus 19:5–8; Numbers 19:13, Numbers 19:20; Deuteronomy 23:10–14; 2 Chronicles 26:21

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

Unclean people are not to approach what is sacred

Leviticus 7:20–21, Leviticus 22:3–6

The holy must be treated with respect

Unintentional defilement of the holy carries a penalty

Leviticus 5:14–16

Warnings against contempt for the holy

Leviticus 22:1–2 See also Exodus 19:10–13, Exodus 28:42–43, Exodus 30:18–21, Exodus 31:14–15; Numbers 4:15, Numbers 4:17–20; Hebrews 10:28–29

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings that the Israelites have consecrated to Me, so that they do not profane My holy name. I am the LORD.

Examples of contempt for the holy

Leviticus 10:1–2; Numbers 16:1–7, Numbers 16:18–35; 1 Samuel 6:19–20; 2 Samuel 6:6–7; Ezekiel 22:26, Ezekiel 22:31; Acts 5:1–10

Christians are called to be separate from the ways of the world

John 15:19; James 4:4; 1 Peter 2:9–11 See also John 17:14–16; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; 2 Timothy 2:19; James 1:27

If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.