God is Holy

Lately I have been reflecting on the attribute of God's holiness. I believe that this is His greatest and most defining attribute. His holiness reveals much about who God is. We who are sinful in every fiber of our being cannot stand to be in the presence of the holy. Especially when we think of ourselves as good people, to be shown how far this world has fallen drives us mad in our rebellion against God. When God sent His Son as a propitiation for our sin, as He walked a holy and righteous life, we couldn't stand His presence. His utter perfection drove us mad and deeper in our rebellion until we killed the Son of God. 


The sin of our hearts may be the same in many cases but even in our society we understand that it is worse as the sin is against higher authorities. Tell a lie to a neighbor and they will be hurt and find you untrustworthy, but if you were to lie to a judge you can be placed in prison for life. But we are upset when we hear about how God would punish entire nations who are in constant rebellion against an infinitely holy God. It is God's grace and mercy that He hasn't wiped out this nation for our heinous sins. We have no right to judge a holy God, but for some reason this country believes that it knows better than God, and that is very dangerous ground.


In the Bible God's holiness is the only attribute of God that is declared to the third degree. You cannot find in the Bible a description that says God is wrath, wrath, wrath or justice, justice, justice or even love, love, love. No, God is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, and we can't afford to miss this, for we are called to be holy as God is holy. Because of the penalty that Christ paid on the cross we have received the holiness of Christ, but we are also in a process of sanctification. And I am learning that in this process we will realize again and again that we are fallen and broken, and that should drive us to worship the God who saves. Yet, for some reason in this country there are millions that profess Christ as Lord but few live it out in their lives. We don't know radical living in this country. We think being radical is wearing a t-shirt, but until we are sold out for Christ and the glory of God because we understand His holiness which we have received by Christ by grace and mercy. 

Your view of sin would change if He gave you a passion for the Holiness of God. You would no longer think in terms of sin as the damaging of man but as the dishonoring of God. You would no longer think of sin as the choice of pleasure but the loss of pleasure. You would think the righteousness of God is his unswerving allegiance to always be right by Himself that is to exalt what is infinitely worthy, namely His holiness and glory. - John Piper

Don't be content to play the Christian game. The holiness of God demands righteous living, and that is only possible through Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.' And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4