10 Attributes of God Lesson 4 Holiness

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
LESSON 4
THE HOLINESS OF GOD
Ptr./Dr. JF Smith
Faith Missionary Church & Bible Institute
jfrsmth@gmail.com [no “i” in jfrsmth]

Looking at these verses, what can we glean
about today’s attribute?
Isaiah 6:1-3
1 ...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and
lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 ...
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy,
holy, is the LORD of hosts …

Isaiah 6:1-3
1 ...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and
lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 ...

The Bible says GOD is called holy, holy, holy
in heaven… in His throne room...
It does not say that GOD is called...
● love, love, love
● merciful, merciful, merciful
● mighty, mighty, mighty
● angry, angry, angry

Holiness is GOD’s chief attribute
chief : primary

But, what does holy mean?
1. set apart
2. separate
3. without sin
4. pure
X
| |

1. To be holy means...
To be set apart
(above all; special; one of a kind)

GOD is above all
Isaiah 57:15
For thus saith the high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I
dwell in the high and holy place...

Isaiah 6:1
...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne,
high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple.

By Himself (Solitary)
Psalm 99:2-3
The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high
above all the people. (3) Let them praise thy
great and terrible name; for it is holy.

GOD alone
1 Samuel 2:2
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is
none beside thee: neither is there any rock
like our God.

Only GOD is outside of His works
Revelation 15:4
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify
thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations
shall come and worship before thee; for thy
judgments are made manifest

Only GOD is OUTSIDE of Creation
TIME
MATTER
SPACE
GOD
ENERGY

Holiness is Christ’s attribute
Acts 13:35
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm,
Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see
corruption.
Jesus Christ is the Holy One

To be separate
(different; beyond usual; apart from)

GOD is different than the false gods
Exodus 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the
gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?

With different ways, different thinking
Isaiah 55:9
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways, and
my thoughts than your thoughts.

It is because of GOD’s holiness that we are
separated from him...
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in
sin did my mother conceive me.
Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the
womb: they go astray as soon as they be born,
speaking lies.

GOD
(HOLY)
“That which is born of the flesh is
flesh…”
SIN
Man is born separated from GOD
Shapen in
iniquity
Conceived in
sin
Gone astray
Speaking lies
We are going our
way : Away from
GOD = separated

So, the Lord says...
John 8:23
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I
am from above: ye are of this world; I am not
of this world.

And of believers...
John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love
his own: but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you. (Also 17:14)

And...
2 Corinthians 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you

What is popular these days?
Attitudes (me first, no God, Bible outdated, etc.)

Music (me-me-me, sex, hate, etc.)

I would love to get on a jeepney and hear...
♫ To God be the glory great things he hath done. So loved he
the world that He gave us His Son… ♫

Movies (revenge, murder, senseless death, bad words, etc.)

Games (blood and guts, death, murder, hate, hero
worship, etc.)

Dress and Appearance (shocking, revealing...)

So the LORD says...
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind...

To be without sin.
X

Righteous : being right; [for Christians]
our legal standing in Christ
Holy : a quality
Psalm 145:17
The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy
in all His works

Christ did not sin
1 Peter 2:22
[Jesus Christ] Who did no sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth

GOD does not approve of evil....
Habakkuk 1:13
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and
canst not look on iniquity...

GOD hates evil
Psalm 5:5
Thou hatest all workers of iniquity
Psalm 7:11
God is angry with the wicked every day

GOD does not lie
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie...
He cannot lie!
Titus 1:2
...God, that cannot lie...

GOD does not tempt
James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am
tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted
with evil, neither tempteth he any man

GOD does not think evil is funny.
Psalm 5:4
For you are not a God that has pleasure in
wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
Perhaps, neither should we (Ro 1:32).

GOD also gave the ten commandments to show
us that we cannot live up to HIS standards...
All have sinned… (Romans 3:23)
James 2:10
For whosoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet
offend in one point, he is
guilty of all.

The Lord gave the Law to teach us that HE is
HOLY (without sin) and we are not holy
Romans 7:12
Wherefore the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good.

The Law was meant to teach us...
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified
by faith.

GOD’s holiness is one reason why CHRIST had
to die for us
To pay the ransom for our offence to GOD’s holiness
1 Timothy 2:5-6
For there is one God, and one mediator between
God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in
due time.

OUR CORRUPT CONDITION (from head to toe)

The HOLINESS of GOD demands everlasting separation
and everlasting punishment!
SIN
Isaiah 53:5
But he was
wounded for our
transgressions, he
was bruised for our
iniquities: the
chastisement of our
peace was upon
him; and with his
stripes we are
healed.
JESUS CHRIST
Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood:
… for it is the blood that maketh an
atonement for the soul.
In the world
(In sin)
In Christ
(Holy and Reconciled)
1 Peter 2:22
[Jesus Christ] Who did no sin...
John 1:5
….the light shineth in darkness; and
the darkness comprehended it not.
(By faith) believe

To be (morally) pure
| |

Moses was told to remove his shoes to
acknowledge his filthiness and GOD’s holiness
Exodus 3:5
And he said, Draw not nigh
hither: put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon
thou standest is holy ground.

The Tabernacle was a dangerous place
Exodus 28:35
And it shall be upon Aaron to
minister: and his sound shall
be heard when he goeth in
unto the holy place before the
LORD, and when he cometh
out, that he die not (also, De
8:15).

Even the angels are unworthy to look upon
GOD in full (holy) glory
Isaiah 6:2
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six
wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain
he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Covered face : Unworthy to look upon
Covered feet : Unworthy to stand before
Fly : Service

Scripturally, holiness can be equated to light
1 John 1:5
This then is the message which we have
heard of him, and declare unto you, that God
is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Darkness and light cannot co-exist
1 Timothy 6:16
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light
which no man can approach unto; whom no
man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour
and power everlasting. Amen.

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the
light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk
in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The natural response to the HOLINESS of
GOD is fear, awareness of sin, and humility

Isaiah 6:3-5
4. …
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because
I am a man of unclean lips...

GOD’s holiness leads some to hate the flesh
Jude 1:23
And others save with fear, pulling them out of
the fire; hating even the garment spotted by
the flesh.

Thus, an unnatural response would be pride
and rebellion – a sin against one’s one soul
The natural response to the HOLINESS of
GOD is fear, awareness of sin, and humility

So, that they would see themselves before holy GOD
(Lw), and call upon the Lord to save them from ____.
This is exactly why we need to share with people
about the holiness of GOD and our lost condition
?

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come.
See also: Ep 5:6, Co 3:6, Re 6:16, Mt 3:7, Lu 3:7, ...
The WRATH of GOD

What does holy mean?
1. set apart
2. separate
3. without sin
4. pure
X
| |

Holiness is one of GOD’s communicable
attributes.
1. Through Jesus Christ in Salvation
2. In practice:
a. Worship and
b. Conversation (Sanctification)

1. Through Jesus Christ,
GOD communicates holiness
to us.
Relationally (positionally), we are holy before
GOD in Christ.

reconcile : restore harmony and good relations
hath reconciled : present perfect : completed action
Colossians 1:22-22
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present
you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight:

reconcile : restore harmony and good relations
hath reconciled : present perfect : completed action
X

Even on the cross, Christ glorified God for his
holiness
Psalm 22:1-3
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou
so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 ...
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of
Israel.

Because of Christ we are...
Ephesians 1:6
...accepted in the beloved…
How?
Because in Christ, we are holy.
Beloved : the Son of His love; in Christ; c/w Mt 3:17

2. While we live on earth,
holiness is to be practiced.

2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.

2 Peter 3:11
Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye
to be in all holy conversation and godliness

Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord

GOD is to be worshipped in holiness
Psalm 96:9
O worship the LORD in the beauty of
holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Psalm 99:5
Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at
his footstool; for he is holy.

The more we see GOD in His holiness, we
are led to bow down and humble ourselves.
Isaiah 6:5
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips...

Does not mean only solemn worship...
It simply means we should treat GOD with
reverence.

Worship in Holiness
Psalm 89:7
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of
the saints, and to be had in reverence of all
them that are about him.

Also, why church discipline is necessary...
1 Corinthians 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may
be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even
Christ our passover is sacrificed for us

Irreverence in the church requires discipline...
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
The young man living in sin in the Corinthian church
(1 Corinthians 5)
The irreverence practiced by the Corinthian church
during the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

True church discipline honors the holiness
of GOD in His church
Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
True church discipline : meant to correct and restore a
bro/sis to holy living; NOT to punish

The beauty of GOD’s holiness
2 Chronicles 20:21
And when he [King Jehoshaphat] had consulted
with the people, he appointed singers unto the
LORD, and that should praise the beauty of
holiness...

Psalm 30:4
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and
give thanks at the remembrance of His
holiness.

The beauty of GOD’s holiness
1 Peter 1:14-16
14 As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according
to the former lusts in your
ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called
you is holy, so be ye holy in all
manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written,
Be ye holy; for I am holy.

We must live in the world but we do not have
to be part of it!
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as
dear children;
follower : imitator

2.b. Holiness in Conversation (Everyday
Life)
The earthly process of sanctification
(progressive sanctification)

1 Peter 1:15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation
| |

The Bible says that believers are a peculiar
people...
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light:

A peculiar people...
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works
Peculiar : special, beyond usual,
purchased, acquired [treasure]

But, in what way/s are we peculiar?
● special (set apart)
● beyond usual (separate)
● purchased (without sin)
● acquired [personal treasure] (pure)

1 Peter 2:9
light:

Titus 2:14
works

A peculiar people....
1. special
○ set apart : chosen generation (Ep 1:4)
2. beyond usual
○ separate : royal priesthood (c/w Nu 8:14)
3. purchased
○ without sin : redeemed us (Ga 3:13)
4. acquired (personal treasure)
○ pure : purify unto Himself (c/w Ps 35:4)

What does holy mean for us?
1. set apart
2. separate
3. without sin
4. pure
(2 Timothy 2:20)
Sanctified

A holy people...
1 Peter 2:9
light:

What do GOD’s holy people do?
1 Peter 2:9
light:

shew forth the praises of him...
Our lives should be a reflection of the holiness
of GOD.
| |

Image of the father
Since GOD is a Spirit, we look like Him by being like Him.
?

We do not just consciously try to be holy (an
outward religiousness)...
Our lives and testimony in this world naturally
become holier as we are yielded to, filled
with, and led by the Holy Spirit.
Yielded to : Romans 6:13, 16, 19
Filled with : Ephesians 5:18
Led by : Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:18

called you...
GOD acted for us when we weren’t looking or
asking.
(Isaiah 53)

What do GOD’s holy people do?
Titus 2:14
works

zealous of good works...
We should desire to do good.
What is good?
The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness (Eph 5:9).
Good is being yielded to the Spirit of GOD (Gal 5:18)
Good is bearing fruit (Joh 15:8, Ga 5:22-25).

WHAT are we HERE for?
To be SET APART for the LORD’s use
To be SEPARATE from the WORLD
To be WITHOUT SIN in Christ
To be PURE… →
What is the purpose of our holiness in Christ?
X
| |

To glorify GOD!
Promises: i.e. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty (1 Co 6:18).
2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.

To glorify GOD!
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and
purify your hearts, ye double minded.

To glorify GOD!
1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How
long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be
God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the
people answered him not a word.

The LORD will return one day...
1 Thessalonians 3:13
To the end he may stablish your hearts
unblameable in holiness before God, even our
Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
with all his saints.
What will He find?

END of LESSON 4
The HOLINESS of GOD
NEXT:
Lesson 5
The IMMUTABILITY of GOD (?)

10 Attributes of God Lesson 4 Holiness

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10 Attributes of God Lesson 4 Holiness