God is holy

Anyone who has travelled overseas knows the value of pure drinking water. I’ve known missionaries who run their water through a highly sophisticated filter system in order to separate out the impurities. Once that water has been filtered, it’s safe for consumption. It’s been purified. In biblical terms, we might say that the water has been made “holy.”

Holiness means that something or someone is separated from impurities, separated from sin. The Old Testament talks about holy objects or holy places, like the Temple, that were set apart from normal use for a distinct purpose.

The Bible also describes God as holy. Holiness is one aspect of His perfect character. However, in God’s case there was nothing impure that had to be filtered out of His heart. He is inherently holy, completely set apart from evil. First John 1.5 says, “God is light, in him there is no darkness at all.” Psalm 111.9 states, “Holy and awesome is his name.” In those majestic words of Isaiah 6.3 the angels of heaven declare, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory.”

God is absolutely holy, completely pure in His character and untainted by sin. He has done no wrong. He can do no wrong. Therefore, He alone sets the standard of right and wrong. He is holy.

Unfortunately, because God is absolutely holy He cannot allow anything sinful to dwell in His presence. Habakkuk 1.13 describes God by saying, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.” This means that we, because of our sins whether great or small, are separated from God. Isaiah 59.2 warns, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” We face an insurmountable dilemma.

Thankfully, God is able to remove the barrier of sin between us. In fact, He did so by sending Jesus to take our sins on Himself on the cross. Now, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, we can be completely purified. He makes us holy so that we can live with Him in heaven forever. Hebrews 10.10 says, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Have you invited Jesus into your life to make you holy, acceptable to God for all eternity? Why not do that right now? Then, begin to grow to be more and more like Jesus Christ. Let your lifestyle match your new position in God’s family. After all, God instructs us in 1 Peter 1.16, “Be holy, because I am holy.”