Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 07:1 (Fall 2020)
Article: Be Holy For I Am Holy: The Doctrine Of Sanctification In Leviticus 20:7–8
Author: Clayton J. Williams

RPTJ 7:1 (Fall 2020) p. 4

Be Holy For I Am Holy:
The Doctrine Of Sanctification In Leviticus 20:7–8

Clayton J. Williams

Professor of Old Testament Studies Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My statutes and perform them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.Leviticus 20:7–8 (NKJV)

Introduction

John Owen said, “Among all the glorious works of God, next unto that of redemption by Christ Jesus, my soul doth most admire this of the Spirit in preserving the seed and principle of holiness in us, as a spark of living fire in the midst of the ocean.”1 What child of God cannot share in Owen’s praise of this sovereign work of sanctification? So glorious is this work of God that He revealed Himself to His people by the divine name יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם (YHWH Mĕqaddišĕkem), “The Lord who Sanctifies You.”2 This paper will explore the meaning of this divine name, and the “spark of living fire” that is His work of sanctification, primarily as it is expressed in Leviticus 20.

“Be holy, for I am holy” is the recurring phrase and theme of the Book of Leviticus.3 The apostle Peter repeats it in 1 Peter 1:16, reminding us that this is no Old Testament ceremonial theme that is passing away, but rather an abiding principle of the Covenant of Grace for all time. The imperative “be holy” is based on the divine indicative, “I am holy,” teaching us by a simple equation that it is God’s will for us to be like Him in holiness. But before we can grasp the imperative, we must first understand the indicative. What does it mean that our God is holy?

The Divine Indicative

Much has been written on this exalted theme, but in its most basic sense, the holiness of God denotes His transcendent and complete distinction from His creatures and His creation. Some theologians have called this His “majestic holiness.”4 In a narrower sense, Scripture also speaks of God’s holiness as His moral perfection and separation from all that is evil. We might call this

RPTJ 7:1 (Fall 2020) p. 5

His “ethical holiness,” which Louis Berkhof defines as “that perfection of God, in virtue of which He eternally wills and ma...