sf1040 - The Holiness Of God (Exodus 15 11)
Exodus 15:11
1A. God’s holiness defined
“God’s holiness means that He is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honor.” (Grudem)
Revelation 15:4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy…
1B. He is independently, infinitely, immutably holy.
In Scripture He is frequently called “The Holy One”: He is so because the sum of all moral Excellency is found in Him. He is absolute Purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
2B. Holiness is the very essence of the Divine nature
Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor…
3B. Holiness is the distinguishing characteristic of God.
Isaiah 6:3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”His holiness transcends all of His other attributes.
Ø His justice is a holy justice,
Ø His wisdom a holy wisdom,
Ø His arm of power a “holy arm” (Psalm 98:1),
Ø His truth or promise a “holy promise” (Psalm 105:42).
Ø His name, which signifies all His attributes in conjunction, “is holy,” (Psalm 103:1)
2A. God’s Holiness Manifested
Ezekiel 20:41 ...And eI will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
In His Character
Psalm 22:3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In His Name
Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
In His works
Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind (holy) in all His deeds.
Nothing but that which is excellent can proceed from Him. Holiness is the rule of all His actions.
At the beginning He pronounced all that all He made “very good” (Genesis 1:31), which He could not have done had there been anything imperfect or unholy in them.
In His law
The Law forbids sin in every form.
Romans 7:12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Psalm 19:8-9 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
At the Cross
How hateful must sin be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!
Never did Divine holiness appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Savior’s countenance was most marred in the midst of His dying groans.
Prayer Time
Thank God that He has made known to us His holiness.
Praise Him that His character, name, works, law and the cross show forth His holiness.
Ask the Father to make you holy and to manifest His holiness in and through your life.
3A. God’s Holiness Experienced
1B. Because God is holy He hates all sin.
Proverbs 15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD...
It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment than without requiring His hatred of it.
God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having borne his punishment; for “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).
Nahum 1:2 …The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
2B. The unregenerate do not really believe in the holiness of God.
They hope that His mercy will override everything else.
They believe God is like them. (Psalm 50:21)
Ø Nothing will show the terrible depravity of man’s heart and his enmity against the living God more than to set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy.
Ø His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls “crime.” Anything short of that, man excuses as “defects,” “mistakes,” “infirmities,” etc. And even where sin is owned at all, excuses are made for it.
3B. The average Christian has an unbiblical understanding of God.
The “god” which the vast majority of professing Christians “love,” is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the “indiscretions” of youth. But the Word says:
Psalm 5:5 …You hate all who do iniquity.
Psalm 7:11 (NKJ) ...God is angry with the wicked every day.
Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of human good works is utterly impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity.
That which His holiness demanded His grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to Him for refuge stands “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Hallelujah!
4B. The proper response to God’s holiness is worship.
Because God is holy we approach Him with the utmost reverence.
Psalm 89:7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him?
Psalm 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He.
Psalm 2:11 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
The more our hearts are awed by His holiness, the more acceptable will be our worship unto Him.
Ø Because God is holy we should desire to be conformed to Him. His command is, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
Ø We are not bidden to be omnipotent or omniscient as God is, but we are to be holy, and that “in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).
Ø This is the prime way of honoring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admiration, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services of Him, as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and live to Him in living like Him (S. Charnock).
Application
Let us earnestly seek holiness from Him; let our daily prayer be that He may: …sanctify us entirely; and may our spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians