From Outside the Tent to Dwelling in the Presence: The Principle of Holiness

It’s easy, when we think about our spiritual journey, to picture some massive, heroic breakthrough—the one moment where everything just *clicks* and we suddenly feel fully equipped for the mission field. We might look at the prophets, or even at the dedication of those who served in the MTC, and think, 'Wow, that was huge!'

But the truth, the beautiful, sometimes humbling truth that the Spirit whispers to us, is that the most profound change rarely comes in a single, grand gesture. It comes in the quiet, persistent work of showing up day after day. It’s in the daily discipleship.

I was recently studying the pattern shown in the Old Testament, specifically looking at the progression from Exodus through Leviticus. And what struck me, what felt like a key that unlocked a deeper understanding of the Atonement, was the movement of Moses. He goes from speaking with God on Sinai, a monumental event, but then the narrative shows him physically unable to enter the Tabernacle because the cloud of God’s glory had settled upon it. He’s *outside* the presence.

Then, we flip the page. In Numbers, something has changed. Moses is now *inside* the Tent of Meeting. The transition wasn't instantaneous; it was a process of preparation, marked by the central, unwavering theme of holiness.

The Way In: Holiness as a Daily Practice

The Lord repeatedly declares, 'Consecrate yourselves and be holy; because I am holy.' This isn't just ancient ritual; it's a timeless principle for us as Latter-day Saints. It’s easy to get bogged down in the rules—the details of the sacrifices in Leviticus—and feel overwhelmed. But if we use the doctrine-principle-application framework, we can see that the core message remains: To draw near to the divine, we must continually strive to be set apart, to become holy.

The Blue Letter Bible helps us see that the Hebrew word for holy, *kadosh*, means 'set apart.' To be holy, in its purest sense, is to be marked for a special purpose—to belong entirely to God. This concept of being set apart is what makes us effective Internet missionaries, what makes us disciples anywhere, all the time.

Beyond the Rules: Modern Applications

While we don't need to replicate the ancient temple rituals, the *principle* of sacrifice remains. The sacrifices in Leviticus were physical acts of atonement, but for us, the sacrifice is often our comfort zone, our time, or our ease. It’s choosing the harder, more Christlike path when the easier path is available.

This reminds me of the work we do in our local wards. Sometimes, being a disciple means setting aside our personal plans to support a companion who needs someone to listen to their missionary discussions, or dedicating time to study with a Book Club group in HolyPlaces, even when we are exhausted from our own week. It is choosing to be set apart for the work.

If you want to dive deeper into this powerful study of how God dwells with us, I highly recommend listening to the full episode of John Hilton III’s podcast on this topic. It really helps frame the doctrine!

As we continue to refine our understanding of what it means to live holy lives—lives that draw us closer to the Savior—remember that the power isn't in the perfect performance, but in the persistent effort. Don't try to solve every spiritual problem for the rest of your life today. Just keep coming closer to Jesus Christ, one day at a time.

What Can You Do Today?

If this concept of daily, intentional holiness resonates with you, I encourage you to look at the resources available. If you're feeling called to deeper scripture study, check out the Bible Study Groups or Book Clubs in HolyPlaces. If you're prepping for a mission or just want to test your understanding of doctrine, hop into a session with Davee for some AI Investigator practice!

For those who love digging into the foundational texts, I’ve bookmarked a few excellent Iron Rod resources on the Book of Leviticus in LivingBook that I think will complement your studies.