Can God be both Holy and loving? Do idols belong in
the temple of God?
We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, ‘I
will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they
will be my people.’
The Lord also says, ‘Leave them and stay away! Don’t touch anything that isn’t clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful.’
The Lord also says, ‘Leave them and stay away! Don’t touch anything that isn’t clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful.’
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
Many say God’s holiness makes him judgmental, demanding a very high
moral standard. Others say if God is loving, then he won’t condemn anyone but
all will go to Heaven. Are God’s holiness and love opposite extremes?
God’s Holiness
“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now
declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” (1 John 1:5).
Holiness (pictured here as light) is God’s nature. It unifies all his
other characteristics. He is perfectly good, perfectly righteous, perfectly
merciful, perfectly faithful, etc. All of his actions are determined by this
purity that sets him apart from all others. “By those
who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must
be glorified.” (Leviticus 10:3)
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.
The whole earth is filled with his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
God’s Purity
It is in the presence of God’s pure, holy light that we become aware of
our sin. Isaiah said, “I am doomed, for I am a
sinful man. I have filthy lips...” (Isaiah 6:5) Even our good deeds
are filthy compared to the purity of God’s holiness. (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23) God does not judge
sin out of cruelty:“...His eyes are too pure to look on
evil or tolerate wrongdoing.” (Habakkuk 1:13) Yet, the holy mercy and love of God provided a way for Isaiah to be
purified (Isaiah 6:6-7) and he does the
same for us.
God’s Holy Love
“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous
person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8).
Selfish motives and wrong thinking limit human love. Real love doesn’t
tolerate selfish, hurtful behavior. God is pure love! (1John 4:10,16; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7) He desires holiness
for his children: He wants us to be completely set apart for Him. What parent
does not wish for a “perfect” life for their child? We lack the understanding
and power to give that, but God does not. God wants to give us a new life, free
from sin. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
God’s holiness does not limit or oppose his love; it defines it! “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.
If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not
fully experienced his perfect love.” (1 John 4:18) Are you
experiencing this perfect, holy love?
Pray: God, please help me experience
the reality of your Holiness and understand my need for your Perfect Love.
Please purify me.
(Written by Joy on 17/01/2016 in
GodLife)
