God is Holy

Who will not fear, O Lord and glorify your name? For you alone are Holy. Revelations 15:4

Stephen Charnock once said that "Power is God's hand or arm, omniscience his eye, mercy his bowels (heart), eternity his duration, but holiness is his beauty."

There is no one like our Holy God. He is uttery different and separated from us. Holiness is the chief characteristic that they ascribe to God in heaven (Is. 6, Holy, Holy, Holy). Holiness is God's greatness. And God is ultimately so great and holy that when we encounter God all we can say is "You are Holy."

All of God's attributes only begin to be seen and understood when his holiness is seen and understood. God's abhorrence of sin and his sending Jesus to die on the cross only makes sense when you see God as holy. As A.W. Pink says, "God's holiness was made manifest at the Cross."

Because God is holy, he hates sin. And sin is never looked over or swept under the rug but is always punished. Think about that. Your sin was not forgiven. In Christ YOU are forgiven, but your sins were punished on the cross. Sin's path always leads to God's wrath.

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 there is not forgiveness." A.W. Pink (Attributes of God).

How enormously great is our God. He sent his son to die for our sins so that we may be in Christ and may enter into his presence. There is nothing we could have done on our own to make peace with a Holy God.

Because God is holy, acceptance with him on the ground of creature-doings is uttery impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity. The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled....But blessed be His name, that which his holiness demanded his grace provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to him for refuge stands "accepted in the Beloved" Hallelujah! - A.W. Pink