Acts 7:30-36 New King James Version (NKJV) – God’s holiness
30 “And when forty years had passed, an Angel [a]of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, 32 saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. 33 ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’
35 “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
I saw a pastor on FB say, “God’s main attribute is love”
This is unfortunately what the modern church has come to believe and preach. But this is only half truth. God is love- but yet we see in Scripture that anyone who came near Him fell down in fear and could not approach Him because He is holy.
Isaiah 6:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am [a]undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Holiness Defined–To be holy is to be distinct, separate, in a class by oneself.
The primary meaning of holy is ‘separate.’ It comes from an ancient word that meant, ‘to cut,’ or ‘to separate.’ Perhaps even more accurate would be the phrase ‘a cut above something.’
A cut above meaning it is in an all together higher class, superior to others
This means that the one who is holy is uniquely holy, with no rivals or competition.
“When the Bible calls God holy it means primarily that God is transcendentally separate. He is so far above and beyond us that He seems almost totally foreign to us. To be holy is to be ‘other,’ to be different in a special way. The same basic meaning is used when the word holy is applied to earthly things.”-Sproul
When we use the word holy to describe God, we face another problem.
We often describe God by compiling a list of qualities or characteristics that we call attributes.
We say that God is a spirit, that He knows everything, that He is loving, just, merciful, gracious, and so on.
The tendency is to add the idea of the holy to this long list of attributes as one attribute among many. But when the word holy is applied to God, it does not signify one single attribute.
On the contrary, God is called holy in a general sense. The word is used as a synonym for his deity. That is, the word holy calls attention to all that God is. God is love, not God is love, love, love
BUT the Word tells us God is holy, holy, holy
It reminds us that His love is holy love, his justice is holy justice, his mercy is holy mercy, his knowledge is holy knowledge, his spirit is holy spirit.
Exodus 15:11New King James Version (NKJV)
11 “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Somewhere along the way, we have lost an “awe” for God. PS Cary said this, “If you get too far into the fear of the Lord, step into His love. And if you get too far into the love of God, step back into fear of the Lord.”
God is love, yes. He loves you. He has a plan for you. He cares about you. BUT never forget that He is a holy God and He is worthy of your admiration and all our praise, honor and glory.
If it had not been for Jesus- you could not even approach Him. And now we can approach Him, with the authority of Christ. BUT never forget that He is a holy God.
Moses, take off your shoes! The place where you stand is holy ground.
Moses out of curiosity had made too near and approach- the Lord tells Him to take off His shoes in a token of humility, obedience and reverence.
Holy ground is rendered sacred by the symbol of divine presence, We should enter the sanctuary, the place set apart for divine worship, not only with reverence in our hearts, but with every external indication of veneration. Solemn awe and deep seriousness become the place set apart to the service of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
5 Keep your foot [give your mind to what you are doing] when you go [as Jacob to sacred Bethel] to the house of God. For to draw near to hear and obey is better than to give the sacrifice of fools [carelessly, irreverently] too ignorant to know that they are doing evil.
NKJV:
5 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
Definition of prudent
: characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence: such as
a : marked by wisdom or judiciousness
b : shrewd in the management of practical affairs
c : marked by circumspection : discreet
- 1. Prudence, calculation, foresight, forethought imply attempted provision against possible contingencies. Prudence is care, caution, and good judgment, as well as wisdom in looking ahead: sober prudence in handling one’s Foresight implies a prudent looking ahead rather far into the future: Forethought emphasizes the adequacy of prep for the future
Entering the house of God should be done reverently, prudently, with foresight for your future, a soberness and discretion rather than carelessly. Be spiritually prepared before coming; then be ready to hear and obey what you hear.
How do you enter church?
This is not just a building- it is a place where God inhabits the praises of His people. It is the place where His Spirit and Word go forth. It is a place of holiness.
Walk prudently. Are you paying attention to the path of our feet? Do you look at yourself soberly?
Romans 12:3 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Are you aware of your thoughts and actions? Do you harbor resentment against a brother? Are you sowing discord among the brethren? Do you come carelessly in to God’s presence while living in sin?
Hebrews 10:26-31 New King James Version (NKJV)
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” [a]says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
EX: talk about communion- Pastor in NV heap judgment on yourself if you are actively living in sin, and bring judgment on yourself if you’re holding resentment against your brother.
Walk with foresight for your future. Are you in right standing with the Lord? Are you living and speaking in a way that honors Him?
Matthew 7:21-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Did you come seeking for an inquiring after God, or for God to serve you and meet your needs?
“I didn’t like worship today!” Well, good because we aren’t here to worship you.
Are you giving God lip service, but have no intention of doing what He says? This is a defective praise.
Cause here’s the second part: Moses take off your shoes! God is HOLY and He requires something from you.
Also a sign that Moses might resign himself wholly to God’s will and disposal (obedience) This became a token of redeeming in Israel.
Ruth 4:7 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
7 Now formerly in Israel this was the custom concerning redeeming and exchanging. To confirm a transaction, a man pulled off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the way of attesting in Israel.
The idea of this act is that the man resigns the right of walking on the land as master, in favor of Him to whom he gives the shoe.
Have you resigned yourself as your own master? There is only one LORD and one KING- and it is not you.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what [a]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [b]communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you[c] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate (HOLY), says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
1 Peter 1:13-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober (walk prudently), and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Oswald Chambers
We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.
Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it is designed to reveal my unholiness, but it also awakens an intense yearning and desire within me. God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy. Atonement through the Cross of Christ means that God can put me back into perfect oneness with Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, without a trace of anything coming between us any longer.
Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life.
Be careful what you read! I saw a quote from a book the other day:
“I love Jesus and I cuss a little. I love Jesus and I drink alcohol. I love Jesus and I have best friends who are gay.” THIS is not of God. This is not holy. You CANNOT love Jesus and be best friends with darkness.
Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
Let your love be genuine, a real God kind of love. Let the basis of your character be an intense hatred of evil, the greatest aversion imaginable, a turning away from it, as what is the most loathsome, detestable, and abominable, sin and all its effects and consequences, AND as strong as an adhesion, like glue, to good.
Hebrews 1:9 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
This was the reason for Christ’s anointing. HE loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. (Matthew 7)
Now, because He is holy love- HE responds to the cries of His people.
34 I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’
HE responded by sending us Jesus. Jesus came to save you. To redeem you. To deliver you from the power of sin and satan.
