Holy God
Read Isaiah 40:25 and Isaiah 57:15. What do these texts tell us about the nature of God?
The holiness of God is not simply an attribute of God but, like love, reveals what He is in Himself. At least two fundamental ideas are associated with His holiness.
First, it describes God as unique. The term holy usually designates what has been placed at the exclusive and unique service of the Lord. But when holy is applied to God, it emphasizes the fact that He is unique and incomparable. There is no one in the universe like our sublime and majestic God (see Isa. 46:5, 9), and only He is worthy of our worship.
Second, God being holy does not mean that He is distant, and inaccessible to us and unable to have fellowship with us. His holiness and His love are inseparable. His holiness reveals itself in His willingness to dwell with the contrite and lowly in spirit. By approaching them and dwelling among them, the Holy One allows His creatures to participate in His holiness.
What promise is found in the following verse? 2 Cor. 5:21.
God's holiness does not tolerate sin but actively reacts against it (Isa. 5:24, Hosea 9:15, Rom. 1:18). “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong” (Hab. 1:13, NIV). God's natural hatred for sin made necessary the role of a Mediator. God designed a way by which sinners could be sanctified and enjoy fellowship with Him again. This was possible through Christ, in whom atonement and holiness were mysteriously united. The Holy One was born as a baby on this planet of sin and impurity (Luke 1:35) to sanctify us through the power of His atoning death: “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ” (Heb. 10:10, NIV).
| Someone says: “Why do I need a Savior? I’m not that bad, certainly not as bad as many others.” How should our understanding of God’s holiness help us answer this person correctly? |
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