God’s holiness vs. sin’s vileness

 

When God gave His law to His people, the violation of each required restitution, a blood sacrifice, and often the death of the perpetrator. As I read it, the multitude of them as well as the detailed descriptions give me a deeper sense of the sacrifice Jesus made for all sin for all time. Mind-numbing.

Equally mind-numbing is sin itself. Charnock’s book of the attributes of God have a long section on His holiness, and also gives me a deeper understanding why Jesus had to die. The blood of bulls and goats and lambs appeased the wrath of God against sin for a time, but the death of a sinless man must happen for that sin to be fully covered and for sinners to be set free from its power.

Sin is defined as going our own way, ignoring or abandoning God’s way. We all fall short. Some “Christian” groups say some sins deserve eternal death, but some sins are lighter and should only receive temporal punishment. This is contrary to Scripture. The Word of God says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) and also “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Galatians 3:10) 

There is no such thing as big sins and little sins in the mind of God. Sin is sin and violates the holiness of God. Charnock says, “To charge the law with rigidness, either in language or practice, is the highest contempt of God’s holiness; for it is an implicit wish, that God were as defiled, polluted, disorderly, as our corrupted selves.”

The Bible is clear that all sins are transgressions of His eternal law, and in every one His infinite holiness is slighted and ignored. As the psalmist says, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” (Psalm 5:4) For that reason, everyone is called to lament our fall into our sinful state and our distance from God.

While Christians have heard the call of God and delight in His redemption, it seems always a good idea to think often of who we were and what God has done. I need to always remember how much the holiness of God loathes sin, not only because it is against Him but because of what it does to us, and even more, what it did to our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Some say there are many ways to God. If that were the case, why then did God send His only Son, beloved and sinless, to die a horrid death? If God could have hated sin without punishing it, his Son might never experienced death on the cross. the fullness of his wrath. But could love for His Son make Him inflict a punishment according to its seriousness in our eyes rather than according to His hatred of sin and His holiness?

Sin, in every part of it, is an opposition to the holiness of God. It denies His nature and His glory, and consequently His power to punish sin. No wonder He says:

The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. (Psalm 11:5–7)

But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. (Joshua 24:19)

However, grace and mercy are also true of this holy God. He sent Jesus to cover our sin, and give to all who believe a new life in Him that we might be His holy people. He invites all to:
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

PRAY: I review the gospel good news as I also lament the sad truth that without Jesus, sin puts me in the guilty seat. Without You Jesus, I have no hope, but because of Your mercy, my eternal home is secure. I am horrified by the bloodshed, yet but because of Your grace, can rejoice in all that You have done to set me free from the power of sin and the wrath of my Holy God.

I cannot blame God. . . .

 

Last night a terrible dream combined the actions of two people I once trusted. Both harmed me and in the dream, my anger and desire to retaliate was loud and violent. I woke feeling as if I’d been clobbered. Why did friends betray me? Why was my anger so savage? Where was God?
In reading Charnock’s wonderful book about the attributes of God, I’m in a section on His holiness, particularly what happens when his people sin. Has God abandoned them?

Charnock points out that God is not the author of sin. He uses Scripture and an illustration to explain… If a man is riding a horse that loves to run and gives it the reins, or a huntsman takes all restraint off his hunting dog, both animals with go into motion and do what natural instinct drives them to do. They will run free.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13–15)

Grace provides a new nature that can say NO to temptation, but the test is: will His people say NO as well? I’ve at times felt that God withheld grace so I would realize the danger of saying YES to forbidden things.

As for those who do not have this new nature, Charnock illustrates by pointing to Exodus and how at times He is said to “harden Pharaoh’s heart” and also Pharaoh is said to “harden himself” yet in both, God leaves the man to his natural passion instead of influencing him to a different response. In either terminology, this man’s heart was hard by nature and God left him to it.

This author goes on to say that God is first deserted by man before man is deserted by God. This was true of Pharaoh who mocked God and His people even though the NT says: “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9) Pharaoh rejected what light he had and God left him to his own passions.

Charnock also says this:

Man’s not receiving or not improving what God gives, is the cause of God’s not giving further, or taking away his own, which before he had bestowed; this is so far from being repugnant to the holiness and righteousness of God, that it is rather a commendable act of his holiness and righteousness, as the rector of the world, not to let those gifts continue in the hand of a man who abuses them contrary to his glory.

And he goes on to point out that “who will blame the physician for deserting the patient, who rejects his counsel, will not follow his prescriptions” but tosses it off as nothing. The doctor cannot be blamed if that patient dies because the results are from the man’s own obstinacy.

I could never justly blame God for the consequences of my sin if I deny the supplies of grace He offers. At the same time, even if grace is withheld because of my bad attitude and refusal to trust Him, He winds up using even the consequences for good. This is amazing grace and to His glory! Nor can I charge Him with unholiness for that temporary withdrawing of grace because I never was due it in the first place.

How does this apply to my dream? First, I could see that my friends needed to become aware of the horrors of their old nature, as do i. I’m reminded of a time when the Lord said to me, “Would you rather have this happen in real life than in a dream?” And by that dream I could see the junk I would be living if I was not obedient and filled with His Spirit.

This dream also made me see that I’d brushed off their betrayals without grieving. The psalmists lamented their ugly situations before they praised God, praise that came from a settled heart. My dream brought back deeply hurtful situations, and for a while, I let myself again feel the horror of them. Then the Lord let me experience again the grace of being able to forgive the two others, and rejoice that I too am totally forgiven, not just for my reactions but also all that I have ever done against His will.

PRAY: What else is there to say but thank You, Jesus? You know how to humble and hug at the same time, and to help me say Hallelujah to Your holiness. If I got what I deserve, it would not be evil for You to leave me in my sin, but You give grace and mercy. For that, I am grateful and deeply desire to respond with love and obedience to all that You are and all that You are revealing to me.

“Be Holy as I am Holy . . . .”

 

Generations have attempted to define the holiness of God. Some say He is morally perfect. Others use terms like ‘set apart’ or He is utterly all that we are not, or completely without evil, or totally full of all that is good.

As humans, these concepts of God are difficult to grasp. Those to whom He reveals Himself know that God is holy yet how can sinful minds comprehend holy? Even those redeemed and declared holy in Christ and because of Christ struggle to describe what we know to be true.

Jesus said, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name . . . .’ ” (Matthew 6:9) and we pray it without any notions or connections to Halloween, computer games, ivy-covered walls of hallowed buildings, or any so-called holy traditions. God is a Being unlike all that we know, and we know He is and know that to hallow His name, we must set Him apart from all that is common, even all we consider ‘good’ and give Him the highest place, the honor and the awe that He deserves — because of who He is.

Not everyone does this. Scripture tells how some refuse to recognize what God shows about Himself in creation:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:18–23)

But lest I look down my nose at such foolishness, isn’t it just as foolish to treat God as ‘my buddy in the sky’ or a genie in a bottle, without reverence or honoring Him?

Scripture attributes holiness to persons or things consecrated to God’s service, such as the Sabbath day, the Israelite priests, and even believers in Christ because we belong to God, but those designations do not mean being like God, only that these are set apart for God.

God is holy, set apart from His creation, but also because He is pure and sinless in His character. Consider the reaction of Isaiah when he encountered angels who called out:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for 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!” (Isaiah 6:3–5)

In the NT, being in the presence of an angel from God put people on their face. Seeing holiness is too much for us. Could this be why God came as He did?

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

And the response? His holiness, His ‘otherness’ was too much for them; they killed Him.

As for those who ‘got it’, “He gave the right to become children of God” and the understanding that He is our Father and He is holy — even though we cannot fully define it, we know it is true.

My Father, You deserve awe, respect and glory. You are the sovereign, majestic One, and even though You are merciful and gracious to me, and “Jesus is not ashamed to be called my brother” I cannot treat you like a ‘buddy’ or address you flippantly as if You are like me. Not can I live according to the desires of my sinful flesh. Your holiness is glorified when Your righteousness is seen in Your obedient and humble children. Grant me the grace to hallow Your name today in all that I do.

READ: Joshua 7:19; Psalm 50:23; John 15:8; Romans 15:5–6; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Philippians 2:9–11; and 2 Thessalonians 3:1. Make a list of specific ways to glorify God. Are some more challenging than others?