Let's start with something else. Describe color to a blind man. That's not so easy either is it? How would you go about this? There doesn't seem to be a reference point. If you have no concept of sight, how can you describe a characteristic of sight?
I think we have the same type of dilemma with holiness. How can you define a characteristic of God if we don't have a complete picture of Him? We can go to the blind man and say, "Color is a phenomenon of light or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects." He might thank you for trying but you've not given him anything to work with. There is no jumping off point.
So to understand holiness we have to have at least a basic understanding of who or what God is. This is the point of reference, the jumping off point. Since we can't see who God is we are limited in our understanding. Our understanding is made up of the things we do understand. We can say God is perfect. What comes to your mind? Did you think of the person in your life you consider perfect. Is God like that person? No, that person (whoever they are) is not perfect. There may be an appearance or perception of that by some. So that person has a very small and flawed likeness of God. But God isn't like that person.
God is all knowing. Now what do you relate 'all knowing' to? How many of us thought about our mother when we were kids. Mothers have eyes in the back of their heads. Little birds tell them things. They have spies and they just know things. But is that an adequate understanding of an attribute of God. No, not even close. It is such a limited understanding of an incredible characteristic of God.
What else can we do? It seems we don't have that reference point. We don't have a complete enough understanding to really know what this holiness thing is. Let's keep searching and striving toward Him and see if we can get there.
Most dictionary definitions say holiness is a synonym for sanctity or the state of being holy or sacred. This sanctity or holiness means to be set apart. Being holy is associated with perfect moral integrity or purity; freedom from sin; innocence. Later as we look at scripture and examples of God's holiness we'll see these things in better definition. But, as I said before, all these added up still fall short of a view of His holiness.
Does the definition change when we are talking about our holiness? Yes and no. We have no holiness of our own. Tozer says that Holiness is a contrast to our own vileness.[1] I absolutely agree. Without Christ, our holiness might impress family, friends and others but it doesn't move God. Our holiness is clear at the other end of the scale where God is infinitely at the top, we are at the bottom.
When we became followers of Christ we received a covering of holiness from him. This holiness is a connection to the almighty by His son. This is a state of being hallowed or consecrated to God. We aren't perfect as God is perfect. We can never know moral perfection as God. But we are set apart to His service and His worship.
When was the last time you considered holiness?
Where are the men God has called to leadership? Where are the next great preachers and evangelists? Have we set aside sanctification for video games? Have we pushed God out of our life as we pursued our careers? What will the cost be for a generation that ignored God? The cost is high. As the leaders of this generation stayed in front of the TV instead of the bible or slept in Sunday mornings instead of leading worship, the costs are adding up. You don't have to spend any time at all researching the direction our society is going. The world is more spiritual than ever and less Godly than ever before. Love is growing cold. It seems the cold, calculated and cruel crimes are too numerous to count. There are more every day.
There are many views of God nowadays but not all of them include any kind of holiness. We struggle in this postmodern culture where it seems we are supposed to question everything. The Emergent movement of the church wants to call into question everything, including the word of God. What is truth? Who can know it? These things are their mantra. The answer is God is truth and we can know it. We can know Him. God answers the question in the burning bush by declaring himself "I AM". He is the self existent one. We can never fully comprehend him in our natural bodies. His ways are not our ways. He is defined by His nature and characteristics. He is Holy. Do we really need or want to spend any time questioning that? Don't insult God with highfalutin psychobabble that comes from natural thought. You have to disregard His word to arrive at such a place. If you seek Him, God will honor and answer the question in your heart about His nature and He will show you holiness. But it starts and ends with Him, not you.
Facebook