What does the Bible teach us regarding the very being of God? He is Holy, but what does this mean? What is holiness and how does it affect me in my daily life?
“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!“ (Psalm 99:9)
“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. “ (Revelations 15:4)
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. “ (1 John 1:5)
“You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13)
“And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.“ (Psalm 30:4)
Holiness is the essence of God. It is who He is. It is better to say “Holy is the Lord” for that is the collective sum of God. Nothing else is Holy other than God, and no place is Holy unless God dwell there. It is the mark of God’s moral presence, for all else is in opposition to Him. Before the fall of the angels and the creation man there was nothing known but holiness, and now there is only holiness and sin.
He is the “Holy One” for:
- His works are holy, “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17)
- His Word is Holy “…our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
- His relationships are Holy “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
- His Judgments are Holy “And I heard the angel in charge of the waters* say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.” (Revelations 16:5)
- His requirements for us are holy “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 peter 1:16)
- His presence is Holy “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:8)