God Is Holy!

   Moses asked the question, “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?  Who is like You, glorious in holiness…” (Ex. 15:11).  It’s a rhetorical question; there is no one like God!  In Hannah’s prayer, she stated, “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You…” (1 Sam. 2:2).  To say, “He is holy” is almost a needless statement, except to give Him glory and praise thereby.  God is holy by nature.

   To think of God is to think of the ultimate holy being.  The ground upon which Moses stood before the burning bush was “holy ground,” simply because of God’s presence there (Ex. 3:5).  The very concept of holiness is centered in God.  God is holiness!
   Most people probably do not fully understand the deep meaning of holiness.  It carries the idea of separation; specifically, a separation from sin and a subsequent consecration to God.  One is reminded of Paul’s quote from Isaiah: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17).
   Paul identified the church as being “the temple of God.”  He stated further, “For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor. 3:17).  Peter described the church as “…a holy nation, His own special people…who once were not a people but are now the people of God.” (1 Pet. 2:9-10).
   Here’s the point: there are implications to being the people of a holy God.  In order to be “the people of God,” we must be holy people.  We must walk in God’s ways, the ways of holiness, and separate ourselves from sinfulness (Rom. 12:1-2).  Peter wrote, “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
   In taking up our walk with God, we cannot stay the way we were before we became Christians.  We must, “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).  God has given us His word, “the Holy Scriptures,” to guide us in living holy lives before Him (2 Tim. 3:15).
   Each of us needs to carefully reflect upon how we’re living our lives.  Have we effectively separated ourselves from the sinfulness of the world?  Are our lives focused primarily on pleasing God, serving Him, giving Him glory, living faithfully before Him?  To not conduct our lives in such a way that bespeaks holiness and godliness is to face potential consequences that are too terrible to contemplate (2 Pet. 3:10-11).  Our God is utterly holy!  We need to strive with all diligence to live in holiness before Him…