This wraps up Pastor Kiger's series he wrote for their local paper on the Attributes of God. I want to thank him for letting me put his articles up on the blog. If you have enjoyed the posts, let him know in the contact info below. DN
We conclude this series on “Getting to know
God” by discussing the Holiness of God. This is to my estimation, the “attribute
of attributes.” God’s holiness is what the old theologians used to call – the
otherness of God. This is what makes God other than any other. His holiness is
what puts God in a class all by Himself.
The
word holy
literally means to cut or separate. Or to be set apart, sacred, or consecrated.
God is a “cut above” if you will. He is the sum of all moral excellence. He is
absolute purity, unsullied by any hint of corruption. God is independently
holy, infinitely holy, and immutably holy.
In Isaiah 6:1-5 the Old Testament prophet is given a
supernatural view of the glorified Christ sitting on His throne. This is
similar to the same scene that is unveiled to John some 830 years later in Revelation 4:8. In both accounts there are angelic
beings, called seraphim, hovering around the throne. These glorious fiery
messengers have a message. They cease not night and day saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.
He is the Thrice
Holy God. This is doubtless a hint to the Trinity, but the repetition of these
words should leap off the page at us. In Jewish writings whenever there is a
repetition of words, it demands extra attention. What makes the Holiness of God
so conspicuous, is we know this is the only attribute of God, that is mentioned
three times in succession in all of Holy Writ.
As Stephen
Charnock said: “the holiness of God, is
the glory of the Godhead. It is the glory of every perfection in the Godhead.” God
is Holy, Holier, Holiest. He is Eternally Holy. Absolutely Holy. Inflexibly
Holy.
His Supreme
Holiness beautifies every attribute. This is the one quality that is used as an
adjective to describe His other attributes. God’s love is a Holy Love. He
possesses a Holy Wisdom. His grace is a holy mercy. His truth is holy and even
His anger is a Holy wrath. God is never
spoken of as good, good, good. Or love, love, love. But Holy, holy, holy.
If each of God’s
attributes composed a golden crown, His holiness would be the incomparable
diamond mounted at its apex. God’s holiness is the crowning jewel of His
character.
Everything God
thinks is holy. Everything God does is holy. Every word God speaks is holy. "The
LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works" (Psalms 145:17). The book He gave us is the Holy Bible.
Moses met with God
on the mount, and was told to take the shoes from off his feet, because he was
standing on holy ground. It wasn’t the dirt or the sand that was holy, but the
presence of God. God alone is perfectly Holy (Revelation
15:4). He is matchless in holiness. 1 Samuel 2:2
says there is none holy as the Lord. Exodus
15:11 states God is glorious in holiness. According to (Isaiah 57:15) His name is holy. The Father is Holy. The Son is Holy. The
Spirit is known as the Holy Spirit.
God came down in
power and dwelled in the Tabernacle, behind the veil, between the Cherubim;
above the mercy seat in the place called the Holy of Holies. His dwelling
place, His habitation is Holy. (Psalms 68:5)
Finally, one need
look no further than Calvary to see the Holiness of God. There God’s holy
justice was poured out upon Christ. He who knew no sin, and had committed no trespass
became sin for us. God is so holy that Isaiah said it pleased the Lord to
bruise Him.
Further yet, God hates sin. It is an affront to His very person. He hates it so much, that when Christ became sin for his people, the Holy Father could not glance upon His Son for Habakkuk 1:13 states: Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. This is why, when at Calvary; God turned away from His Son, and Jesus would cry out: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
He forsook His
Son, because God is Holy. Sin is so offensive to God’s Holy Nature, that the
Father put Him to grief, and made His soul an offering for sin.
What His holiness
demanded, His grace supplied in the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Oh dear reader, if you are truly born again, consider this; we
have been saved by God, from God, and for God.
Now, be ye holy
even as He is holy. For Hebrews 12:14 says without
holiness, shall no man see the Lord.
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com
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