Trending
To the editor:
Holiness is the essence of God's character and being. Being Holy He is perfect in all that He is and all that He does. His word is absolute Truth (Jn 17:17) and He cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Num 23:19). Being Holy He cannot change (Ja. 1:17; Mal. 3"6, Ps/ 33:11), for change would show that He is not perfect and thus not Holy.
Because He is Holy He cannot approve evil or look upon wickedness with favor (Hab. 1:13). He hates all sin, He is angry with the wicked everyday (Ps. 7:11) the sacrifice, ways, thoughts, and prayers of the wicked are abomination to Him (Prov. 15:8, 9, 226; Prov, 28:9, Isa 1:15); "the ungodly shall not stand in judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous" (Ps 1:5); and "they that are of a froward hear are abomination to the LORD" (Prov. 11:20).
Because He is Holy He is absolutely just in all He does. God does not unjustly punish anyone but He does show mercy to some. That is why His Holy Son Jesus had to die on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God toward those He has chosen for His people.
Because He is Holy we cannot approach Him before He approaches and changes us by His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must change our heart for us to willfully seek after God (Jn. 3:5,7,8; Ezek 36:26-27) because we do not seek after God ourselves (Rom. 3:10-12) and are enmity toward God (Rom. 8:7).
We are told by Peter that we need to be holy because God is Holy (1Pet. 1:16). And because we have been reconciled to God by His Son (2Cor. 5:18) through the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn3:5) we can stand boldly before the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16) and are able to serve and please Him.
Jim Batt
Mexico