Holiness is Essential

Leviticus 16:23-34

23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24 And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. 26 And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. 28 Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
    29 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. 30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. 32 And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father's place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments; 33 then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Cleanliness was needed to sacrifice to God for atonement of sin.  This is a picture of holiness, washing away the filth of the uncleanness which is sin.  The priest had to wash before the sacrifices and after burning the other parts of the sacrifices outside the camp of God and His people.  Also, the one leading the scapegoat out into the wilderness afterwards had to cleanse himself when returning before being allowed back in the camp.  Then there was one day a year where a special sabbath was observed, where affliction and atonement met.  This atonement was for the priests and the people, as well as the tabernacle of worship and sacrifice.  All this points to God’s requirement for personal holiness to follow and serve Him in a life of worship; it was never meant merely for special days of occasions only.  We are to be living as sacrifices in worship (Romans 12:1-2) with all willing devotion in lives set apart by His pleasure and good will, which is in holiness.  This is never optional.  Holiness is a result of regeneration (Romans 6:22, 1 Thessalonians 3:13) and a willing pursuit (2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:24).  It is what we have been called to as we have been rescued and delivered from His wrath on our sin (1 Thessalonians 4:7).  Hebrews 12:10 says that holiness is what we share in when we suffer with and for Christ.  If we do not run after holiness to God and before man, we are blinded to God (Hebrews 12:14).  If then we desire to please our Savior by following as we are created to be, then holy living is setting ourselves apart for what is in His will, and not living for our own pleasure and personal pursuits.  Christ lived a perfectly holy life which we come ever short of, but the race demands that we pursue this in worship of our Lord (1 Corinthians 9:26, Philippians 3:12-14).