For I, the LORD, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy. [Leviticus 11.45]
Where else have we heard part of the verse above? It was the opening line before the Ten Commandments.
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. [Exodus 20.2]
The interesting thing about both these passages is that God's declaration of being the One Who rescued Israel out of Egypt had everything to do with God making a distinction between those who were His and those who were not. The Leviticus passage is in regard to what God's people eat and the Exodus passage is in regard to love for God (alone), the Sabbath, and love for others.
Jesus re-defined holiness regarding what we eat in this way:
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” [Matthew 15.10-11]
Naturally, as Jesus came to reveal God's love for the entire population of the world, the distinction of certain foods would no longer be required to differentiate between those who are God's and those who are not. This was born out in the Holy Spirit's revelation to Peter:
Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. [Acts 10.28]
So also, Jesus re-defined holiness regarding the Ten Commandments as the distinction of the Sabbath was fulfilled in Him. Jesus didn't "break" the Sabbath as His contemporary religious people supposed because He came "as" the Sabbath. Unsurprisingly, in the Ten Commandments, the distinction of holiness is only mentioned regarding the Sabbath!
“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. [Exodus 20.8-11]
The distinguishing "holiness" not mentioned in the other nine Commandments, is fulfilled in the Sabbath - in Christ. Remember what Jesus said about the Law (Commandments) and the Prophets?
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. [Matthew 5.17]
The New Testament distinction of holiness then is not achieved in food or observance of days, but in Jesus:
So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]
As the Sabbath was made for man...
Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. [Mark 2.27]
Because God so loved the world...
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3.16]
Jesus came to make the new distinction between those who are God's and those who are not:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [John 14.6]
This new distinction begins not by eating certain foods (It’s not what goes into your mouth), but by confessing Jesus (by the words that come out of your mouth):
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. [Romans 10.9-10]
The new distinction is not the LORD Who brought us out of Egypt, but Jesus Christ Who died for us on the cross:
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]
The new distinction is made by following the resurrected Christ:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
It is not difficult to find how religious observances and food factor into the new distinction Jesus laid out in Matthew 6 (they don't). The new distinction is simply Jesus:
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [Colossians 1.27]
Yes, the new distinction is Jesus. Holding to the observance of certain days and foods (not just certain foods, but all food) is not required in Jesus, but instead, giving it all up, taking up our cross, and following Him.
Please pray this prayer with me:
Father, thank You for Jesus. I see that religion and food are not my concern as I first "confess" Him and then obediently follow Him. I do believe and I do "confess" Jesus; save me! Let Jesus be the distinction in me as I do His work from this point forward... Wherever I go and whatever I do, I want Jesus to be the "words" and the "works" proving His presence. So be it (Amen).
(If you prayed this prayer and mean it, tell someone. Join in with others of the same confession. It's what Jesus distinctly does in you.)
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