The Holiness of God

The words sanctify, sanctification, saint, holy, and holiness are all derived from this same root in the Greek (hagios) and thus carry related meanings. Holiness means “set apart.” To be holy is “to be separate or distinct.” In holy matrimony, for example, a man and a woman are set apart, abandoning all others as they yoke solely to each other. As saints we are to be different. We live differently, speak differently. We wear different clothing and even think differently. All because we have a different hope than the rest of the world. We live holy because we recognize definite boundaries of moral thought and actions that separates us from the rest of the world.

Extent of God’s Holiness

No other attributes of God’s nature is ascribed to Him more than that of “Holy.” It is the very centerpiece of His nature. The holiness of God permeates all Divine attributes. His name is holy (Psalm 97:12). God is the Holy Father (John 17:11). His power is a “holy arm” (Psa 98:1). “Power is God’s hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty” (Stephen Charnock). God is referred to as “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Is. 6:3; Rev. 4:8). This represents an emphatic statement pointing out the importance of recognizing God is totally holy. He is infinitely holy.

God is perfect in holiness. Yet, holiness is used in two distinct ways which apply to the nature of God. He is holy in that God is separated from all things that are unholy and created. God is not the same as the universe or creation. To be holy is to be distinct, separate, in a class by oneself. God has no rivals or competition. “There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides Thee, Nor is there any rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2). God is unique. He “who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:16). His holiness is incomparable. “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Ex. 15:11).

Secondly, God is holy because He is totally free of sin and darkness. The ancient pagan religions spoke of the holy in relation to their man-made gods. A thing or person as regarded as holy only because of its association with a particular god. Therefore, even men and women who served as temple prostitutes were called “holy women” or “holy men” (Genesis 38:21; I Kings 14:24). Yet, with the God of the Bible holiness represents the purity of His character. The apostle John wrote “this then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1John 1:5). In the Greek John uses a double negative to declare God’s purity from sin. James further shows how far removed God is from sin and temptation. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:13-14). “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Hab 1:13).

Man often has graded sins based on his understanding of their degrees of wickedness. Thus, a little lie is less serious an offence against our Holy God than adultery or murder. Although there are degrees in the consequences of sin, God does not see sin as man does. He puts the teller of little white lies on the same level as the darkest criminal. From man’s perspective this is unfair. However, “if you were high above the earth and saw one man standing on a mountain top and another standing in the valley, they would look to you as if they were standing side by side. You would be so high that the small matter of mountain would be irrelevant. God is so high that while one person may be living better than the dregs of society, form God’s separate, unique, high position, all stand on level ground. That’s why the Bible says, ‘There is none righteous not even one’ (Rom. 3:10). ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (v. 23).” (Tony Evans, Our God is Awesome, 81,82).

Manifestation of God’s Holiness

There are many other ways God has manifested His holiness other than being totally separated from sin. Mary the mother of Jesus declared of God, “for He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name” (Lk. 1:49). This holiness is the reason taking the Lord’s name in vain is wrong. “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Lev 22:32). All that God does is Holy. He is “holy in all His works” (Ps. 145:17). The Law of the Lord is holy. “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Rom. 7:12). He even has sworn by His Holiness. “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David” (Ps. 89:35).

God shows His holiness by the fact He must dwell in a holy place separated from that which is contaminated by sin. He dwells the holy place and the Holy of holies of the tabernacle and the temple. He dwelt in His holy city Jerusalem and among a holy people and nation. “For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you” (Deut 23:14).

God holiness is even manifested in His wrath. He has an abhorrence to sin. “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD” (Prov 15:26). Thus, God must be a holy judge and punish the wicked by separating them from those who are holy and that which is holy to God. Adam and Eve were removed from the garden. Korah and those who rebellion were destroyed from among those in the camp. Those who did not repent from worshiping the golden calf were put to death by the swords of the Levites. Ananias and Saphhira were removed from the congregation by death for lying to God. Nadab and Abihu the priest and sons of Aaron were destroyed with fire from God for offering strange or perverse fire in offering incense. By way of explanation “Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying: “‘By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.”’ So Aaron held his peace” (Lev 10:3). The holiness of God demands that He judge sin. The cross is a manifestation of the holiness of God. He sent forth a holy sacrifice to atone for sin. Even eternal punishment of the wicked in hell represent the Holy God who is separate from those who do evil.

– Daniel R. Vess

A Mother’s Finished Product

I took a piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day-
And as my fingers pressed it, still
It moved and yielded to my will.
I came again when days were past
The bit of clay was hard at last.
The form I gave it, still it bore,
And I could change that form no more!
I took a piece of living clay,
And gently fashioned it day by day,
And molded with my power and art
A young child’s soft and yielding heart.
I came again when years were gone:
It was a man I looked upon.
He still that early impress bore,
And I could fashion it never more.