What is the holiness of God?

[Solparvus]

Over the past months I've had a special interest in the attributes of God. I've read that these all ought to have such an impression on us that their nature and influences are impressed into our habits of thinking.

I've never been able to quite decide on a definition of the holiness of God. But ultimately I am wondering, is it something which is only truly understood when experienced?

I've seen definitions like these ones.

Holiness is God's moral purity.
Holiness is God's distinction and separation from all other creatures.
Holiness is God's sinlessness.
Holiness is God's infinite worthiness for all of His perfections.
Holiness is the devotion of God to Himself, and members of the Trinity to one another.

There are more that others have proposed, yet watching some clips from RC Sproul, it struck me that the holiness of God is only understood by experiencing it.

I can describe a lion. But until you've stood face to face with a lion and observed its majestic and fearful presence which has caused you to tremble, you don't understand the nature of a lion.

So it is with the holiness of God... until you feel in your soul that you've seen God with the eyes of faith, and saw His holiness, the definition will be elusive.

Watching Sproul last night, how did holy men react in seeing God? They nearly fell apart. They feared they would die. Isaiah cursed himself and mourned for his sins. Job shut his mouth and repented in dust and ashes. Elijah put his face in his cloak. John fell down as though dead. I sat last night, pondered, didn't want to move. I felt like I had never seen him, almost like until now I haven't known Him. You see the force of the third commandment and it makes you repent that you had ever been anything but utterly reverent and attentive in His presence. God is a holy God, and a fearful one. He has a majestic and awful presence. I see why there had better be fear mixed with our joy.

I feel that this attribute is in one way elusive in terms of definition, but is recognized and understood when encountered.

I would appreciate other thoughts--and experiences--on this matter.

Calvin on the majesty of God, from my Logos copy of the Institutes (Hendricksen Publisher):

Hence that dread and wonder with which Scripture commonly represents the saints as stricken and overcome whenever they felt the presence of God. Thus it comes about that we see men who in his absence normally remained firm and constant, but who, when he manifests his glory, are so shaken and struck dumb as to be laid low by the dread of death—are in fact overwhelmed by it and almost annihilated. As a consequence, we must infer that man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty. Moreover, we have numerous examples of this consternation both in The Book of Judges and in the Prophets. So frequent was it that this expression was common among God’s people: “We shall die, for the Lord has appeared to us” [Judg. 13:22; Isa. 6:5; Ezek. 2:1; 1:28; Judg. 6:22–23; and elsewhere]. The story of Job, in its description of God’s wisdom, power, and purity, always expresses a powerful argument that overwhelms men with the realization of their own stupidity, impotence, and corruption [cf. Job 38:1 ff.]. And not without cause: for we see how Abraham recognizes more clearly that he is earth and dust [Gen. 18:27] when once he had come nearer to beholding God’s glory; and how Elijah, with uncovered face, cannot bear to await his approach, such is the awesomeness of his appearance [1 Kings 19:13]. And what can man do, who is rottenness itself [Job 13:28] and a worm [Job 7:5; Ps. 22:6], when even the very cherubim must veil their faces out of fear [Isa. 6:2]? It is this indeed of which the prophet Isaiah speaks: “The sun will blush and the moon be confounded when the Lord of Hosts shall reign” [Isa. 24:23]; that is, when he shall bring forth his splendor and cause it to draw nearer, the brightest thing will become darkness before it [Isa. 2:10, 19 p.].

 

[RamistThomist]

In terms of divine simplicity, the holiness of God is God.

Less abstract, holiness in the OT (at least) always carried the connotation of being set apart.

 

[Susan777]

Over the past months I've had a special interest in the attributes of God. I've read that these all ought to have such an impression on us that their nature and influences are impressed into our habits of thinking.

I've never been able to quite decide on a definition of the holiness of God. But ultimately I am wondering, is it something which is only truly understood when experienced?

I've seen definitions like these ones.

Holiness is God's moral purity.
Holiness is God's distinction and separation from all other creatures.
Holiness is God's sinlessness.
Holiness is God's infinite worthiness for all of His perfections.
Holiness is the devotion of God to Himself, and members of the Trinity to one another.

There are more that others have proposed, yet watching some clips from RC Sproul, it struck me that the holiness of God is only understood by experiencing it.

I can describe a lion. But until you've stood face to face with a lion and observed its majestic and fearful presence which has caused you to tremble, you don't understand the nature of a lion.

So it is with the holiness of God... until you feel in your soul that you've seen God with the eyes of faith, and saw His holiness, the definition will be elusive.

Watching Sproul last night, how did holy men react in seeing God? They nearly fell apart. They feared they would die. Isaiah cursed himself and mourned for his sins. Job shut his mouth and repented in dust and ashes. Elijah put his face in his cloak. John fell down as though dead. I sat last night, pondered, didn't want to move. I felt like I had never seen him, almost like until now I haven't known Him. You see the force of the third commandment and it makes you repent that you had ever been anything but utterly reverent and attentive in His presence. God is a holy God, and a fearful one. He has a majestic and awful presence. I see why there had better be fear mixed with our joy.

I feel that this attribute is in one way elusive in terms of definition, but is recognized and understood when encountered.

I would appreciate other thoughts--and experiences--on this matter.

Calvin on the majesty of God, from my Logos copy of the Institutes (Hendricksen Publisher):

When I meditate on Gods attributes I am often overcome with a sense of uneasiness mixed with fear. I see my sinfulness and my littleness. But then the word Father comes to my mind and it is as if a torrent of soul-refreshment comes washing down. My heart is relieved in his love.

 

[Solparvus]

In terms of divine simplicity, the holiness of God is God.

Less abstract, holiness in the OT (at least) always carried the connotation of being set apart.

Could you explain the first part?

When I meditate on Gods attributes I am often overcome with a sense of uneasiness mixed with fear. I see my sinfulness and my littleness. But then the word Father comes to my mind and it is as if a torrent of soul-refreshment comes washing down. My heart is relieved in his love.

Like Isaiah, not able to find any comfort until the point of cleansing.

We are not naturally comfortable in the presence of God. Even the disciples were terrified when they saw Christ transfigured. But He tells them not to fear, and they come into the cloud.

How good to have the same holy God tell us not to fear, and to draw us near.

 

[RamistThomist]

part

God = his attributes. His attributes (or better, his properties) do not add up to make up God. His property of Goodness (or holiness) is God. That's the doctrine of divine simplicity.

 

[Solparvus]

The Holiness of God - RC Sproul

A classic set of lectures. Humbling and searching. Highly recommended.

 

[Solparvus]

I'm interested to hear from brothers and sisters in experiences they are willing to share when they have had a close encounter to God's holiness. Whether it's amazed you, overwhelmed you with a sense of sin, brought you to tears, terrified you, comforted you, forced you off your native self-righteousness, propelled you to slay your sins, or made you ever so thankful for our pure and holy High Priest who provided His perfect sacrifice to a holy God. It seems in my small (yet real) experience that once you look a holy God in the face you must be changed by it in some of these dimensions.

I'm looking for quotes, experiences, insights on this subject matter that have been beneficial.

I had some opportunity to discuss holiness last night with some brothers and sisters. A number of things feed into a definition of holiness as mentioned above: distinction/separation, sinlessness, devotion, display of all His perfections. We discussed the nature of holy shovels. In what way are they holy, and in what way are people holy? A shovel can be distinct, but not separate. The ark could not ever sin, but if you touched it you would die.

I only know how to think of holiness in this way. God is distinct from all other creatures not only as a different being, but having all perfections in the highest degree. It's not only that God is distinct, but He is sinless, and possesses all moral goodness in the highest degree. If God is sinless and absolutely righteous, then He must love that which is most perfect and righteous and good. That means, He must love Himself supremely. This also means that the members of the Trinity must love themselves and one another supremely, and continuously praise and pour love into one another.

That means too, if they love--and must love supremely--what is most morally perfect, nature demands they must be fully devoted to one another.

Shovels and arks can be devoted in consecration for a particular service, but for us there is a moral dimension. It is a combination of devotion, separation, and righteousness. If God is holy, we must be fully devoted to Him as a people who are called to be holy. That means we are to be conformed to His image in every way a creature can be. But not only for goodness' sake, but because we too are obligated to love supremely the most lovable and perfect being that exists. And the highest love means an exclusive devotion, the one that takes precedence in the event of any competitor.

"You shall be holy, for I am holy" is then another way of saying, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind." "Holiness to the Lord" then means a commitment to being conformed to the image and service of God for the love of God Himself.

Yet still, that doesn't reach the level in which God is holy, because God's perfections consist of things that He cannot communicate. We cannot have all goodness, all justice, all wisdom, so God's communicable moral perfections will always be infinitely higher than ours, even at our most perfect according to our capacity. He may also show His just and good character in ways we cannot because of things He may not communicate, such as having life in Himself, being blessed in Himself, being immense and incomprehensible. Some acts of goodness and righteousness--such as the death and obedience of Christ as God-Man Mediator--are absolutely inimitable for us.

It's no wonder that Isaiah would curse himself, seeing such a God... and no wonder that it was required that the cherubim must cleanse the lips of Isaiah with a coal so hot that even the cherubim could not hold it in his hand.