The Holiness of God Holiness of God It

The Holiness of God

Holiness of God • “It means he is totally good, infinitely good…He is totally minus any and all evil…. He is infinite or perfect in His holy hatred of sin, iniquity and wickedness. ” Robert R. Taylor, Jr.

• “Because Jehovah is high and holy, He hates sin…. This is why sin separates men from the holy God of Heaven” Turner and Myers

Is. 59: 1 -2 • Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Holiness of God • “That essential element in His nature which causes Him to hate, with a perfect hatred, everything that Is morally evil, and to love everything that is pure and holy. ” Roy Lanier, Sr.

I. God’s hatred of all that is morally evil • 1. Beginning with the sin and fall of Adam, the world grew more and more wicked

Gen. 6: 5 • And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually

Gen. 6: 12 -13 • And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

2 Pet. 2: 5 • And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly

• Though God was merciful and longsuffering, his holiness demanded the destruction of the wicked • They had opportunity to repent!

• 2. Sodom and Gomorrah • Genesis 18: 20 -21 • “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

• I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. ”

• The figure of speech “here represents God as hearing a very damaging report of the wickedness of the doomed cities, and as making a personal trip down to them in order to have the facts first hand. ” J. B. Coffman

• 3. Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5 • They sold the land with the intention of lying about the price • They wanted the praise others were getting from giving all, but they were not willing to give all as did others

• 4. Judgment – the last day • The wicked will be punished and the righteous rewarded • Heb. 6: 18 “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie…”

II. God loves purity and holiness • 1. Notice God’s love for Israel

Is. 63: 9 -10 • In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

• 2. God demands that His children be holy

2 Cor. 7: 1 • Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Mt. 5: 48 • Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1 Pet. 1: 15 -16 • But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

• This holy life we are to live requires separation from sin and all worldly defilement

III. God’s children must be separate from the world • 2 Cor. 6: 16 -7: 1 • “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

• Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

• Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 Pet. 2: 9 • But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

2 Th. 2: 14 • Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom. 12: 9 • Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

IV. God chastens us for our profit • Heb. 12: 10 • “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. ”

• “The chastening of the Lord is in the realm of his providence, of which we know very little. ” Roy Lanier, Sr.

Rom. 8: 28 • And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

V. Points to consider • 1. Two philosophies by which church members live • A. How much of the world and the ways of the world can we participate in and still get to heaven?

• B. How nearly like Jesus can I become in thought, word, and deed? These are the ones living a holy, sanctified life

• 2. In view of the end of the world and the coming judgment, “what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness” (2 Pet. 3: 11)

• The great promises of God move us to develop holy lives • The warnings of terrible punishment are calculated to keep us from doing evil

• 3. Since God is absolute in holiness and we are not, we need a Mediator!

1 Tim. 2: 5 • For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Jn. 14: 6 • Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Heb. 10: 21 • And having an high priest over the house of God;

• In order to have the services of the High Priest Christ Jesus, one must be in the group over which he is High Priest!

Conclusion • Man sinned – God’s holiness offended • God’s Justice – demanding the penalty for sin • God’s mercy – God’s great plan to save man

• God’s Love – He sent His Son to die for sinful man • God’s truth - Revealed in His Word