Emor - (Say)

Torah Portion:  Emor (Say)

Torah Reading:  Leviticus 21:1-24:23

Prophetic Reading:  Ezekiel 44:15-31

“Until One Begins to Experience Sanctification, One Will Not Begin to Experience God”

In this week’s Torah reading it is stated,

“And you shall not profane My Holy Name, and I shall be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel; I am the L-rd Who sanctifies you.” Leviticus 22:32

The term “sanctification” represents an important concept that each believer must understand. This term is derived from the word “holy”. In other words, sanctification is a process where the believer becomes holy. This process begins with a salvation experience, which leads to regeneration (the new birth). That is, after one is convicted of his sin and trusts in the blood of Messiah Yeshua to redeem him, the Holy Spirit will make this person a new creation. It is very important for the reader to recognize that salvation leads to regeneration and not regeneration causes one to accept the message of the Gospel.

From the moment that one believes, he is fully acceptable to HaShem. This is because all the sins of the world were placed on Messiah while He was on the cross and the righteousness of Yeshua is then imputed to the believer the moment he believes. The result of this is that God sees each believer as having the righteousness of Yeshua. Although it is true that HaShem sees each believer as fully righteous and holy, this does not immediately translate into one’s behavior. It is the growing of the believer and his maturing in the faith over time, which is known as sanctification.

Sanctification is not some abstract state in which a believer finds himself; rather sanctification is tied to a purpose. This purpose is the will of God. The will of God must be seen in two different but related expressions. First, the will of God must be understood in a general expression, which is the same for each believer. This general expression is found in the commandments of the Bible. Not just in the Torah commandments, but all the various commandments throughout the whole of Scripture. The second expression is a personal expression. This personal expression is simply the specific will of God for each individual believer. Each believer should realize that it is only when he begins to act in regard to the general expression of the will of God, only then will HaShem begin to reveal to this person His specific call for the believer’s life.

Failure to move forward in the process of sanctification will negatively impact every aspect of one’s spiritual life. The result will be that the believer will be frustrated and discouraged with God and his life will lack the power to serve God. The next verse states,

“The One Who took you from the Land of Egypt to be for you for a God, I am HaShem.” Leviticus 22:33

The point of this verse is that until one begins to experience sanctification, one will not begin to experience God.