Holiness of God

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Holiness - the only attribute of God that appears in 'triplet form' - Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8

  1. Exodus 15:11
      11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

  1. 1 Samuel 2:2
      2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

  1. Psalm 99:3-9
      3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
      ...5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
      ...9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

ETHICAL HOLINESS - God's separateness from SIN and from SINNERS.

    1. Pure moral goodness -- the very opposite of all evil.

    2. "a positive goodness incomparable, which is to all sin and wrong what the sun is to the night."

      Joshua 24:19-20
        19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
        20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

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

A. God is ABSOLUTE ethical perfection and purity, that he is unconditionally upright in his essence and in his actions.

    Leviticus 11:45
      45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

    Leviticus 20:26
      26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

    Leviticus 19:2
      2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

    Leviticus 20:7
      7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 21:6-8
      6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
      7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
      8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.

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

    Psalm 18:25-26
      25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
      26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

    1 John 3:3
      3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

    Psalm 25:8
      8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

    Psalm 92:15
      15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

B. Hence, God has a very strong positive attitude toward His holiness - hence he DEMANDS HOLINESS IN HIS MORAL CREATURES AND DELIGHTS IN IT.

    Psalm 33:5
      5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

    Psalm 24:3-4
      3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
      4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

    Psalm 15:1-5
      1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
      2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
      3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
      4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
      5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

C. Holiness also has a NEGATIVE side - God's freedom from all sin also indicates His absolute opposition to it - his total hatred of it!

    Job 34:10-12

      10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
      11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
      12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

    Psalm 5:4

      4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

    Psalm 22:1-2

      1 To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
      2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

    Isaiah 59:1-2

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

    Hebrews 1:13

      13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

    Hebrews 4:15

      15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

    Revelation 21:27

      27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

    Galatians 5:19-21

      19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
      20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
      21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

GOD HATES 'SIN' OUT OF 'NECESSITY' - because he LOVES good, all that is against good (i.e., evil) is therefore hated....

    Psalm 45:7
      7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

    The sacrifice of children to idols:

      Deuteronomy 12:31
        31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

    Idolatry in all forms:

      Deuteronomy 7:25
        25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
      Jeremiah 44:4
        4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.

    The occult:

      Deuteronomy 18:9-14
        9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
      10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
        11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
        12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
        13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
        14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

    False weights:

      Proverbs 11:1
        1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

    Hypocritical ceremonialism in worship:

      Amos 5:21
        21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
      Isaiah 1:14
        14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

    Arrogance and false trust

      Amos 6:8
        8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

    Lying Injustice

      Zechariah 8:17
        17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

    Divorce:

      Malachi 2:16
        16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
      Proverbs 6:16-18
        16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
        17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
        18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

CONCLUSION:

    1. Let us 'fear' and 'reverence' God for His holiness...

    2. Let us purify ourselves and be Holy - for He is holy.

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