The law of Moses specifies holy places (the tabernacle), holy responsibilities (the priesthood), holy actions (offerings), and holy times (feasts and sabbaths). It also teaches about holy behavior.
Leviticus 19 opens with high expectations: “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). Embedded in this instruction is the assumption that we should try to emulate God. The Savior followed the same logic in the Sermon on the Mount, when He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48).
The rest of the chapter contains a list of specific behaviors that will enable Israel to fulfill that overarching commandment. Some of those also appear in the Ten Commandments: honoring father and mother (v. 3), keeping the sabbath day holy (v. 3, 30), not worshipping idols (v. 4), not stealing or deceiving (v. 11), and respecting God’s name (v. 12). Here are some of the additional instructions:
- Care for the poor and needy (v. 9-10).
- Be fair and honest in business, including promptly paying your obligations (v. 13, 35-36).
- Care for people with disabilities (v. 14).
- Treat people equally, regardless of their socioeconomic status (v. 15).
- Don’t gossip (v. 16).
- Love your neighbor enough to provide correction when needed (v. 17).
- No vengeance; no grudges (v. 18; compare Mormon 3:15; 8:20).
- Honor elderly people (v. 32).
- Be kind to foreigners (v. 33-34).
I see three themes in this list: (1) caring for the vulnerable, (2) honesty, (3) loving our neighbor, including avoiding sources of contention like gossip and grudges. Jesus specifically emphasized that third theme, identifying part of verse 18 as the second great commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-34).
Book of Mormon prophets also emphasized these themes. For example, Benjamin urged his people to be kind to beggars, asking, “Are we not all beggars?” (Mosiah 4:16-19). He also emphasized honesty: “Whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth” (Mosiah 4:28). And he counseled them to teach their children “to love one another, and to serve one another” (Mosiah 4:15). Benjamin further cautioned his people that no list of instructions can fully address the variety of circumstances in which they would find themselves.
And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.
Mosiah 4:29
They would therefore need to be vigilant, watching their thoughts, words, and deeds, acting consistently with the principles he had taught, in order to “retain a remission of their sins” (Mosiah 4:26, 30).
Today, I will strive to be holy. I will serve people who need my help, treat people fairly, and avoid activities that cause contention.
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