#23 On the Nature of God: His Holiness

Society doesn’t always depict God in a favorable light. Perhaps the famous painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling that depicts God as an old bearded man has shaped our thinking so we think of God as old and feeble. In addition, cartoons and drawings showing God as old and weak appear everywhere. These make many of us think of God as an old Santa Claus sitting in a rocking chair in the corner giving out presents.

So, for many, God is an absent Being in their lives. If anything, God is relegated to the far back regions of our thinking. We are unconcerned with how God is and how He should affect our lives. This is a mistake. We need to think of God as He actually is. The Bible say that He is holy. But what does that mean to us?

During the giving of the ten commandments, God commanded the Children of Israel to be holy because He is holy, Leviticus 11:44:

“Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.”

This commandment was so important it was repeated two more times, Leviticus 19:2 and 20:26”

“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy…

…You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”

Note the purpose of this commandment was to guide their lives to be holy like God is holy. Note also that the Bible uses repetition for emphasis. Therefore, these commands were to be very important.

Many other passages stress God’s holiness. After witnessing the power of God to roll back the Red Sea, Moses and the people of Israel sang a song which stressed the separateness or holiness of God, Exodus 15:11:

“Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

But what does it mean that God is Holy?

The word holy is derived from a Hebrew word meaning separateness, otherness, uncreated, and inaccessible. This means that God is separate and completely unlike mankind. He is inaccessible like a neighbor or friend. It further means that in God there is no trace of wrongdoing or sin, 1 John 1:5:

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

This trait of holiness sets God apart and makes him unique, Revelations 15:4:

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.”

Because God is holy, His name deserves reverence. Jesus began the disciples’ prayer with this thought, Matthew 6:9:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”

This means we should honor what Jesus said and not use His name in slang or cursing.

This also means that none of the false gods worshipped on this earth are anywhere near God in likeness. This was expressed in Hannah’s prayer, 1 Samuel 2:2:

 “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.”

Even fictional beings and myths cannot match God in any way.

It was not surprising that Isaiah had a vision of God on His throne in the temple that included reference to His holiness, Isaiah 6:1-3:

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

Once we recognize the holiness of God, what changes should occur in our lives?

First, Peter commanded us to be holy like God by quoting from the Old Testament, 1 Peter 1:15:

“… as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Here it is made clear that in both the Old and the New Testament, God wants His people be holy.

But what is the major problem keeping man from being holy? Isaiah says it is sin or iniquities, Isaiah 59:1-2:

“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

In describing heaven, sinners are excluded, Revelation 21:27:

“But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book…”

The key to an eternity in heaven is to get all our sins washed away. The conversion of Saul, the future Apostle Paul, was described as a complete washing away of sins, Acts 22:16:

“… why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”

Thus, realizing the holiness of God helps us be sure that we strive to become holy in order to go to heaven.

An important characteristic of God is that He is holy and wants His followers to be holy.

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