Leviticus 20: Lessons Regarding Sins that Will Bring God’s Judgment Upon an Entire Nation

Introduction: In Leviticus Chapter 18, God listed the types of sexual unions that He prohibited. In Leviticus Chapter 20, He repeats this list with a few additions. Yet, He also adds in this chapter the punishments that will fall upon the unsaved who refuse to follow His Law. Also in this chapter, He lists the punishments that will fall upon entire societies (including God-fearing believers) when a majority of members of a society decide to reject His Law of sexual morality.

First, God will punish the unsaved who sacrifice their children. This includes abortion. Second, He warns that He punishes societies which allow parents to sacrifice their children. This is again a warning to societies not to allow abortion. Third, He warns that He will punish individuals who either seek out or promote activities that place believers into communion with demons. Fourth, for the unsaved, He warns that He will punish those who dishonor their parents. Fifth, also for the unsaved, He warns that He will punish those who engage in any one of 12 prohibited sexual relationships. Sixth, just as He did with Sodom and Gomorrah, He warns that He will also punish entire societies when they ignore His Law regarding sexual morality. These same warnings are again repeated in the New Testament. Finally, to avoid His judgment, He warns believers to be holy at all times and avoid the unclean things of the world.

1. God Will Punish the Unsaved Who Intentionally Kill Their Children. Lev. 20:1-3.

God’s punishment for individuals who kill their children. God makes each child within the womb (Ps. 139:13). A parent is merely a steward of His children. He gives people children to teach them His laws (Dt. 4:9-10; 6:7; 11:19; Prov. 22:6; Ps. 78:4-6; Eph. 6:4). Thus, child sacrifices to the gods of that time (i.e., Molech) were expressly prohibited as an abuse of a parent’s stewardship of His children: “¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²‘You shall also say to the sons of Israel: Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. ³I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his offspring to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.’” (Lev. 20:1-3). “You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.” (Lev. 18:21). When God gave the law of proportionality, He singled out killing an unborn baby as a crime worthy of death: “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” (Ex. 21:22-24). Even though a believer cannot lose his or her salvation through disobedience, there are consequences when a believer breaks His Law. The consequences of an abortion can include sorrow, regret, guilt, a loss of God’s peace, and other medical consequences if things go wrong.

2. God Will Punish Entire Societies Which Allow Children to be Killed. Lev. 20:4-5.

God’s punishment for societies which allow individuals to kill their children. In addition to promising to punish individuals who kill their children, God promises to punish societies that allow individuals to sacrifice their children: “⁴If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, ⁵then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech.” (Lev. 20:4-5). He specifically warned the Jews that the sin of child sacrifices would pollute the land with sin: “[They] shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with the blood.” (Ps. 106:38). He also warns that self-destructive behaviors between parents and their children is one sign of a curse on a nation: “Further, you will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters you will eat.” (Lev. 26:29). “Then you shall eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the Lord your God has given you, . . .” (Dt. 28:53(a)). Making a child sacrifice for yourself or for a better life is also a form of idolatry (Is. 47:8-10). In 1973, the United States Supreme Court held that abortions are protected under the U.S. Constitution until the baby is viable outside the womb or after that date if the mother’s health is in danger. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 959, 93 S.Ct. 1409 (1973). Since 1973, there have been more than 58 million U.S. abortions. More babies have been aborted than all of America’s war dead combined. America has the second highest number of abortions each year, followed only by Russia. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year, the number of abortions each year sometimes exceeds 1 million per year. God repeatedly judged Israel when it failed to follow His Law. Indeed, He punished the nation of Israel and sent them into exile for their idolatry (2 Ki. 17:17-18; 2 Chron. 36:14-17). There is nothing in the New Testament to suggest that child sacrifices are now allowed. Should we expect Him to bless our country if it rebels against His Law?

3. God Will Punish The Unsaved Who Commune with Demons. Lev. 20:6-8, 27.

God’s punishment for those seeking guidance from demonic forces. God also promises to punish those who engage in any kind of activity that places them in communion with demons: “⁶‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. ⁸You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.’” (Lev. 20:6-8). “‘Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.’” (Lev. 19:31). “You shall not allow a sorceress to live.” (Ex. 22:18). “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ¹¹or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ¹²For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you.” (Dt. 18:10-12). “When they say to you, ‘Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?’” (Is. 8:19; 2:6). When Saul tested God by turning to a medium (1 Sam. 28:7-8), God responded by killing him (1 Chron. 10:13). Believers are not to turn to horoscopes, mediums, astrologers, tarot card readers, hand readers, or Ouija boards. All these things place a believer in communion with demons (1 Cor. 10:19-20).

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God’s punishment for those who promote communion with demonic forces. God promises to punish even more severely those who encourage or facilitate others to engage in activities that place people into communion with demons: “²⁷‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’” (Lev. 20:27). The lesson is that we should never engage in things or glorify things that create communion with demons. At a minimum, parents should shelter their children from movies, television shows, and activities that glorify these things.

4. God Will Punish the Unsaved Who Dishonor Their Parents. Lev. 20:9.

God’s punishment for cursing a parent. Because the family is central to God’s plan for passing down His teachings from generation to generation, His penalty for an unsaved person who curses a parent is death: “⁹‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.’” (Lev. 20:9). “¹⁸ If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, ¹⁹then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. ²⁰ They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ ²¹Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.” (Dt. 21:18-21). “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” (Ex. 21:15). “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” (Ex. 21:17; Prov. 30:17). Yet, according to Jewish interpretative law, these penalties existed only as a deterrent. They were never actually enforced. According to the Talmud, “There never has been a case of a ‘stubborn and rebellious son’ brought to trial and never will be.” (b. Sanhedrin 71a). Only by mercy and grace were these laws not enforced. Yet, this remains God’s Law when non-believers are judged before the Great White Throne Hall in heaven (Rev. 20:11-15). If you have cursed your parents in the past, how much more does His mercy and grace mean to you if you recognize that the penalty for your act was eternal death?

5. God’s Punishment for 12 Prohibited Types of Sexual Relationships. Lev. 20:10-21.

God’s standards of sexual morality still apply in the New Testament. Today, your body is the temple of God where the Holy Spirit resides: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19; 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16; Ro. 8:9). Because the Holy Spirit dwells within you, the early Church affirmed that Christ’s death did not relieve believers of the obligation to follow God’s Law regarding sexual purity (Acts 15:20, 29). Thus, believers should not ignore His standards of sexual morality.

(1) God’s punishment for adultery. The number 12 in the Bible is associated with God’s governance. He ruled through His 12 tribes and His 12 disciples. As explained above, the family was one of His most important institutions because it was His means for passing down His teachings from one generation to the next. Yet, for every good and perfect thing that He created, Satan created a counterfeit. In these verses, God warns of 12 counterfeit sexual unions that He will severely punish. His list is not mutually exclusive. There are other unions in the Bible that He promises to punish. Yet, these are amongst the most offensive unions to Him. At the top of His list is adultery. For the unsaved, the punishment for this crime is death: “¹⁰‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.’” (Lev. 20:10; 18:20). “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Dt. 22:22). Adultery is so offensive to God that it is listed both here and in the Seventh Commandment (Ex. 20:17; Dt. 5:18). Even though David was spared the penalty of death for his actions, he and his family suffered life-long consequences as a result of his sins. When Jesus gave the standard for adultery, He reaffirmed the Seventh Commandment. He then set an even higher standard of conduct for believers to follow. He advised that a mere lustful look at another person is an act of adultery in God’s eyes: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’” (Matt. 5:27-28). For the unsaved, adultery is also grounds to exclude you from heaven for all eternity (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Under Jesus’ heightened standards, nearly all are guilty of this (Rom. 3:20). How much more does Jesus’ death mean to you if you understand that He saved you from eternal death? If you are continuing to watch or look at things that promote lust, how grateful are you for what Christ did for you on the cross?

(2) God’s punishment for sleeping with a step-parent. Another offensive union to God happens when a man sleeps with his step-mother: “¹¹If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev. 20:11). God repeated this rule throughout the Torah (e.g., Lev. 18:8; Dt. 22:30). A person who engages in this sin is also cursed while alive: “Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” (Dt. 27:20). Jacob’s son Reuben violated this law when he defiled Rachael’s maid servant Bilhah (Gen. 35:22). In that time, to possess the harem of a ruler was an act that usurped the authority of the ruler. As a punishment, Reuben and his descendants lost their first-born status (Gen. 49:3-4; 1 Chron. 5:1-2). This tribe then rebelled while in the wilderness and shrank in size. It later disappeared altogether after Israel settled the Promised Land. This type of sin even existed in New Testament times. After Christ’s death, Paul condemned members of the Church of Corinth when a father’s son slept with or married his father’s wife (1 Cor. 5:1). The lesson is that Jesus’ death does not relieve members of the church of their obligation to follow God’s Law of sexual morality.

(3) God’s punishment for a parent sleeping with a daughter-in-law. Also high on God’s list of prohibited sexual unions is a man who sleeps with his daughter-in-law: “¹²If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev. 20:12; 18:15). Judah was tricked into having a child with his daughter-in-law Tamar after Tamar’s husband Er (Judah’s son) died for refusing to follow God’s directions to have a child with Tamar (Gen. 38:7). Onan was the next in line to be the firstborn. But God took his life after he also disobeyed Him by refusing to give Er’s wife Tamar a son (Gen. 38:8-10). The Law required that Onan give Tamar an heir who would receive the blessings of the first born (Dt. 25:5-10). Judah then broke God’s Law by withholding his third son Shelah from Tamar (Gen. 38:11, 26). Judah later negotiated with what he thought was a “temple prostitute.” Tamar was in fact the prostitute in disguise. Judah had no trouble knowing what the price was, suggesting that he was no stranger to this practice (Gen. 38:16-17). This meant that he was also guilty of fornication. Judah later also showed himself to be a hypocrite for saying that Tamar should be killed for having sex outside of marriage (Gen. 38:24). Under God’s Law, Judah deserved death for his actions. Yet, God still gave Judah the pre-emanate role amongst the tribes (Gen. 49:8-12). Jesus also drew his lineage from the union of Tamar and Judah (Matt. 1:3; Rev. 5:5). This showed God’s mercy and grace and His ability to use any person who repents, no matter what their sins may be or their background.

(4) God’s punishment for same sex acts. Although most of modern society regards same sex marriage as a civil right, God does not condone such unions: “¹³If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev. 20:13). “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.” (Lev. 18:22). This prohibition even extends to cross-dressing: “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.” (Dt. 22:5). Even after Christ’s death, Paul reaffirmed that same sex acts remain prohibited under God’s Law: “[A]nd in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” (Ro. 1:27). For the unsaved, the penalty for same sex acts also bars entry into heaven: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Jesus also said that God created people male and female for marriage (Matt. 19:4). Today, these verses are regarded by much of society as “hate speech.” Yet, God’s views also ran counter to both the Canaanite culture of the Old Testament and the Greek culture in the New Testament. Biblical views would have offended the cultural norms of that day. Just as back then, the temptation for believers is to either stay silent or adopt the views of mankind to fit in with society. It is human nature to want to be liked by others. Yet, Jesus advises that you will be blessed for standing up for God’s definition of what is right: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:10; 1 Pet. 4:14). “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, a people in whose heart is My law; do not fear the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.” (Is. 51:7). Are you ashamed of what the Bible says, even when it contradicts public opinion and others ridicule your beliefs? (Ro. 1:16).

(5) God’s punishment for sleeping with a woman and her mother. Also high on God’s list of prohibited unions is a man who sleeps with both a woman and that woman’s mother, the man’s mother-in-law: “¹⁴If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst.” (Lev. 20:14). “You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter,” (Lev 18:17(a)). God repeats His warning from only two chapters earlier because He expects believers to take seriously His standards of morality

(6-7) God’s equal punishments for male and female bestiality. In the case of bestiality, God separately warned of an eternal punishment for an unsaved man or woman who engages in this grotesque act. He lists these two unions separately because both a man and a woman can theoretically engage in this type of unholy union: “¹⁵If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. ¹⁶If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev. 20:15-16). “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.” (Ex. 22:19). “Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.” (Lev. 18:23). Anyone who had sex with an animal is also cursed: “Cursed is he who lies with any animal. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.”’ (Dt. 27:21). Although mankind has repealed God’s other laws of sexual morality, civil laws against bestiality still exist. Yet, they exist today to protect animals from cruelty, not out of respect toward God’s Law.

(8) God’s punishment for incest with a sibling or step-sibling. God also promises to punish a man who sleeps with either a sibling by birth or a step-sibling through a parent’s marriage: “¹⁷‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.” (Lev. 20:17). This rule collapsed two prohibitions that God listed separately for siblings and step-siblings two chapters earlier: “The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover.” (Lev. 18:9). “The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness.” (Lev. 18:11). Ammon, the son of King David and his wife Ahinoam, violated the laws against both rape (Dt. 22:25-29) and this law against sexual relationships with half-sisters when he raped his half-sister Tamar (the daughter of David and Maachah) (2 Sam. 13:12-13). Although Ammon was the heir-apparent to David’s throne, he lived under a curse as a result of his actions. He lost his chance to rule. God also removed His hedge of protection around him. His half-brother Absalom then avenged Tamar’s death by killing Amnon (2 Sam. 13:23-39).

(9) God’s punishment for sexual relations during menstruation. As part of the rules for “ritual purity” as opposed to moral purity, the Jews were also prohibited from having relations during the time of menstruation: “¹⁸If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people.” (Lev. 20:18). “Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity.” (Lev. 18:19). Earlier in the book of Leviticus, God specified that the duration of the couple’s punishment was a seven-day bar from entering the Temple for worship: “If a man actually lies with her so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.” (Lev. 15:24). Childbirth and menstruation were cursed because of original sin (Gen. 3:16). The life of a person is in the blood (Lev. 17:11). The loss of this blood was a symbol of this sin. Even this symbol of sin could not be in God’s presence during Temple events. Because the Temple no longer exists, this rule no longer applies. Yet, even though it is not required, many believers still voluntarily observe this rule out of respect for God. He tells believers to always be holy (1 Pet. 1:16).

(10) God’s punishment for sleeping with an aunt or uncle. God also promises to punish any person who sleeps with an aunt or uncle: “¹⁹You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.” (Lev. 20:19). “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s blood relative. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s blood relative. ¹⁴You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt.” (Lev. 18:12-14). Like the other Old Testament rules for sexual purity, there is nothing in the New Testament to suggest that Christ repealed these rules.

(11) God’s punishment for sleeping with the spouse of an aunt or uncle. In addition to prohibiting relations with an aunt or uncle, God also promises to punish a person who sleeps with the spouse of an aunt or uncle: “²⁰If there is a man who lies with his uncle’s wife he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.” (Lev. 20:20). No matter who the relative is, believers must always respect God’s standards of morality.

(12) God’s punishment for sleeping with a sister or brother-in-law. Finally, God promises to punish any person who sleeps with the spouse of a sibling: “²¹If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.” (Lev. 20:21). “¹⁶You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.” (Lev. 18:16). There was one exception to this rule. In the days before social security and government support systems for widows, God permitted a marriage between a kinsman redeemer (a brother-in-law or a cousin) and the surviving widow to support the widow and her family (Dt. 25:5-10). This was known as either a “levirate marriage” (Latin) or a“yibbum” (Hebrew). The story of Tamar is an example of a failed yibbum. Today, no exception to this rule exists in either Jewish or Christian culture because the state provides other means to provide for a widow and her family. Again, believers must respect and obey God’s standards of purity and morality.

6. God Will Punish Societies that Permit Prohibited Sexual Relations. Lev. 20:22-24.

God’s punishment for societies which permit prohibited sexual relations. Many believers find a libertarian view of the world to be intellectually appealing. As long as the believer follows God’s Law regarding sexual purity and morality, why should the believer care what the rest of the world does? The problem with this libertarian worldview is that God promises to punish entire societies (including the believers within it) when society as a whole rejects His law regarding sexual morality. In the case of the Jews, He promised to throw them into exile if they adopted the sexual morals of the people of Canaan: “²²‘You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. ²³Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. ²⁴Hence I have said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.” (Lev. 20:22-24). Unlike other sins, God also punished entire populations for same sex acts. There are two examples of this in the Old Testament. First, through Noah, He cursed Ham for getting his father Noah drunk and then performing a same sex act upon his father. This curse extended to Ham’s descendants in Canaan (Gen. 9:24-25). Second, God found the sexual sins of Sodom to be exceedingly great (Gen. 18:20). Then, after the people of Sodom tried to forcibly sodomize the angels that God sent into the city to rescue Lot, He swiftly destroyed both cities: “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven,” (Gen. 19:24). He repeated the punishments against these two cities in the New Testament as a warning to societies regarding the punishment that awaits them when they reject His Law of sexual purity: “[J]ust as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7). “[I]f He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;” (2 Pet. 2:6). Jesus also cited to the example of Sodom and Gomorrah to warn of the sins that were severe enough to bring judgment upon entire cities and countries, not just individuals: “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” (Matt. 10:15). “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” (Matt. 11:24). “I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.” (Lk. 10:12). These warnings provide a challenge to churches which strive to be “seeker friendly”. Yet, if a church loses its saltiness as an irritant in the wound of sin, Jesus warns that “It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” (Matt. 5:13).

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7. God Wants You to Avoid Any Unclean Thing of the World. Lev. 20:25-26.

God’s mandate for His people to be holy. Finally, God commanded that the people avoid the unclean things of the world and be holy in all that they do: “²⁵You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean. ²⁶Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” (Lev. 20:25-26). We cannot look to public opinion to discern what is good and holy. God warns that His ways and His thoughts are not ours: ‘“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD.” (Is. 55:8). Furthermore, although public opinion may change, Jesus and His teachings do not change or evolve: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8). Even in the New Testament, God declared the Law of the Old Testament to be “holy”: “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Ro. 7:12). Believers are commanded to always be holy. (1 Pet. 1:16). To be holy, believers must avoid the things that glorify the flesh: “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;” (Eph. 5:3). “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,” (Gal. 5:19). “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.” (1 Cor. 6:18). Jesus also warned that all kinds of “sexual impurities” (which included same sex acts and other prohibited acts) defile a man (Matt. 15:19-20; Mk. 7:20-23). Are you keeping yourself pure from the unclean things of the world?

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