SERVING GOD IN THE BEAUTY OF HIS HOLINESS PART 1 The God who has chosen us, created us for that purpose. That we must worship Him in the beauty of His holiness. (1) To be holy is to be distinct, separate, in a class by oneself. As Sproul puts it: The primary meaning of holy is ‘separate.’ It comes from an ancient word that meant, ‘to cut,’ or ‘to separate.’ Perhaps even more accurate would be the phrase ‘a cut above something.’ When we find a garment or another piece of merchandise that is outstanding, that has a superior excellence, we use the expression that it is ‘a cut above the rest.’22 This means that the one who is holy is uniquely holy, with no rivals or competition. “When the Bible calls God holy it means primarily that God is transcendentally separate. He is so far above and beyond us that He seems almost totally foreign to us. To be holy is to be ‘other,’ to be different in a special way. The same basic meaning is used when the word holy is applied to earthly things.” (2) To be holy is to be morally pure. When things are made holy, when they are consecrated, they are set apart unto purity. They are to be used in a pure way. They are to reflect purity as well as simple apartness. Purity is not excluded from the idea of the holy; it is contained within it. But the point we must remember is that the idea of the holy is never exhausted by the idea of purity. It includes purity but is much more than that. It is purity and transcendence. It is a transcendent purity 3) For God to be holy is for Him to be holy in relation to every aspect of His nature and character. God’s holiness is manifested in His works. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works (Ps. 145:17). Nothing but that which is excellent can proceed from Him. Holiness is the rule of all His actions. At the beginning He pronounced all that He made very good (Gen. 1:31), which He could not have done had there been anything imperfect or unholy in them. Man was made upright (Eccl. 7:29), in the image and likeness of his Creator. The angels that fell were created holy, for we are told that they kept not their first habitation (Jude 6). Of Satan it is written, Thou were perfect in thy ways from the day that thou were created, till iniquity was found in thee (Ezek. 28:15) God’s holiness is manifested in His law. That law forbids sin in all of its modifications: in its most refined as well as its grossest forms, the intent of the mind as well as the pollution of the body, the secret desire as well as the overt act. Therefore do we read, The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good (Rom. 7:12). Yes, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether (Ps. 19:8, 9). God’s holiness is manifested at the Cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the Atonement display God’s infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin? How hateful must sin be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son! Because God is holy He hates all sin. He loves everything which is in conformity to His laws, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. His Word plainly declares, The forward is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 3:32). And again, The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 15:26). It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment than without requiring His hatred of it. God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of another having borne his punishment; for without shedding of blood is no remission (Heb. 9:22). Therefore we are told, The Lord will, take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves Wrath for His enemies (Nahum 1:2). For one sin God banished our first parents from Eden. For one sin all the posterity of Ham fell under a curse which remains over them to this day (Gen. 9:21). For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan, Elisha’s servant smitten with leprosy, Ananias and Sapphira cut off out of the land of the living. In1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter writes to believers, Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behaviour; because it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. Peter is quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2. Holiness is the nature God given to us to compete or contest for. Not in our ways, feelings, and as we think, but as God has given to us through his dear son Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. God has given Himself to us so that we can be like Him. Please watch this teachings video for more than I could write, https://youtube/watch?v=NxuJ7I-l5g0&feature=youtu.be
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:58:20 +0000
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