The Holiness of God
Feedback:
- I enjoyed the confronting of commonly avoided topics
- Felt very convoluted, maybe cut out a few verses
- Spiritual warfare heavy - attacking golden cows
✨ Summary
Introduction: Parenting and Paradoxes
- Parenting compared to a gazelle evading danger-a paradox of freedom and protection.
- Parents navigate the tension of encouraging independence while ensuring survival.
- Similarly, faith involves holding paradoxical truths together, not picking sides.
Understanding Paradoxes in Scripture
- A paradox involves two seemingly contradictory truths that coexist.
- Example: Jesus’ call to rest ("Come to me…") vs. His call to sacrifice ("Take up your cross daily…").
- Believers often struggle with balance, favoring one truth over another based on preference.
The Deconstruction Trend
- Modern deconstruction often stems from discomfort with parts of God's character.
- Common error: Reducing God to one attribute (e.g., "God is only love").
- Scripture calls us to embrace the full spectrum of God’s character-He is both Holy and Loving.
God’s Holiness
- Isaiah 6: Seraphim declare God’s holiness-"Holy, Holy, Holy" signifies ultimate distinction.
- Holiness means God is entirely "other"-perfect, set apart, and morally flawless.
- Wayne Grudem: God is qualitatively different from creation, existing beyond time, space, and matter.
Holiness vs. Love: Setting the Right Emphasis
- God is called "Holy" over 400 times in Scripture; "Love" twice in 1 John 4.
- Worship often reverses this, overly emphasizing love at the expense of holiness.
- God’s love flows from His holiness-it is a holy love, not permissive of sin.
The Cross as the Ultimate Paradox
- At the cross, God’s holiness and love meet:
- His holiness demands justice for sin.
- His love provides a way through Christ’s sacrifice.
- God suffers for His holiness and His love, demonstrating both perfectly.
Lessons from Scripture: Worship and Holiness
-
Cain and Abel (Genesis 4):
- Worship on one’s terms leads to spiritual death (Cain).
- Worship in spirit and truth leads to acceptance (Abel).
- Failure in worship leads to chaos in life.
-
Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10):
- Offering "unauthorized fire" resulted in death-God demands worship on His terms.
-
Uzzah and the Ark (2 Samuel 6):
- Mishandling God’s holiness leads to consequences; reverence matters.
Application: Living the Paradox
- Embrace God’s holiness and love equally:
- Acknowledge sin and God's moral perfection (Isaiah's "Woe is me!").
- Respond to His love by worshiping in spirit and truth.
- Worship God as He defines Himself, not as we prefer Him to be.
- Hold paradoxical truths together-God’s love is meaningful because it flows from His holiness.
Closing Thoughts
- The story of Scripture reveals a Holy God whose love compels Him to save.
- Our response: humility, repentance, and wholehearted worship of the Holy One who loves us.
Final Sermon
Picture this; we're in Africa on a safari led by David Attenborough, he points out a Gazelle;
- Observe the wild gazelle… elegant, full of energy, dancing across the plains… Little does it know the danger lurking in the grass. "OH NO"
- Now imagine that gazelle was a tiny human, shoes on backwards, sticky jam fingers.
- There is no Africa, or David Attenborough… Only you watching your child in slo-motion as they try to eat a wasps nest.
- Kids, like the gazelle, only have two instincts; run fast and far, and eat.
- That's parenting… One one hand you want your kid to explore, encourage independence, but at the same time you are tasked at keeping this little thing alive.
- It's a constant, exhausting paradox. It's "go on, explore the world child" with a side of "please don't lick the swing."
- It's not one or the other, it's both.
My favourite thing is when non-parents look at parent's and go "well, I wouldn't do that." To which I just point and laugh… in their face
- But then, as a parent we do similar… Because we have to determine how to parent
- So, we try our best to balance the paradoxes… and some do it better than others
The same is true with Scripture… There are loads of paradoxes within Scripture, and it often we suck at knowing how to deal with them.
- So a Paradox is where there are two truths and you kind of have to just let these seemingly contradictory truths exist together.
- Like, Jesus says "Come to me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest." Aww I like that
- But then, almost in the same breath, Jesus also says, "Take up your cross daily and follow me."
- Both are paradoxically true. Neither statement is more true than the other.
- But usually we just pick and choose the one we prefer the most… Like Bible translations, "I just love the language of this." Ok, but maybe ready a few and see what the accurate truth is.
There's a lot of young people deconstructing their faith… essentially, re-evaluating and redefining faith on their terms. Usually because "I don't like that"
- When they're 3 they can understand that their parents love them and will hit them in the butt
- But when they're 21 it's like "God is only Love," that's all He is, God is obsessed with me almost as much as I'm obsessed with me.
- And so we pick aspects of God's character than we like and assign that aspect as His entire character.
- So in our exploration of the attributes/characteristics of God, we have to hold all equally true and allow God through Scripture to emphasise what He wants to emphasis.
- In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
- Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
- Revelation says they are "full of eyes all around and within" - so imagine a bunch of gopro drones and their job is to essentially circle the throne and get a 360 degree aerial views of God.
- Yet, at the same time, even the angel's aren't worthy to see of be in God's presence so they're covering themselves at the same time
- Why? next verse..
3. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"
- they're doing this right now, day & night… They are the closest to God than anybody, they get the full 360 degree view… and the only descriptor that comes to mind is "Holy, Holy, Holy" one for each of the Trinity, right?
- And we can't truly understand what holy is. Holy means set apart. God is set apart, He is different, He is distinct.
Wayne Grudem says that God is qualitatively other.
- Meaning He is not limited to matter, time, or space as all created things are.
- Scripture says God is "Spirit." What does that even mean?
- Does it mean he's a bodiless wraith?
- God possesses some corporality or substance… His essence is God
- The Father, Son, Holy Spirit are the same substance… something… it's just not the same stuff you and I are made of.
We often want to humanise God. So we use words that make more sense to us.
- Notice they're not singing "Love, Love, Love"
- God is the one who defines Himself…
- Throughout His word He is called Holy over 400 times… He is called Love TWICE, in the same passage (1 John 4).
- I don't know about you, but in my generation… it feels like the reverse is true. Worship songs, sermons, TikToks… it feels like God is called Love 400 times but only Holy twice.
- Is He both? Absolutely.
- But we allow God to place the emphasis, not us.
God is first Holy… God's holiness has to do with His absolute moral perfection
- Alot of it is about how He is the perfect judge.
- This is why Isaiah reacted in such a way
4. And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
5. 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!"
He does the right thing all the time, He knows all things, and everything He does it totally perfect.
- He doesn't do anything that isn't good.
- And He's so committed to His Holiness that He would suffer for.
- The story of Scripture is Holy God loved the world so much that He suffered for it.
- His love is a Holy Love. His love flows from His Holiness, not the other way round.
- So His Love is an absolute morally perfect Love.
- Not a tolerance that is permissive of sin.
So at the cross we see this great paradox
- He's a Holy God who want to be in relationship with His people because He's loving
- So if Holiness is always choosing the right thing, of course He's going to love
- Of course He's loving, because He is first Holy…. Holy people love
- And so He loves people, but He can't be in relationship with us because He's Holy and we're sinful.
- The good news is that God is so committed to His holiness that He said "I will cleanse you of your sin, I will deal with this sin issue by dying and suffering"
- And this is the great paradox of Christianity.
- We see who God is at the cross because He suffers for His holiness and He suffers for His love. That's who He is, and it's a Paradox… we must hold them BOTH.
We see this alluded to with Isaiah… We see what God can do
6. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."
- In Jesus sin was ultimately dealt with so that we can dwell in the Presence and Love of a Holy God.
- Our role to play in this is to be like Isaiah, "I recognise your Holiness, I recognise my own sin… Woe is me!" and we fall into the Love of God.
- But there's a problem when we believe our Loving God is not Holy.
I want to look at some real hard verses that we usually avoid from the platform… Ready?
3. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,
4. and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,
5. but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
- I heard one guy I follow call people like Cain "Christian Buddhists"
- A Christian Buddhist is somebody who wants to have spirituality on their own terms.
- They don't care about what God wants, they just want to worship how they want to worship.
- But then they expect the result to be awesome.
- So it's like "on Monday I have yoga classes, then I doing a spiritual essential oil experience on Wednesday, on Saturday I'm going to the market to get my tarot cards read, and the church on Sunday and I don't really agree with everything said but the songs are vibey and make me feel good"… That's a christian buddhist
- There's no cross, theres no sin… They don't see themself in Scripture, they see people they're annoyed at in Scripture.
6. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
- Remember the gazelle, my child?
- She's licking every surface of the playground… and she loves those sanitiser stations… Because it's magic "I dont even touch it and things appear out of nowhere"
- The other day, she goes to get sanitiser… Nothing comes out… heartbreaking.
- Reminds me of Cain… if God doesnt make things appear out of nowhere in my life, I get sad.
- I know that verse makes you feel uncomfortable… quick, just get rid of it.
7. If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."
8. Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- this is what worshipping well is for. If you don't worship well, it wont end well.
- And I don't mean worship like singing… but with your life.
- Worship God in Spirit and Truth.
- Cain's failure at the altar created death in the field.
- So, the first worship service in the Bible and the dude dies. GREAT JOB
Now, we have to understand when reading the Bible, not all stories and prescriptive, they could just be descriptive.
- Like, just cause it's in the Bible doesn't mean you should kill your annoying brother… Not it's describing an event that happened.
- But it's Scripture, what is God trying to communicate?
It get's worse
- Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.
- And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
- You don't get to worship God however we want.
- God had outlined to them "this is how I want to be worshipped" as you, my priest… Dude, really
5. And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
6. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
7. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
- The problem is Uzzah, a priest decided that instead of carrying the ark of the Lord, he would just chuck it in a cart.
- God's like, dude I'm a king and you're chucking me in cattle class… You should be carrying me in first class
- "Nah, just strap him down in the back" on that old cart.
- God is Holy, He is perfect, high and above, the King of Israel and Uzzah thought it's a good idea to strap him to the back of a few Cows.
- So there's another death at the altar
"I'm not looking for perfection I'm just asking you to carry me"
- Worship me how I have told you I am to be worshipped
- Care about the things that I care about
- Follow me as I have told you I want to be followed
- Honour me for who I am, Holy God
Man, Old Testament God seems a little mean… I prefer New Testament God.
- Like, when I'm out there licking playgrounds and punching other kids in the throat and Dad gets mad, I just run to Mummy and she hugs me… "daddy… so mean"
- I'll run to New Testament God
- The problem is… the same story keeps happening in the New Testament
Acts 5 - Ananias and Saphira - they're these Christians who lie to the Holy Spirit… They bring money to the altar, like Cain… But they're using it as like this social game and God goes "yeah, I'm not going to be mocked"
- And they die.
What about 1 Corinthians 11? The church back then was like a potluck feast, right?
- Paul calls the communion they would take "the cup of blessing." It's not a mid-service snack.
- Christs presence is here when we take communion by faith. We eat and drink the power of grace.
- And so these Christians were rocking up.. some hadn't eaten for weeks and there are others singing 99 bottle of beer on the wall.
- They are lording over the poor, humiliating them and preventing them from partaking in the cup of blessing.
28. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
- these people were coming to church, gorging themselves without any concern for one another.
- In fact, they were essentially blocking them from experiencing the presence of Christ.
- They made church and spirituality all about themselves.
- It's not about God, not about Him.
- When we come to Words that we don't like, we don't make it about ourselves… We assume that He's right, and I'm wrong.
Remember Isaiah?
- In the year that King Uzziah died…
- Wanna know the story of King Uzziah? It's the same as all the others today.
- 2 Chronicles 26 - He enters into the temple when he was proud.
- The priests were like "you shouldn't be here, you're a king not a priest, stay in your lane"
- Uzziah is like "No, I'm special… I can worship however I want"
- He get's leprosy and the guy dies.
- Another death at the altar.
There's a reason Isaiah mentions Uzziah… Uzziah walks in, unimpressed… Isaiah walks in, and pees his pants.
- I shouldn't be here… I have a potty-mouth, and all my friends are the same
- His reaction to the presence of God was the opposite to Uzziah's
- Uzziah is premusing, Isaiah is like "I'm not worthy"
- And God goes "I love that" posture.
The angels go, "holy holy holy", Isaiah goes "aahhh" and God goes "I can clean people like that"
7. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."
The title of this talk is not "Sometimes God kills people"
- But the point is, let this temper our understanding of God a little bit.
- I think there are Christians who are spiritually ill.
- They don't care about Scripture, they don't care about Jesus, they don't care what God wants, it's all about them… And God resist's the proud… He doesn't give grace to them.
- The safe way to serve God, where you drink the cup of blessing, is humbly.
- I love this part in the Catholic Mass where before communion they say "Lord, Im not worthy that you should enter my home, only say the word and your servant will be healed"
- That should be our posture, our approach to God.
- I don't deserve your mercy, you are Holy… Yet you chose to cleanse us
1 Peter 1:16 then says "Be holy, for I am holy"
- God's holiness is unique… Our holiness is derived, it's given by God
- That in that posture of humility, Woe is me… God cleanses us
- and in His cleansing He also empowers us to be holy as He is holy.
- In other words, He is perfecting that which He has perfected.
- He has rid you of sin, you are saved, you have no need to be worried because perfect love has cast out that fear, and now He is producing His work of Holiness in us.
- His moral perfection, His holy love, is produced in us because He has made us Holy.
And here's another paradox… He is Holy and demands perfection yet His Holy Love demands that He becomes our perfection.
- Now we, who are being made day by day Holy, don't need to fear death or punishment as He has made us Holy.
- How? Who knows… does that make one true more than the other? Not at all.
- We are the child who's parent is simultaneously protecting but also allowing freedom.
- And that parent looks at me sometime "you're so dumb… I love you"
And we look at God and say
- God you are so good. I've brought all my stuff that you've asked for
- I worship you in Spirit and Truth
- I thank you that your not looking for perfection… and here I am
- I want to worship you truly, I want to know you accurately
- Let your word be true in my life, no matter what any other person says
- I'm a sinner, and I need the cup of blessing today, I need your grace
- You are my life, there is no life outside of you.
That posture brings the grace of God into our lives.