Inscribe the Word . . . God’s Holiness.
Inscribe the Word is taking a twelve-part journey through the Attributes of God, and we are excited for you to join us. This July, we begin Part Seven in our Attributes of God Series. If you have just joined us, know that you do not have to study these attributes in order. Jump in at any time. You will be blessed!
If you are just joining Inscribe the Word for the first time . . . WELCOME!
You can read more about Scripture Writing and this unique way to study God's Word daily at this link.
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. Sickness, unrest, division, anger, violence, and isolation seem to be infiltrating our everyday lives. Everywhere you look, there is confusion and disorder. In studying God's Attributes, we find that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace . . . ". (1 Corinthians 14:33) Studying the PEACE OF GOD in last month's study has been life-changing and centering as we found that we have peace with God through Jesus (Romans 5:1), and as followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to have the peace of God. (Philippians 4:6-7)
As I was praying and preparing for Part Seven in the Series, I noticed that I was seeing the world differently than I had seen them months prior. It was as if my eyes were unveiled, and I was disturbed by people and situations that normally wouldn't have bothered me. As I prayed, The Holy Spirit led me to the words of A.W. Tozer and to the theme for this month's study.
"Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life.
We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing.
We are not disappointed that we do not find all truth in our teachers or faithfulness in our politicians or complete honest in our merchants or full trustworthiness in our friends. That we may continue to exist, we make such laws as are necessary to protect us from our fellow men and let it go at that."
It was as if a lightbulb sparked, and the Lord said, "Be Holy as I am holy." His words in my heart, I set out to create this month's Inscribe the Word, The Holiness of God.
What does it mean that God is HOLY?
I guess if we are defining the Holiness of God, we need to start with a definition, but how can we really do that? How can we even understand divine holiness? "Only the Spirit of The Holy One can impart to the human spirit the knowledge of the holy." (Tozer) My prayer is that the Spirit illuminates our hearts to understand, as much as God will show us . . . His holiness.
The word holy means "to be set apart." A thing is holy if it is set apart for a special use. It means someone or something which is distinct or different. God is separate from His creation. He is set apart from all others.
“As God’s power is the opposite of the native weakness of the creature, as His wisdom is in complete contrast from the least defects of understanding or folly, so His holiness is the very antithesis of all moral blemish or defilement.” - A.W. Pink
ARE WE CALLED TO BE HOLY?
Throughout the Old Testament and New Testament, God calls us to "Be ye holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16). Notice that God does not call us to be omniscient or omnipotent or eternal. He calls us to be holy because He is holy.
David Guzik says that holiness or sanctification can be explained in small part by a dress. "For example, a dress is a dress; but a wedding dress is sanctified - set apart for a special, glorious purpose." God wants us to be set apart to Him.
Understand that God is holy with an absolute holiness that knows no degrees. Holy is WHO He is, and this He cannot impart to His creatures. There is no way that we can be entirely holy like God because of our sin nature inherited from the fall of Adam. But there is a relative and contingent holiness which He shares with us by impartation. He has made His holiness available to us through the blood of Jesus, and now because of Jesus' gift of salvation, the Father requires us to be holy.
"Holy does not mean sinless perfection, a condition impossible in this life (1Jn 1:8-10). That is a misunderstanding of holiness. To the average person, holiness means to assume a very pious attitude and to become almost abnormal in everyday life. It is thought to be a superficial thing.
My friend, the Lord, wants you to be a fully integrated personality. He wants you to enjoy life and have fun—I don't mean the sinful kind of fun, but real delight and enjoyment in the life He has given to you. Holiness is to the spiritual life what health is to the physical life. You like to see a person who is physically fine, robust, and healthy. Well, holiness is to be healthy and robust spiritually. Oh, how we need folk like this today!" - J. Vernon McGee
As we study The Holiness of God this month, my prayer is that our hearts would be filled with reverence and awe when we gaze upon our Holy God. I pray that we would walk in His holiness, guided by the Spirit, and alive in the freedom it brings.
"The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them." - A. W. Tozer
