The Holiness of God

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 

for it is written: 'Be holy for I am holy.' 

(1 Peter 1:15-16)

God calls all Christians to be holy. Why? Because He is holy. He calls us not to be like other Christians (to 'copy' their holiness), rather, He calls us to be like Himself. 

Holiness is an essential aspect of God's nature, it describes both the majesty of God and the purity and moral perfection of His nature. In understanding the nature of God's holiness we need to understand that God hates sin. As the prophet Habakkuk declared: Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong (Habakkuk 1:13).

Sometimes we try to justify some action that our conscience calls us to question. We often defend ourselves by saying, "Well, that's just the way I am," or even, "Well, I'm still growing in that area of my life." However, God does not accept these excuses. He hates sin with a perfect hatred. All wrongs, no matter what their size or description, are sin, and God hates sin. 

In understanding God's absolute hatred for sin, it makes me all the more thankful for what Christ has done for me. His perfect holiness has become mine; my sins are gone and I am as clean from all sin before God. 

It's this thankfulness that should drive us all to holiness. We need to make every effort...to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We need to hate sin like God hates it - I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path (Psalm 119:104). God's standard of holiness is perfect; and this is what He holds us to. Thanks to Christ we can begin to attain this holiness already in this life. 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

(Philippians 4:13)

Holiness is for you

There are times in your life as a Christian where it may feel as though you could never be holy. There are times you may be gripped by anger or despair, stubbornness or an immoral habit you many have. And you just can't get over it. It is times like these that you may feel as though holiness was just something you can not attain.

But, the good news is that holiness is for you. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). There is hope for you; we can walk in obedience before God and live a life of holiness.

Firstly we must understand what the bible means by holiness. It is not a series of specific prohibitions or a particular style of dress and mannerisms, or even an unattainable perfection. Holiness is to be morally blameless. It is to be separated from sin, and therefore, consecrated to God. The word signifies 'separation to God, and the conduct befitting those so separated'. To live a holy life is to live a life in conformity to the moral precepts of the Bible and in contrast to the sinful ways of the world.

...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness... (Ephesians 4:22-24)

The reason then, that we as Christians may feel defeated in our struggle with sin is because our attitude towards sin is more self-centered than God-centered (our victory over sin, rather than obedience to God);  we misunderstand 'living by faith' to mean that holiness requires no effort on our part; and we do not take all sins seriously. (These three factors will be discussed in greater detail later in the book).

So then, there is hope for us; holiness is for you. It comes as a gift with faith, but it remains something we need to work with.

The Pursuit of Holiness

I've decided it is time I start reading another book. My choice this time is The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. 

God is holy; and we have been called to be holy. For it is written 'Be holy for I am holy' (1Peter 1:16). These two things - that God is holy and that we have been called to be holy - we can easily overlook. We can go through life without really understanding what it means that God, the one who we worship and call upon in prayer, is Holy. And if we fail to understand the extent of His holiness, how then can we be holy?

In reading this book it is my wish to gain a deeper understanding of the holiness of God and what this means for me. It is fair enough to know that one must be holy, but how one is to go about leading a holy life is entirely different. 

God is Living

I distinctly remember one of the times in my grade 6 class, where the teacher asked us to bring up prayer points: things that we could praise God for, thank Him for, and also our requests. It was always hardest to think of something to praise God for, but one point remains in my mind; namely, that God is a living God.

God is living: He is not made of wood or stone and He is not some being that has no relation to what goes on in this world. Rather, God is living; He is active, and He responds to us when we talk to Him.

Think of the story of Elijah up on Mt Carmel. While the people danced around the statue of Baal, crying out to him and even cutting themselves in hope that he might hear them, the prophet Elijah, after pouring much water on the altar prayed to God. And God immediately sent fire and consumed the sacrifice on the altar. God heard the prayer of Elijah. Baal remained deaf to the pleas of the people. (1Kings 18)

God is capable of hearing, seeing and understanding. The idols of men aren't.

It is a great comfort to know that the God to whom we pray is living. We are not praying to a deaf wall; rather, our prayers fall on open ears, upon a heart ready and willing to listen. Isn't that wonderful? We can put our trust in a God who understands us, a God who loves us.

There is no other god that is capable of doing such a thing. Whether it is the idols the foreign nations served in the time of the Old Testament, or the idols people make of money, work, drugs, sex, popularity, or sport today - they are all dead.

God alone is living!

God is merciful

The Lord is merciful and gracious, 

slow to anger and abounding in mercy. 

He will not always strive with us, 

Nor will He keep His anger forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, 

nor punished us according to our iniquities. 

For as the heavens are high above the earth, 

so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him; 

As far as the east is from the west, 

so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 

As a father pities His children, 

so the Lord pities those who fear Him. 

(Ps 103:8-13)

Isn't it a wonderful thing that God is merciful?

For some reason I have memorised this passage from psalm 103 and I'm not sure why because I never actually sat down to learn it. Nevertheless, the words of this psalm often return to me and remind me that it is only by God's mercy and His grace, that I may be alive and praising Him. 

If it weren't for His mercy I would still be dead in sin. If it weren't for His mercy I would not be going to church every Sunday to hear anew what He has to say to me. If it weren't for His mercy I would not have the hope of eternal life. If it weren't for His mercy, in sending His son Jesus Christ, I would have no hope come judgement day. 

I thank God that He is merciful. 

In humble, thankful obedience to Him who has rendered me Life, I can sing with the psalmist: 

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting 

On those who fear him,

 and His righteousness to children's children, 

To such as keep His covenant, 

and to those who remember His commandments to do them. 

(Psalm 103:17-18)

God is unchangeable

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

(Hebrews 13:8)

God does not change. People change, their ideas and values change; but God and His promises stand forever. FOREVER. God the Almighty, who was there from before the foundation of this world, and He who will be there throughout all ages to come; He remains the same. 

God made a plan for this earth before He even made it. He determined in this plan who would be among His elect; those whom He would save from their own wilful disobedience. God chose a select number of people, without any condition on their part. He chose them, not because He knew they were better than others, for even Paul said of Himself that he was the chief of sinners. 

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 

(1Timothy 1:15)

God will not change His mind about those whom He has chosen. He is UNCHANGEABLE. 

For us, this means that we can stand firm in the promises of God that He has made known to us through the bible. God will not break His promises, but they will all reach their fulfillment. Because of this we can find comfort in the promises of the covenant (for example that children of believers who die in their infancy will still be saved); we can cling firmly to God's promises of salvation and eternal life. 

Above all, God has promised to send His Son into this world once more, to take all His elect unto Himself. 

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

God has promised that this day will come, so we can rest assured in this promise, eagerly waiting with perseverance for that day to come. For such a great and glorious day that will be!

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. 

(Isaiah 40:8)

God is our Refuge

God is our refuge and strength

A very present help in trouble. 

Therefore I will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried off into the midst of the sea;

Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling

.....

God is in her midst, she shall not be moved; 

God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. 

.....

The LORD of Hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

.....

Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

The LORD of Hosts is with us,

The God of Jacob is our refuge. 

(parts of Psalm 46)

This psalm alone speaks volumes, and I find it a very comforting psalm to read when life's troubles seem too much to bear. When so much is going on in life, and all you want to do is crawl into a hole away from it all; you can crawl into God's arms, knowing that there you will find refuge and strength.