So I’ve been thinking about the word “Holy.” We’ve been praising and worshiping a lot lately, and I’ve noted particularly, just how many worship songs speak to the “Holiness” of God. Well, duh, you say, but it’s not always a given that praise songs necessarily are about the character of God. Sometimes they talk more about the “I” than the “He.”
This recent opportunity for more worship has caused me to meditate on the “Holiness” of God. When I stopped to think about it, I just couldn’t put my finger on a good understanding, or definition of “Holy.” It is kind of important since God the Father and Jesus the Son say often throughout The Word – “Be holy, for I am Holy.” If God says He is it, and then calls me to be it, I’d better be checking into it.
I’m going to share some of the things I’ve learned about the Holiness of God and what that requires of me (us). For you see, in order for me to be holy, I have to understand His Holiness.
Vine’s Bible Dictionary says – Holy is defined as separation to God and Holiness is defined as the resultant state, the conduct befitting those so separated.
Think of it this way: God is Holy, He is set apart from everything that is not God. So, in order for me to be Holy, I must be set apart from everything that is not God. What is “everything that is not God?” Just that. Everything that is not good. God’s Holiness is the absolute absence of evil, wickedness — let’s just cut to the chase and call it what it is, sin. God is Holy, which means He cannot abide with or tolerate sin. And because He is Holy, He won’t. Because God is Holy, everything He does is Holy.
I love how Habakkuk 1:13 puts it: “You are perfectly just in this.” The King James Version makes it much more clear: “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.”
God is Holy — this prevents Him from looking upon evil (sin) — God and evil (sin) cannot coexist. His eyes are so pure He cannot look on injustice, iniquity, wickedness, wrongdoing, sin. He doesn’t just dislike sin, He says in Zechariah 8:17 “I hate all these things…” Yikes! Hate is an extraordinarily harsh word, and that’s the word God uses to describe His feelings toward sin.
So, God’s character is Holy and that means His actions are consistent with His character. In other words, because God is Holy, everything He does is Holy. And, wild as it may sound, that is His standard for us. Because God is Holy and we are His children, everything we do should be Holy (pure, without sin).
Hmmm…but we are sinners you say — true that! There is only One who is pure and without sin, Our Pure and Spotless Lamb, but He calls us to be like Him. But, we cannot be sinless. Again, true that! In his book The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges talks about three types of Holiness: Positional Holiness – where we’re set apart to God at the time of conversion. Practical Holiness – daily growing more and more like Christ. Perfect/Complete Holiness – when in Heaven we will be forever free from sin. Hallelujah!
If Jesus Christ is our Savior, we are to pursue Practical Holiness, becoming more and more like Christ every day. Positional we already have and Perfect we will have in Heaven.
In pursuing Practical Holiness we must ask ourselves the questions – am I the same person doing the same things I was doing yesterday, last week, last year, five years ago? Same thoughts? Same attitudes? Same sin? Am I changed? Not, am I perfect, because I cannot be. But, am I growing daily to be more and more like Christ? What are my attitudes, what are my thoughts, what are my sins? If we don’t see continual changes in our lives, we must reexamine our relationship with God.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
But, if we abide with Him, abide in His Word, abide in sweet communion with Him, we will be on the journey to see God everyday in our earthly lives. If we don’t, we simply won’t.
We would see Jesus, in the early morning,
still as of old he calleth, “Follow me!”
Let us arise, all meaner service scorning;
Lord, we are thine, we give ourselves to thee.