Bathroom

Was told times are changing. They are but the Bible said they are not. There is nothing new under the sun. All the sin that we did last week we will do this week. God does not change. If God said transsexual is wrong it is wrong every time. Cross dressing is simple rebellion and slaping God in the Face

What the President of the US has done has shown open hate to the words of God. It is a abomnation to sleep with a partner of the same sex. It is serious and for a leader to declare this might mean God has left the land to the sin of its people. Paul said that for a man to wear long hair on a guy is wrong and will not stand. Its time for people that love Jesus and say they are christian to stand up and act like it. Some vsay the bible is out of date. No the bible that was written by man was the words of the unseen God. God is from everlasting to everlasting so his words are forever and will never change. This Bible is the only word of God as he is not speaking in the church, though a hidden way. By the pope or any man. I read the bible and then follow it. Some things are no longer but the laws on Sex and marriage have not changes. Now some on the gay issue say Jesus never talked. YES HE DID

Question: "What does the Bible say about cross-dressing / transvestism? Is transvestitism a sin?"

Answer: Deuteronomy 22:5 deals with the issue cross-dressing / transvestism (men dressing in women’s clothing and vice versa). In this passage God commands that a woman is not to wear that which pertains to a man and a man is not to wear that which pertains to a woman, for all that do so are an “abomination.” The Hebrew word translated “abomination” means "a disgusting thing, abominable, in the ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages), in the ethical sense of wickedness." Therefore, this is not simply God addressing the fact that a woman might put on a man’s garment or vice versa. Also, this is not a command that a woman should not wear pants/slacks as some use this passage to teach. The meaning here is that this “cross-dressing” and transvestism is done in order to deceive, or to present oneself as something that he/she is not. In other words, this speaks to a woman changing her dress and appearance so as to appear to be a man and a man changing his dress and appearance so as to appear to be a woman. This is the definition of cross-dressing or a transvestism.

We can also reason that the dynamic behind this is the leaving of what is natural and taking on that which is in God’s Word called unnatural (Romans 1:24-27). Paul tells the Corinthian church that the way a woman wears her hair is a reflection of God’s order, and therefore a woman who cuts her hair to appear as a man or a man who wears his hair long to appear as a woman brings shame to them (1 Corinthians 11:3-15). The issue here is the motive and attitude of the heart that is evidenced in the choice to rebel against God’s standard for obedience.

These are principles we can use to reason an application. Whatever the prevailing custom, men and women should wear gender-appropriate clothing, dressing decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). To apply the principles, the Bible calls cross-dressing or transvestitism a choice that is a demonstration of unbelief and rebellion against God and His order.

⁵ And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” ¹

Note Jesus said a male is to leave his mom and dad and hold to his wife and they become one. 2 males are not able to become one flesh ever nor are two females. If the pope said they can it is wrong. If the president of the united states said woman can go to a mans rest room that is still wrong. I have had friends tell me to just cut that out of the bible and I say I do that then God is going to cut me out of the will and I want Jesus.

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Mk 10:5–9). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

jESUS VLORD OF SUNDAY

CHAPTER 12

——————

THEME: Conflict and final break of Jesus with the religious rulers

Again let me call your attention to the movement in the Gospel of Matthew. If you miss it, you miss the message that is here. Matthew is not trying to give a biography of the life of Jesus, nor is he recording the events in chronological order. He presents Christ as King—He was born a King and gave what we call the Sermon on the Mount, which was the ethic of the Kingdom, the manifesto of the King. He demonstrated that He had the dynamic in the miracles He performed, then He sent out His apostles. The reaction was rejetion! And then the King pronounced judgment on the cities.

Now there breaks out into the open a conflict between the Lord Jesus and the religious rulers of that day—the Pharisees in particular. Apparently, they were friendly to Him at first, but now they break with Him over the question of the Sabbath day.

We will see the Sabbath question in two places: on the outside in the field, then again on the inside in the synagogue.

JESUS CLAIMS TO BE LORD OF THE SABBATH

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat [Matt. 12:1].

We will see in this episode that Jesus asserts that He is Lord of the Sabbath day. But before we get involved in the sabbatic argument (which has been raging ever since!), let’s look at the reason the disciples were pulling off and eating the grain. Why were they doing it? Because they were hungry. Why were they hungry? Because they were following Jesus. You remember that He had said to the young man who wanted to follow Him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). And at this time, they were hungry. This is another reminder of the poverty that our Lord bore. And we will see Him defend His disciples’ actions. This is where the break with the religious rulers came.

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day [Matt. 12:2].

The Pharisees say to the Lord Jesus, “Why do You permit it?”

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him [Matt. 12:3].

We find the record of this in 1 Samuel 21:1–6. It was during the days of David’s rejection as king while Saul was ruling. Likewise, the Lord Jesus was being rejected as King; His messianic claim had not been acknowledged. Now He takes care of His men—regardless of the Sabbath day observance. And David took care of his men although it meant breaking the Mosaic Law.

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? [Matt. 12:4–5].

The priests worked on the Sabbath day.

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple [Matt. 12:6].

The Lord Jesus here claimed superiority over the most holy center of their religious life, which was the temple. As far as the Pharisees were concerned, He had blasphemed. Not only had He broken the Sabbath, but He had blasphemed.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless [Matt. 12:7].

“I will have mercy and not sacrifice” comes from Hosea 6:6. Our Lord defends His men by saying that they did not break the Sabbath day. Why?

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day [Matt. 12:8].

Believe me, He put His hand on the most sacred observance they had when He said that He was Lord of the Sabbath day. In the eyes of the Pharisees, He could make no greater claim. It certainly engendered their bitterness and their hatred.

Now we leave the fields where this encounter took place, and we go into the synagogue—but we are still faced with the same Sabbath question.

And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue [Matt. 12:9].

Notice that “he went into their synagogue”—not ours but theirs. He said something similar regarding the temple. At first it was God’s temple, but He finally said, “Your house is left unto you desolate.”

And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? [Matt. 12:10–11].

Was this man with the withered hand “planted” there, deliberately, by the Pharisees to trap Jesus into healing him? If so, then there are two important admissions on the part of the enemies of Jesus:

1. They admitted He had power to heal the sick. As we have seen, the enemies of Jesus never questioned His ability to perform miracles. You have to be two thousand years away from it and working in a musty library on a master’s or doctor’s degree before you can question His miracles. The Pharisees freely admitted that He had power to heal the sick. This is why they planted this man with the withered hand.

2. They acknowledged that when a helpless man was placed in His pathway, He was moved by compassion to heal him, even on the Sabbath day. What an admission!

Their question about the legality of healing on the Sabbath day was designed to trap Him. But Jesus actually trapped His enemies. They conceded that a sheep should be rescued on the Sabbath day—in fact, the Mosaic Law made allowances for that.

How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days [Matt. 12:12].

This is the crux of the whole matter: Should He do good on the Sabbath day? Regardless of their answer—

Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other [Matt. 12:13].

Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day. Did He break the Law? What is your answer? My answer is that He did not break the Law.

¹

Rebellion against His Principles (Matt. 12:1–21)

Jesus deliberately violated the Sabbath traditions on several occasions. He had taught the people that mere external laws could never save them or make them holy; true righteousness had to come from the heart. The Hebrew word sabat means “repose or rest,” which explains why Matthew introduced these Sabbath conflicts at this point. Jesus offers rest to all who will come to Him; there is no rest in mere religious observances.

It was lawful to satisfy your hunger from your neighbor’s field (Deut. 23:24–25). But to do it on the Sabbath was a breach of the Law according to the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees; for it meant doing work. Jesus gave a threefold reply to their accusation.

He appealed to a king (vv. 3–4). The consecrated bread was to be eaten only by the priests, yet David and his soldiers ate it. Certainly the Son of David had a right to eat His Father’s grain from the field! And if David broke the law and was not condemned, surely Jesus could break man’s traditions and be guiltless (see 1 Sam. 21:1ff).

He appealed to the priests (vv. 5–6). The priests had to offer a given number of sacrifices on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9–10) and yet were not condemned. In fact, their service was in obedience to the Law given by God. This suggests that man’s traditions about the Sabbath were wrong, for they contradicted God’s own Law.333

He appealed to a prophet (v. 7). The quotation is from Hosea 6:6, one that Jesus had already quoted (Matt. 9:13). The Sabbath law was given to Israel as a mark of her relationship to God (Ex. 20:9–11; 31:13–17; Neh. 9:12–15). But it was also an act of mercy for both man and beast, to give them needed rest each week. Any religious law that is contrary to mercy and the care of nature should be looked on with suspicion. God wants mercy, not religious sacrifice. He wants love, not legalism. The Pharisees who sacrificed to obey their Sabbath laws thought they were serving God. When they accused Christ and His disciples, they thought they were defending God. How like religious legalists today!

Note that Jesus appealed to prophet, priest, and king; for He is Prophet, Priest, and King. Note too the three “greater” statements that He made: as the Priest, He is “greater than the temple” (Matt. 12:6); as Prophet, He is “greater than Jonah” (Matt. 12:41); and as King, He is “greater than Solomon” (Matt. 12:42).

In declaring Himself “Lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus was actually affirming equality with God; for God had established the Sabbath (Gen. 2:1–3). He then proved this claim by healing the man with the paralyzed hand. It is sad that the religious leaders used this man and his handicap as a weapon to fight against Jesus. But the Lord was not afraid of their threats. Not doing good on the Sabbath Day (or any other day) is the same as doing evil. Jesus argued that if a farmer could care for his animals on the Sabbath, shouldn’t we care for man, made in the image of God?

They responded to this deliberate challenge by plotting to kill Him. They had accused Him of blasphemy when He healed the paralytic (Matt. 9:1–8), and of lack of separation when He ate with Matthew’s friends (Matt. 9:11–13). But this deed was even worse. He had deliberately violated the law of God! He had worked on the Sabbath by harvesting grain and healing a man.

Our Lord’s response to their hatred was withdrawal. He did not openly fight His enemies, but fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 42:1–4. His enemies were but broken reeds and smoking flax. Note the double mention of the Gentiles, another hint from Matthew that Israel would reject her King and the kingdom would go to the Gentiles.

The Lord’s withdrawal at this point is an anticipation of His “retirement” described in Matthew 14–20. During that time, Jesus avoided direct conflict with His enemies that He might stay on the “divine timetable” and be crucified on schedule. Also, during that time, He taught His disciples and prepared them for His crucifixion.²

12:1, 2 The way Jesus observed the Sabbath was a primary point of contention between Himself and the religious authorities. The Pharisees and scribes recognized that the Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant. Therefore, to desecrate the Sabbath was to flaunt disobedience to the entire Law of Moses (Num. 15:30–36). While reaping was forbidden on the Sabbath (Ex. 34:21), the disciples were picking grain to eat, not for profit. They were not breaking God’s law. The Pharisees had established thirty-nine categories of actions to be forbidden on the Sabbath, and according to them, the disciples were “harvesting” and therefore breaking the Sabbath. The Pharisees were trying to make Jesus into a lawbreaker and accuse Him of wrongdoing.

12:3–5 profane the Sabbath: On the Sabbath the priests carried out their work of ministry, showing that their official service had priority over the normal Sabbath observance³

The Messiah as Lord of the Sabbath

12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

³ But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
⁴ how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? ⁶ Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. ⁷ But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

—Matthew 12:1–8

The deepest aspects of a person’s character are often revealed under stress. In chapter 12 a series of happenings placed Jesus in situations of stress, revealing His integrity, convictions, and personal discipline. When good confronts evil, the result is an increase of defensiveness which actually increases the expression of evil to its own ruin by extreme exposure. The strategy of the good is to “overcome evil with good,” but at times this victory may mean the increased expression of evil until its own inadequacy is exposed. Evil is not so much a power against the good as it is a perversion of the good, until the good has been altered to serve wrong ends.

Jesus’ conflict with His opponents maintained the integrity of His mission but also exposed the inadequacy of their position in relation to the purposes of God. One cause of clash between Jesus and the Pharisees was their legalism, the keeping of laws as ends in themselves. Value was sought in the legalistic act rather than in the sense of fidelity to God. Jesus reminded them of the meaning of the prophetic word which they failed to understand: “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6, kjv).

The interchange regarding the Sabbath was precipitated by the disciples’ acts of plucking and eating some heads of grain as they walked through the fields. Matthew adds the note that the disciples were hungry. Walking along the path through the fields, they rubbed the grain out in their hands and ate. But the Jewish community had extensive laws forbidding work on the Sabbath and this act violated their laws. These laws included forbidding a man to spit on the ground on the Sabbath lest he rub it with his sandal and role up a ball of dirt, which would be plowing. Another forbade a woman to look in the mirror on the Sabbath lest she see a hair on her face and be tempted to pull it!

In answer to the Pharisees’ charge that the disciples had violated the Sabbath rules, Jesus lifted two illustrations from their religious history and rites. First is the illustration from David’s experience: fleeing from Saul, and being hungry, he entered the tabernacle and ate “the bread of Presence,” which was only to be eaten by the priests. Following this reference to David, the highest person in their national history, He turned to the temple, the highest level of sanctity in their religious life. He pointed to the temple priests who were breaking the code by their work, yet who were blameless.

Having answered with illustrations impossible for the Pharisees to refute, Jesus then made two major affirmations about Himself. In Mark’s account Jesus emphasized God’s purpose in mercy, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). But Matthew shows Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus attacked the two highest religious rites: first, He attacked temple dominance in their worship, of which Jesus says, “I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.” Second, he attacked legalistic Sabbath observance with the words, “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” As greater than the temple and as Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus is the ultimate authority regarding service and worship in the will of God. This offers Christological principles for our theological reflection.

The principles of Jesus stand in remarkable contrast to the picayunish way in which the Pharisees interpreted the acts of the disciples; they were plucking the grain—reaping; they were rubbing out the heads in their hands—threshing; and they were blowing the chaff from the kernels—winnowing! But Jesus gave a New Interpretation of Law, stressing the God-intended values of Sabbath renewal.

An outline for this section could be (1) conflict about the Sabbath, vv. 1–2; (2) considerations of the Sabbath, vv. 3–6; and (3) Christ the Lord of the Sabbath, vv. 7–8. The conclusion places mercy above ritual, and love above law. The larger passage from verse 1 through verse 14 expresses the Messiah as Liberator: (1) the denunciation, vv. 1–2; (2) the declaration, v. 8; and (3) the demonstration, vv. 9–14. Jesus showed us that human need takes precedence over rites, codes, or cultural taboos.

⁴

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath makes him GOD.

12:1–9. The sabbath day, i.e., the seventh day of the week, corresponding to our Saturday (cf. Mk 2:23–3:6; Lk 6:1–11). However, in New Testament times it began at sunset on Friday and lasted until the following sunset. The Pharisees had burdened the Sabbath with a multitude of detailed observances which were not laid down in the Mosaic law. Correspondingly, in this incident they had objected to the manner in which Jesus’ disciples had plucked grain on the Sabbath, violating the command against reaping on that sacred day (Ex 20:10). In responding to their legalistic traditions, Jesus always referred to Scripture. Have ye not read …? The passage referred to is 1 Samuel 21:1–6. The point that our Lord makes is that in the case of necessity the ceremonial law might be overruled. He uses the illustration of David eating the showbread. These loaves were placed on the table in the holy place in the Tabernacle each Sabbath. They were to be eaten only by the priest and his family (cf. Lev 24:5–9; Num 28:9). The priests prepared the sacrifices on the Sabbath in spite of the general prohibition of work. If the necessities of temple worship permitted the priests to profane the sabbath, there was all the more reason why the service of Christ would allow a similar liberty. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. The application of this principle is that ethics are more important than ritual. The passage clearly asserts that Jesus had the right to interpret the Mosaic ordinances in light of their spiritual intention, rather than their literal application.⁵

Two Precedents from the Law

I love the way Jesus responded: He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?” (vv. 3–5). Jesus answered His accusers with two precedents drawn from Scripture. It was as if He were saying, “Don’t you ever look at the Bible when you are formulating your traditions?”

Jesus first referred to an incident in the life of David, from a time when he was basically an outlaw. Samuel had anointed him to become Israel’s second king, but Jonathan had warned David that King Saul was trying to kill him, so David and his men were on the run and were hungry. David went to the city of Nob and asked Ahimelech the priest for food. Ahimelech had no food except the showbread, the special bread that was placed before God in the sanctuary (see Ex. 25:30). This bread was replaced on a regular basis with fresh bread, and the priests had the privilege of eating the bread after its ritual use. David explained the situation to Ahimelech and asked for the bread, and the priest willingly acceded to David’s request.

Some commentators argue that Ahimelech allowed David to take the bread because it was within his prerogative to exercise mercy to anyone who was hungry. Others say that he allowed this exception because it was David who requested it, assuming that Ahimelech knew that David was the Lord’s anointed king, and he was willing to feed David out of respect for his office.

Regardless of the reason Ahimelech gave the bread to David, the incident allowed Jesus to make a very telling point to the Pharisees. First, it was a priest, one of Israel’s religious leaders, who permitted a violation of the sanctuary law. But even more important, Jesus was telling the Pharisees that mercy is more important than ritual. Of course, ritual is not unimportant, but there are occasions when higher necessities need to be addressed. As Jesus put it, “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v. 7). Just as David was guiltless in an apparent violation of the sanctuary law, the disciples were guiltless of violating the Sabbath. The need for mercy overruled ritual.

Jesus then cited a second precedent: “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?” Again He asked, “Have you not read … the law?” God had commanded His people to work for six days and then rest on the seventh day. But the priests, of course, could not rest on that day. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that the priests were exempt from the Sabbath law. They were not considered Sabbath-breakers when they did their God-ordained duties on that day.

One Greater Than the Temple

Then Jesus made a statement that caused a serious escalation in this confrontation with the Pharisees. By pointing out the examples of David and the priests, He had set the stage to make a point by use of an argument from the lesser to the greater. He said, “Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple” (v. 6).

To grasp the significance of these words, we need to understand the importance of the temple in the Jewish mind. The temple, like the tabernacle before it, represented the presence of God in the midst of His people. It was the center of the Jews’ religious life, the central place of worship and sacrifice. Jesus, however, said there was One “in this place”—clearly He was speaking of Himself—who was greater than the temple. The Pharisees must have been absolutely stunned when He said this.

Yet, they should have known this. Everything in the tabernacle and later in the temple, all of the symbolism that God so meticulously prescribed for these magnificent sanctuaries, pointed beyond itself to the living temple, to the living presence of God in the midst of His people, to His incarnate Son. God was actually dwelling in the temple of Jesus’ body (John 2:21), whereas He only lived symbolically in the temple made of wood and stone. Jesus was the one to whom the temple pointed. That is why John wrote that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (1:14a). In the original language, this verse says, “the Word become flesh and tabernacled among us.” Jesus fulfilled the tabernacle and the temple.

So, Jesus was asserting that He was greater than the temple that the priests so diligently served on the Sabbath. Thus, His disciples had a greater service than those priests. Likewise, by implication, Jesus was asserting that He was greater than David. If it was acceptable for David to eat the showbread from the sanctuary, it was acceptable for Jesus’ disciples to eat a few heads of grain on the Sabbath.

Jesus then went back to the Old Testament again to say, “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.” This verse contains a quotation from Hosea 6:6, but God was not saying that the sacrificial system needed to be abolished. Rather, He was assigning a hierarchy of values. He was saying: “Yes, I want sacrifices. Yes, it’s important to offer the sacrifices as part of your religious obligations. But mercy is much more important than ritual. When there is a conflict between ritual and mercy, always default to mercy.” Jesus was subtly showing the Pharisees that they had taken the Sabbath, a gift God gave to His people for their refreshment and joy, and made it a cumbersome burden with all of their detailed restrictions. Because of that, they had condemned the guiltless—His disciples.⁶

1 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 1-13) (electronic ed., Vol. 34, pp. 162–165). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 41–42). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

3 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (Mt 12:1–5). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

4 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

5 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1913). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

6 Sproul, R. C. (2013). Matthew (pp. 362–365). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

GOD DOES NOT NEED YOU

Self-Sufficient God

Self-Sufficient God – The Definition
God, being identified and defined as self-sufficient, means He possesses within Himself every quality, ability, and supernatural command with never-ending measure. Every attribute or mighty and wonderful power is His endlessly. God wants for nothing and lacks nothing; He is complete.

There are many names for God in the Bible. Each name is actually a word that describes His nature and attributes. For instance, in the original Hebrew text, “El-Shaddai” was first used in Genesis 17. It is used throughout the Bible and is still an accepted name for God today among Christians and Jews. “The most simple translation is ‘God’ (‘el), THE ALL-MIGHTY ONE (shadday), to clearly differentiate the One true God from other ‘gods, as ‘el’ was a common term for any god at that time, age and area. It is significant that it is THE Name that God uses in reference to Himself as He begins to set aside a people for Himself, to be uniquely His as a possession, and to be uniquely His as His representatives on this planet. It was at this point that God revealed Himself as ‘THE ALMIGHTY GOD’, or

the omnipotent,
omnipresent,
omniscient One.”¹

Others names include Jehovah Rapha—the LORD who heals; Jehovah Jireh—the LORD who provides. For as many things as you can name, He has a name declaring His ability to fulfill it.
Why did Self-Sufficient God Create Us?
Many wonder why a self-sufficient God would need to create the human race and this world. Well, He didn’t need to; He was not lonely. First, He wasn’t alone (Genesis 1:26, John 1:1). Secondly, He created us out of His supernatural, divine love. We are an expression of God’s love, made in His own image, and He breathed His very breath of life into us.

The Lord God is the ultimate, original artist of the ultimate, original masterpiece—all of creation. We might say He made us because He loves to create. He made the world and all it contains, saying “It is good,” before He made mankind and after which He said “It is very good.” Unlike a human artist, He did not have to go back and ‘redo’ a brushstroke of clouds in a vibrant blue sky, a majestic mountain, or a clear and pure babbling stream. All was perfect. He then blessed man and gave him dominion over all the earth (Genesis 1:27-31).

One source states, “...particularly in relation to his people, the answer is this: though he doesn’t need us, he loves us, and his purpose in creating and redeeming us [after the fall] is not that we might fill up some lack in him, but that he might fill us up with himself. He made us empty to be filled with his fullness, thirsty to drink the water of life, weak to receive his strength, foolish to be instructed and corrected by his wisdom. In his love, he longs to give, to share the bounty. He wants us to experience in finite measure the fullness of joy and blessing that he knows infinitely—all to rebound to the praise and glory of his name, the Giver and Provider of all the good we enjoy.”²
How has the Self-Sufficient God revealed Himself to man?
The self-sufficient El Shaddai, The Almighty, has shown Himself to man completely in the New Testament and by the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—God with us, come in the flesh, to be All-in-All.

Colossians 1:15-20 says this about Jesus: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: the things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers of rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church, he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.”

To some, these quotations and Scriptures may be mere words. However, through a personal acceptance of and relationship with Jesus, we can truly know and experience the only self-sufficient God. “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal to him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:27-28

Does God Need You?
We had our sportsfest in the seminary last week. Our second year batch played basketball against the freshmen. It was a good game although we lost by two points. The sad thing is, I didn’t play. I was sick that day. I did not play because I know my wife will be mad at me. I want to help my team win the game. I think they need me. I thought, “If I was there playing, we might possibly win.” We had another game last Thursday. I played. We lost. They need me on the team. I did all that I can do. We still lost the game. My effort was not enough. It was not sufficient.
We like the feeling of being needed. We want to be important. We like to hear someone say that they would be happier if we attended the party. We like the feeling if someone missed our presence or expressed their desire for us to help them because only we can help them. We cannot be this way in our relationship with God. We must not think that God needs us. He does not need us. We cannot contribute something to him. He is sufficient. This is clear in the message of Paul to the Athenians:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (Acts 17:24-25 ESV).

A Sufficient God
Our God is a sufficient God. He does not need anything from us. He already have everything. If we don’t get what Paul is communicating here to the pagans, how can we say that we really know the God whom we worship?
There is a great need in the church to know God for who he really is. Paul was in Athens. He was distressed to see that the city was full of idols (v. 16). This moved him to talk with them about the true God. He discussed with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (v. 18). The Epicureans believed that man live for pleasure and happiness. If gods existed, they are above human events. The Stoics, on the other hand, believed that they must align themselves with the “Purpose” directing history. There are some good results with that belief but it also leads to pride and self-sufficiency. Paul’s message will appeal to the line of thinking of these men. They were religious people (v. 22). But that is not enough. To know God is the goal of life not to be religious. Paul found an altar with the inscription: “to the unknown God” (v. 23). The Athenians feared that they might overlook some “god” that they need to worship but they know nothing about. Obviously, they were trying to serve all gods. They think they need something that can be fulfilled by their worship and sacrifices. They were wrong. Then he said beginning verse 24:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (Acts 17:24-25).

We also need to hear this. It is distressing if we are not really worshipping the true God. It is distressing if there were banners in our churches that read like “to the unknown God” because of the way we relate to him, the way we pray, sing, give, and serve in the ministry. This text teaches the sufficiency of God. He lacks nothing that his creation can satisfy, nothing that our worship or service to him can satisfy. Nothing! In our relationship with him, we need to remember two things in light of the absolute sufficiency of God.
1. We do not serve God’s needs because he doesn’t have any (25a).
We do not serve God. God is not “served by human hands…” This would go straight in the face of those who believe that they can do something for God. What does it mean that God is not “served” by human hands? There is nothing that our hands can do for him. We cannot help God do his work. We cannot give advice to God. “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding” (Isaiah 40:13-14)? He is not lonely that we can entertain him by our songs. He is not sad that he created us to make him happy. He does not lack worshipers that he redeemed us to be his people. We do not serve God! Brothers and sisters, the message is this: Do not serve God! I know there are now some questions in your mind but hold it first and we’ll get there and answer some of your questions.
Why can’t we serve God? Because he does not need anything from us. God is not “served by human hands as though he needed anything…” We do not serve God because he does not need our service. He already has everything. All the world is his. Verse 24, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man.” He doesn’t need a house to live in. He doesn’t need anything!
Sometimes people think that God is lonely that is why he needs to create man and the universe to make him happy. But don’t we realize that he is not really lonely. He is completely happy with the fellowship within the three persons of the Trinity. The Father is with the Son and with the Holy Spirit even before the beginning of time. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). So, he does not need us. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:34-36).
Our attitude must be the same as that of David in his prayer, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you” (1 Chronicles 29:14). The doctrine of God’s sufficiency is bad news for those who do not share the attitude in David’s prayer. If you feel strong and so important, this is bad news. The truth is, you are weak and God does not need you and your service. That is why you cannot bargain or negotiate with God.We cannot say, “Lord, I will give 20% of my income if you will give me this job.” You know what God will say, “I don’t need your money. I own the universe.” You cannot bribe God.
God wants to teach us a lesson on his sufficiency. Sometimes he will take away riches, strength, or wisdom so that we will learn that we cannot give something to God that is not already his or do something without the strength that he provides.
I was in Candelaria, Quezon last November 16 to preach in a small church pastored by our missionary friend Pastor Rudy. I had a flu the day before. Although that day I felt better, I still feel dizzy. I had colds and cough. I don’t think I had the strength enough to preach. I said to God something like this, “I will preach today. There is no one who prepared to preach in my place. Why don’t you restore my strength? You have done that before so why don’t you do it now? And besides, I am doing this for you.” I preached and was still sick the whole day. But what did I learn? I learned that I really can’t do something for God. He taught me that I really do not have something to contribute to him. I cannot bargain with him or bribe him of anything. Everything I had still came from him – the strength, the wisdom, and the voice to preach. It is all his. God taught me not to serve him as if he needed me in that church.
Why did the Bible then ask us to “serve the Lord” if he does not need our service? “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11). “Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2)! “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11). We cannot serve God because he does not have any need. But we must serve him because he wants us to. So in our service we must not think that we are needed. But in our service, we can truly bring joy and glory and honor to God.
That’s the answer to the question, How can our existence and everything we do have any significance if God does not need anything from us? Although he does not need anything, he chose to create us for his own glory. “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:6-7). He redeemed us for his own glory. “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:11-12). That is our significance. That we can bring true joy and glory to God although he does not need it because he chose it to be that way.
So do not serve him because he does not need anything from you. But serve him because he wants us to so that he might be glorified and honored and be delighted. And if you don’t want to worship or pray or serve, remember that God will still be God. He has nothing to lose

god is holy

Holiness of God

Holiness of God - The Distinction
Can man comprehend the holiness of God? In nearly every religion, there is a distinction between that which is holy and what is profane. In most cases, the religious man is the one to whom something is sacred, i.e. holy. Holiness requires a distinction be made between the holiness that is God’s very being and the holiness which reflects the character of His people.

Our comprehension of the holiness of God, based on natural senses, remains insufficient. In Exodus 15:11, Moses asks, “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders.” Holiness embraces every distinct attribute of each Person of the Godhead, Father (John 17:11), Son (Acts 4:30), and especially the Holy Spirit as the One who provides us with an intimate knowledge of a Holy God (1 Corinthians 2:10). What exquisite words exist to convey glory, honor, and thanks to the Lord God Almighty? Before the Throne in Heaven, the angelic beings worshiped God, repeating day and night, “Holy, holy, holy” (Revelation 4:8).
Holiness of God - A Biblical Basis
In the Old Testament, the term holiness is applied to God in two senses. First, God is separate, set above all which is created. Yet, it is God who calls us to an ethical purity. Secondly, things are regarded holy because of their connection with God—Holy ground, Holy Sabbath, Holy place. God’s holiness permeates anything touched by Him, especially man.

Man’s encounters with the holiness of God in the Old Testament were often fearful. Following God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, the Israelites rested near Mount Sinai–-where God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Before God would establish a covenant with His people, He ordered them to separate from impurity, to make themselves sanctified (holy) to God. On the third day of preparation, God descended to Mount Sinai, demonstrating His power and holiness (Exodus 19:16–20). God warned that anyone touching the mountain would be put to death. Only Moses and Aaron were permitted on the mountain. Mount Sinai was “set apart as holy”–-a reminder of the immeasurable chasm between the divine and the human.

For 100 long years, the Ark of the Covenant had been absent from the Tabernacle and other places of worship. God specified that only Levites should transport the ark on their shoulders by means of poles passed through gold rings attached to the ark. Even the Levites were forbidden to even touch the ark or look in it because God’s holiness (presence) abided there. Yet, David chose to bring the ark back to Jerusalem on a cart. When the oxen stumbled, threatening to topple the ark from the cart, Uzzah tried to steady the ark with his hand. This irreverent act angered God, who instantly struck Uzzah dead (2 Samuel 6:1–11). To approach the holiness of God requires reverence and absolute obedience to His commands.
Holiness of God - Set Apart
When we consider the holiness of God, it may seem impossible for imperfect creatures like ourselves to obey His command to, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15–16). How are we to set ourselves totally apart from sin? When God created man, He intended for us to experience His glory. Man is the culmination of God’s creative activity. Our existence is not random, nor was it an accident. God knew who He was creating, and He intended for each one of us to receive holiness.

A great-grandmother was asked to describe “the holiness of God.” Bea closed her eyes for a moment, “All-consuming, takes over the whole body, peace, faith, joy...wisdom.” The Great Depression, World War II, losing both her father and baby brother as a child...even widowhood could not rob her of an adoring intimacy with a Holy God. When we sense God’s presence in difficult times, we embrace a faithful Father. When we fail in every way, we encounter a redeeming God. When we choose to worship, obey, and serve Him apart from all that the world demands, we experience the holiness of God.

I believe that most of us don't take the Christian life seriously enough, partly because we don't understand the holiness of God. It is amazing to me what you and I will do to please people whom we think are important—our boss, our employer, some official, some important, famous person. In many cases we will go to great lengths to try to impress those people and try to please them, but we seem to think that the holy, majestic, glorious God of the universe can be trifled with and dealt with at our convenience.

The Holiness of God

By Jeff Paton

PART 2

OF

A THEOLOGY OF SIN

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Any understanding of the meaning of sin must begin with an understanding of the holiness of God. God is the benchmark in which we gain an understanding of what sin really is. "Every culture differentiates the sacred from the secular and has terminology to make that distinction. Canaan already had such terms when Israel adopted its language. The problem was that what was holy to the Canaanite was abominable to Jehovah. In Canaan the temple prostitute was a holy woman and the homosexual priest was a holy man (cf. Gen. 38:21-23; Deut. 23:17-18). 1 You see, sin is defined by any person's concept of "God." If God is a loving, easygoing pushover whose love for man overrides His own holiness, then they will live and respond in conjunction with that belief. If one believes that a loving God would not send anyone to an eternal torment in hell for sin, then their life and actions will most likely reflect that. Some believe that the way to heaven is determined by God weighing their good and bad in the balance, and if the good outweighs the bad, then they will go to heaven. Our concept of God determines our response to that "God." What one considers holy determines how they will live. No person lives beyond his or her concept of God.

If you can imagine the difficulty before us; how we understand the holiness of God determines if we serve the True God of the Bible, or a false god of our own imagination. We are not at leisure to define God as who we want Him to be. He defines Himself, His nature, His holiness. He is the standard by which we judge what is holy and what is sin. "For holiness in man must be the same as holiness in God, else there is no significance in the command of Peter to "obedient children" of God: "Become [aorist] ye yourselves also holy...for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:14-16). We cannot take the position of Mansell, that the moral attributes of God may be wholly different from those of man. This is simply agnosticism. I am not prepared to worship a God of unknowable moral character. But the God to whom Jesus prays, saying, "Holy Father," and who has revealed himself as "light in whom is no darkness at all." I understand that light is a metaphor for purity, and darkness rhetorically stands for sin." 2  

"There is widespread agreement among Bible scholars that holiness in Scripture takes its essential meaning from what God is. God alone is holy in himself. All other holiness is derived from a relationship with Him." 3  In light of this, perhaps it would be clearer to some if we used the term "godliness," or "God-likeness." That is what holiness is. The extent to which one is holy is determined by their likeness to the One True God, and sin is the extent in which we have departed from that character. It should suffice to say that God expects us to be in alignment with the divine character in as much as it is possible. God does not command us to be gods. He commands a likeness to His holy nature in as far as human limitations will allow. 

Holiness, the Primary Attribute

Most deficient views of sin and grace are to be found in the imbalanced view of who God is. We know from Scripture that God is love. We know that He is all powerful. We know that He is omnipresent. And we also know that God is omniscient. But all of God's attributes are not equal. Holiness is the primary attribute of God. All other attributes must be in subjection to holiness. "Holiness occupies the foremost rank among the attributes of God... Because the fundamental character of this attribute, the holiness of God, rather than the love, the power, or the will of God, should be given first place. Holiness is the regulative principle of all three of them, for his throne is established on the basis of his holiness."4

If we put love as the primary attribute, then we can rationalize the idea that God excuses sin because He is love. We can say that God is omnipotent and can do anything He wants- to include sin. We can emphasize a God who is in everything, a God of pantheism and the environment- making the abuse of the environment the major sin. All of the other attributes must fall in subjection to the primary attribute of God- holiness. God is all-powerful, but He cannot do everything. God cannot sin. He cannot use that power to accomplish that which goes contrary to His holy nature. God may be omni-present, but He is not "in" that which is evil. God does not by nature reside in every blade of grass, or evil human beings such as Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer. With the purpose of holiness being primary, the ability to reside in evil people is an impossibility; the residing in isolation in inanimate objects carries no moral purpose. Love is the most abused aspect of the nature of God that is constantly appealed to to make God "tolerant" of sin. Love, when it becomes the end in itself in isolation from holiness, becomes a means of many "churches" to treat the unregenerate and unrepentant sinner as being incorporated into the Body of Christ. The unrepentant sinner is coddled as being "one of us" and given the assurance that our God is a loving God, and if you "believe," even without repenting or turning from sin, God will welcome you with open arms! This sounds like I'm O.K./ Your O.K. more that it sounds like the Bible. As you can see, all attributes of God must be put into subjection to God's holiness or we create an imbalance that makes us view God's attributes as independent traits that have little relationship to each other. Sin is that which goes contrary to love, but that love must be dictated by that which is holy so we do not love or tolerate evil things. 

While it is said the love held Jesus to the Cross, it was holiness that necessitated it. Love alone could not reconcile us to God. God can not freely forgive without the barrier of sin being removed that put a vast divide between us and Him. Holiness is so central to understanding sin. To arrive at Biblical truth concerning God's interaction with man, it is essential to have a right concept of His holiness and the centrality of it in His plan for man.  

"He can no more cease to hate impurity than he can cease to love holiness: if he should in the least instant approve of anything that is filthy, in that moment he would disapprove of his own nature and being; there would be an interruption in his love of himself, which is as eternal as it is infinite. How can he love any sin which is contrary to his nature, but for one moment, without hating his own nature, which is essentially contrary to sin?  Two contraries cannot be loved at the same time..." 5  

Holiness in God 

and 

  How It Relates To Man    

If holiness can only be understood in relationship to the nature of God, and the necessity of the atonement is connected to holiness, then we must consider that all of God's dealings with man are based upon this foundation. 

When we see the horrible sufferings of Christ on the Cross on our behalf, we should see the gravity of our distance from God and the terrible cost of sin. How distant must we be that God's holiness demands such a cost? Christ would not have suffered so unless it was necessary to save us. We can also see in the atonement that the design of this reconciliation is more than just a mere judicial forgiveness, but a means in which to reconcile the differences that keep man from being at one with his Creator. "Holiness is conformity to the character of God. To have fellowship with Him in His characteristic feelings and principles; to love what He loves; to hate what he hates; to desire what He promises; to rejoice in His will in all things..." 6

Henry Thiessen writes, "Three important things should be learned from the fact that God is holy:"

  a. There is a chasm between God and the sinner (Isa. 59:1f.; Hab. 1:13). Not only is the sinner estranged from God, but God is estranged from the sinner. Before sin came, man and God had fellowship with each other; now that fellowship is broken and impossible.

   b. Man must approach God through the merits of another if he is to approach him at all. Man neither possesses nor is able to acquire the sinless-ness which is necessary for access to God. But Christ has made such access possible (Rom. 5:2; Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19f.). In God's holiness lies the reason for atonement; what his holiness demanded, his love provided (Rom. 5:6-8; Eph. 2:1-9; 1 Pet. 3:18).

   c. We should approach God "with reverence and awe" (Heb. 12:28). A correct view of the holiness of God leads to a proper view of the sinful self (Ps. 66:18; 1 Jn. 1:5-7). Job (40:3-5), Isaiah (6:5-7), and Peter (Luke 5:8) are striking examples of the relation between the two. Humiliation, contrition, and confession flow from a scriptural view of God's holiness. 7 

The holiness of God demands that salvation must be more than just the moral justification of sin, but should also lead to a moral change within the believer from darkness to light. This would explain why the New Testament exhorts the sinner to repent and turn from their sin, and the believer to move on to perfection, to be pure and holy before the Lord. "To sinners God says, "Ye must be born again,;" to the regenerate, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." In this exhortation they persist with the greatest possible earnestness, "Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." The great apostle was, therefore, aware that these Christian  brethren, "dearly beloved," had yet need of cleansing "from filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness.' 8 Consider the wealth of references and exhortations within the New Testament directed at the believer to be holy and sanctified. If you look, you will notice that there is hardly a page from Romans chapter 1 through the end of Jude that does not deal with this in the believer. That is what the central idea of Christianity is; it is holiness, not justification. It is God changing the believer from their old nature to His nature. Why would God spend the vast majority of the New Testament commanding believers to be something that they cannot be? God is not taunting us with impossibilities. 

If the majority of the New Testament is centered on the holiness of believers, and it is the highest privilege that we can experience this side of heaven, then it should be the center of our preaching and our goal of living.

"There can be but one central idea of the Christian scheme, and that is, as it exists in the mind of God. 9 

Jesse T. Peck observed the following about the central idea of Christianity.  

1. The choice of God for the moral condition of the human race was perfect purity; hence he created man in his own image. 

2. As this was once the choice of God, it must be eternally so, and the divine preference or will can never be met but by perfect moral purity. 

3. Sin interfered with this choice, to the full extent of its existence and reign, and hence called out the severest divine displeasure. 

4. There has therefore, never been and never can be the slightest toleration if sin in any divine communications.  It is condemned with unsparing severity in its most secret and plausible forms.  

5. As man, by becoming a sinner, has incurred the divine displeasure, he can be saved from calamity and made perfectly happy only by entire deliverance from sin. 

6. Remedial measures, originating from God, must aim directly at the destruction of sin. Excepting it in any of its forms, making provision for its continuance, its justification, or excuse in the soul of the saved to any extent, would be trifling and impossible in Him. 

7. The sacrificial offering of Christ, and the means, and appliances of the Gospel, reveal the plan of salvation by the destruction of sin and the restoration of man to the image of God, and can in no way, be reconciled with the idea of salvation in sin. 10  

Because He is holy, we must be holy also. God desires to bring us beyond justification through to sanctification. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1: 15,16). God would not set His focus on change in the believer to holiness unless it were essential to a relationship with Him. It is God, "Who hath called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim. 1:9). "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). Knowing God's purpose, we must focus ourselves to move on to perfection; that is, to move on to holiness as the central theme of Christianity instead of justification. If Christians were doctors, the vast majority would be in obstetrics, but few would be in pediatrics. We spend nearly all of our efforts getting people into the door of salvation, but little time getting them to the greater end that God's word stresses. Many will object to the statement that justification is not the central idea. We must ask then, why is it that holiness is spoken of much more frequently? Why is it a higher state than justification? Why should we settle for a lesser state than the best that God affords? With all of the emphasis in Scripture concerning the desire and will of God for our purity and sanctification, we must ask, "What worthy motive can we have in denying this position? Opposition to holiness is opposition to Christianity." 11  

"But finally: The holiness of the church is in proportion to its completeness in the Christian graces, especially love; and obedience is the test of love. " If ye love me, keep my commandments." Let us seize at once a few perfect laws which distinguish the Christian system. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Alas! what a fearful amount of disobedience to this most solemn command there is in the church! Take another: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." And another: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Mark this law of progress. See with what authority we are called upward in the divine life. But disobedience defeats those splendid schemes of divine love. We do not love God further than we obey him. Our very feeble and imperfect obedience reveals a sad deficiency of love." 12 

Conclusion

We have observed the nature of holiness in the attributes of our God. We have seen that this nature is primary, not only in His attributes, but in His purpose for the Church. It is His desire that we be holy and pure in reality, not just judicially. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:25-27). The objective of God is to deal with sin, not just forgive it. He has provided a  way through the atonement of Christ. Let us rely on Him in faith as we did when we fell at His feet for mercy and salvation. Let us trust in His will for our sanctification as we did for our salvation.   

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What is holiness?

The Old Testament is written almost completely in Hebrew, and the New Testament is all written in Greek. In both languages, there is a group of words which in English are translated with two separate word groups. In English we have the words “holy” and “holiness”, but also the words “sanctify” and “sanctification”. As we have said, in the original language, these words are all from a single group. The main idea behind those words is the idea of being separate – of being “set apart”. To be holy is to be “set apart”; “sanctification” is the process by which we become set apart.
In other words, someone or something is “holy” or “sanctified” when they are separated. The most important way in which God is set apart from us is in his moral perfection. He is completely and utterly separated from everything that is impure, defiled or sinful. In his perfect holiness, he is absolutely and infinitely distanced from everything sinful, unclean or perverse. He loves all that is good and right and true with an intense, unending, limitless love. In his own glorious nature he finds everything that is pure and lovely and just. He is completely set apart from any possibility of all moral evil. He is also set apart from us by his infinite power and knowledge. As the great and glorious God who sees all, knows all and rules all, and does all in absolutely justice and truth, he is further from all other beings than the heavens are from the earth, and further than black is from white. This is his “otherness” – his “separateness”, or his “holiness”. “And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: … And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:6, 8).
God’s holiness is one of the main parts of his glory. His holiness is so great, that every created being in heaven and earth ought to be praising him continually. It cries out to us that we should worship, praise, honour, adore and delight in him. There is no being like him; if our thinking about God does not begin and continue with his holiness and our duty to praise him, then we have gone astray.

The results of God’s holiness

Everything about God is holy. Even the angels, who have never sinned, cannot look upon him because he is so far set apart in his glory (Isaiah 6:1-4). His name is holy (Ezekiel 39:7), his temple was holy (Psalm 5:7), his day is holy (Exodus 20:8-11), his words are holy (Jeremiah 23:9) and his Spirit is holy (Romans 1:4). His dwelling place in heaven is holy (Psalm 43:3, Zechariah 2:13).
Because of this holiness, there is an infinite barrier which separates fallen, sinful human beings from entering heaven: “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (Revelation 21:27). The holy God will not allow sin into his dwelling place; indeed, he cannot. In ourselves, we have no basis by which to approach him, because he burns with holy anger against our evil natures and deeds – to him, we are by our nature “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).
God’s holiness is the reason for hell. Impunity is a hateful idea to God. He prepared hell for the devil and his angels, who rebelled against him. But all those who have joined with the devil, by breaking the holy laws of God, are also destined to join with him in going there (Matthew 25:41). Hell is not cruel or undeserved. It is the right result of God’s love of justice.

God’s holiness satisfied

The good news of Jesus Christ has been designed by God from beginning to end to deal with this problem. Our true problem is not poverty, or lack of education, or the need for political reforms. Our deepest problem is God’s holiness, which can never be put aside or forgotten.
The first part of the good news is that Jesus himself is holy. He is the Son of God, the eternal second person of the Trinity, sent from heaven by the Father. He was sent to become a man, to live under God’s holy law and to fully keep all the requirements of that law (Galatians 4:4-5). By his perfect life of obedience, Jesus became something completely new since the fall: a man who was holy – a person set apart for God and fully pleasing in his sight. He was a man who was not condemned, but could stand before God with confidence.
Because of this, when Jesus died on the cross, the offering was a holy one. His blood was offered “like that of a lamb without blemish or spot”. And because he was the infinite Son of God as well as a true man, his offering could be enough for all the people in all the world who would believe in him. God’s justice could be perfectly satisfied, and millions of sinners could be washed completely clean from all their evil deeds. At the cross, God did “show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
God’s love is seen in that he himself paid the price which his holiness required. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but he freely gave his Son to redeem us from death. In salvation, God is seen to be a holy God: sin has been dealt with, and the burning lake of fire can no longer claim us, because Jesus suffered that awful wrath at Calvary (Mark 15:34). As such, we have a holy salvation. God’s justice has not been cancelled or forgotten. It has been honoured; it has been satisfied; now it can be declared with joy to the nations. At the cross, the words of Psalm 85:10 have been fulfilled: “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”
There is no other God except this one. His love is shown to us only when we first see his holiness. There is no God who leaves aside his holiness, and came to earth to bring us health, peace and a good life. There is only the one who made the bloody sacrifice of his Son so that his holy name should be hallowed, forever. He is jealous for the holiness of his own name (Ezekiel 39:25), and we should be too. Let us bow in worship and thanks before him!