The Holiness of God the Father, part 5

Those who refuse God’s love and His provision for their righteousness will feel His wrath and be cast into hell. It is not innocent and ignorant people who receive God’s holy judgment, but self-willed and unyielding men and women, those who reject His truth and chose sinful pleasures instead of His truth and righteousness.

It is from His throne of holiness that God will forever banish unrepentant men and women into the lake of fire forever. The same love which acts in mercy toward those who repent will act in wrath toward those who are willfully sinful because they have refused His offer of love. God manifests His holiness in His judgment. If we are faithful to the holiness of God, we must remember His wrath, as well as His mercy, His judgment, as well as His loving forgiveness!

Holiness is more than just an attribute of God; holiness is the sum of all of God’s attributes. Holiness is more than just the absence of wrong; it is the perfection of excellence and righteousness in all things. God is holy. God is holy in His love. He exercises discriminating love. If you do not hate evil, you do not truly love God.

God’s love is self-giving. He gave His only Son for your sins and mine, and today and He wants you to be made holy. Romans 8:32 tells us, “He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all. How will He not also with Him grant us everything?” CSB.

This week, we have looked at how God’s holiness is fully displayed in His character. We have looked at holiness in God the Father and how, in God the Father, holiness is separate and high above mankind. Over the next couple of weeks, we will find that while in the Father, holiness is separated from and high above mankind, that in God the Son, holiness is brought near, and through God the Holy Spirit, holiness is created within the heart of the believer in response to faith.

I hope to help us see that:

1. Holiness in God is the perfection of moral excellence. Exodus 15:11 “LORD, who is like You, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, preforming wonders?” 
2. Holiness is the key God’s own activity. Psalms 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His acts.”
3. Holiness is the standard for us. Leviticus 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” CSB.

My goal is to help us see that because God is holy, He demands that we be holy - not absolutely, for absolute holiness belongs only to Him - but relatively, this is possible only through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

END