Aspiring to God's Perfection & Holiness

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We are to aspire to God's perfection & holiness.

Category: Godliness, Holiness & Righteousness

Type: Positive

Form: Explicit

Source dataset: Old Testament

Uniqueness: Unique

Classical commandment: No

New Covenant Literal Application

Applies to Person Categories: Everyone

Literal Application: mandated

More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application

The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.

It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.

This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.

Read the full explanation from the source

Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

1 Peter 1:15-16

Key OT Scriptures

Leviticus 11:44-45
Leviticus 19:2
Leviticus 20:7-8

Supportive NT Scriptures

Ephesians 1:4
Hebrews 12:14
Matthew 5:48
Romans 6:19

Supportive OT Scriptures

Deuteronomy 7:6
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Leviticus 22:32-33

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Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

At first impression, Matthew 5:48 ( Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect ) and Leviticus 11:45 ( Therefore you are to be holy, because I am holy ) seem highly presumptuous and even blasphemous. As God's creation, we are so far below His holiness and perfection - how can we even think of being holy and perfect as He is? Yet, we are commanded to be holy and perfect, so somehow it is possible even though it seems impossible in light of our spiritual imperfections. The answer is suggested in Leviticus 22:32 : " I am ADONAI, who makes you holy ... " In other words, we cannot aspire to holiness and perfection in our own power; we have to receive it from God Himself, and realize that for us it is a never-ending goal rather than one that we will achieve during our lifetime. In the Mosaic Covenant, the Israelites pursued holiness through repentance and the prescribed Tabernacle (later Temple) sacrifices. In the New Covenant, we are made holy by being one with Yeshua, "the Holy One of Israel". Only through his blood sacrifice can we be made holy and aspire toward perfection, for we read in 1 John 1:9 : If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he [Yeshua] is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.

Classical commentators

This Mitzvah is not addressed by any of the Jewish classical commentators.

Drawings

Artist: Jenske Visser

Short Movies

Moving Works - Chasing Live

After graduating high school, Robin rejects his Christian upbringing to live life to its fullest. It isn’t until his parents reveal a long-held family secret that Robin discovers the life he has been missing all along.

Nick Vujicic - Motivational Minute #32 - Practice Makes Perfect

Songs

Micah Tyler - Different

Casting Crowns - Good Good Father

Sidewalk Prophets - To live as Christ

Pictures

Related Law of Messiah commandments

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2

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