So far in Leviticus and through the back half of Exodus we have gotten a great deal of instruction from God through Moses. We got case law, regulations, best practices, and punishments for crime. Some of it is thick and worth contextualizing and explaining, like why Molech — of all the Mesopotamian “gods” — was singled out, or why ‘dishonouring’ your mother or father requires a death punishment, or even why an animal and it’s mother cannot be killed as an offering on the same day.

But while that all would be genuinely interesting, the thing that most stood out to me from today’s reading was right near the end. Leviticus 22:31 (NLT) says, “You must faithfully keep all my commands by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD.” I love the way the NLT puts this as opposed to other translations, because it underscores something most of us still need to hear today.

It’s not enough to profess that we believe something. If we don’t put it into practice, our actions will betray our words. My kids don’t doubt that I love them, because I put that love into practice. The same is true for my wife. I continue to be gainfully employed because I practice a good work ethic. There a a myriad of examples, you can probably rattle off a few without thinking too deeply about it yourself.

But it is likely because you are confessing or stating something that is true in your heart — in the core, the centre of who you are. That’s why Paul says in Romans 10 that you need to BOTH confess with your mouth AND believe in your heart. You confess “Jesus is Lord” with the conviction of a heart that believes He was raised from the dead.

Word are easy. Actions are hard. Let’s practice what we preach.

Feb 23 | Lev 20-22 | 054/365