圣洁生活
利未记十八章1至5节、30节
1耶和华对摩西说：
2你晓谕以色列人说：我是耶和华─你们的神。
3你们从前住的埃及地，那里人的行为，你们不可效法，我要领你们到的迦南地，那里人的行为也不可效法，也不可照他们的恶俗行。
4你们要遵我的典章，守我的律例，按此而行。我是耶和华─你们的神。
5所以，你们要守我的律例典章；人若遵行，就必因此活着。我是耶和华。
30所以，你们要守我所吩咐的，免得你们随从那些可憎的恶俗，就是在你们以先的人所常行的，以致玷污了自己。我是耶和华─你们的神。
信息分享
利未记从第十八章开始，便进入全书的最后一个环节，关系到神的百姓应如何过每天的生活。以色列民既是神的子民，神当然期望他们过分别为圣的生活，与别国的人民不同。我们在余下的篇章，将会看到很多生活守则，包括了各种指示和规条。
神在第2节开宗明义地表明：「我是你们的神」。这句话在余下的篇章出现超过50次，显示神要不住提醒百姓重视祂与他们之间的关系。
请注意，说这句话的神，不是异教之中的一个神祗，而是独一的圣洁真神；不是一个默不作声的神，却是一个不断将心意向人显明的神；不是一个已死的神，却是一位永生神；不是一个不理世事的神，却是一个察看一切的神。
新约圣经不断重申这里所提出的各项原则。我们可以翻到哥林多后书六章14至18节，便可看到神期望我们今天怎样生活。
利未记十八章3节指出一个最首要的原则，就是我们不要随从世界的标准生活。以色列的子民不要像埃及人或迦南人那样过活。埃及是世界的典型；迦南是肉体的典型，两者在神的眼中都是犯罪堕落。
以色列人却要以神的话语作为生活的准则。请读第4和5节。圣灵如今住在信徒心中，帮助信徒明白神的心意。
遵行神的旨意并不等于守律法；只着重外表的行为而忽略内心的敬虔，只会使人变成伪君子。我们只要让神的爱充满我们的心，并以神的话语作为指引我们每天生活的良朋，神必保守我们不会变成死守律法的伪君子。
HOLY LIVING
Leviticus 18:1-5,30
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.
3 According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.
4 You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.
5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.
30 ‘Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God.’”
Message
These verses at the beginning of chapter 18 of Leviticus introduce the final section of the book which deals with the daily walk of God's people. God wanted them to be different from everyone else because they belonged to him. These remaining chapters are filled with instructions, both negative and positive.
What does God say in verse 2? 'I am the Lord your God'. This phrase occurs almost 50 times in these chapters which deal with the daily living of God's people. It emphasises our relationship with him.
Notice who it is that speaks: Not a heathen god, but a holy God; Not a silent god, but one who tells us his will; Not a dead god, but a living God; Not one who cannot see, but a God who sees everything.
The principles laid down in these verses are re-emphasised in the New Testament. Take time to read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and see how God wants us to live today.
Verse 3 of Leviticus 18 says that, first of all, we are not to live according to the standards of the world. The Children of Israel were not to live as the Egyptians did nor as the Canaanites lived. Egypt is always a type of the world. Canaan is a picture of the flesh. Neither one of these was any better than the other. Both were wrong in God's sight.
Israel's guide and standard was to be the Word of God. Look at verses 4 and 5 again. Today we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us see for ourselves how God wants us to live day by day.
This is not legalism. Behaviour can easily become hardhearted conduct. May God keep us from that while still keeping us obedient to his Word. He will do so if our hearts are open to him, if his love fills our hearts and his Word is our daily companion.