Holiness of God & Christ

"To say that the attribute of holiness is important is not to say that we understand it. Of all the attributes of God, in fact, this one is most misconstrued." Boice, p125-6

"The point is that the experience of confronting the Holy is supremely threatening. The worshiper is drawn to the Holy, but at the same time he is terrified by it. The awe-inspiring, overpowering energy of the Holy threatens to destroy him." Boice, p130

c.f. Isaiah 6:5

Holiness of God

Ex 15:11

"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you — majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?"

Psalm 89:18

"Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel."

Is 40:25

" 'To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?' says the Holy One."

Is 43:14

"This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:..."

Is 57:15

"For this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy:..."

Hosea 11:9

" '...I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man — the Holy One among you....' "

God is consistently described as holy.

Hab 1:12-13

"O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. ...' "

God is holy

Cannot approve evil

Cannot look on wickedness with favor

Holiness is the moral perfection (or excellence) of God's traits. It is His purity.

 

 

Four elements to Holiness (drawn from Boice)

Majesty

Ex 15:11 splendor, grandeur, sovereignty

"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you — majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?"

The element of majesty links God's holiness to sovereignty.

Will

Ez 36:22-23 active self-differentiation

" 'Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them,. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.' ' "

Ex 20:4-5 God rejects every attack on His sole rights as Lord of His creation

" 'You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me...' "

God is not indifferent to how Man regards Him. Rather, He acts and wills to see that His glory is recognized.

Wrath

Ez 36:22-23 Wrath to vindicate (clear, as from an accusation; justify) His name

Rom 2:18-19 Wrath against wickedness

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them."

Wrath is the necessary & proper stance of Holy God to all who oppose Him

He will not allow any person/thing to aspire to His place.

Righteousness

Rev 15:3-4 What God wills is righteousness, or holiness, in its ethical sense

" ...'Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.' "

We answer "What is right?" by appealing to the will of God.

Holiness of Christ

John 8:29 Jesus did what was pleasing to God

" 'The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.' "

John 6:38 Jesus did the will of God

" 'For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.' "

Heb 4:14 Jesus was without sin

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet without sin."

Christ's holiness was His conformity to the will of God — He always did what was pleasing to God.

Holiness is for you

Matt 5:48

" 'Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.' "

1 Peter 1:14-16

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' "

Eph 5:1-2

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

We are called to be holy in response to God's holiness and to Christ's holy sacrifice on our behalf.

How, then, are we to be holy?