God’s Holiness posted by jwatson on Dec 05, 2011

The simplicity and sufficiency of the EE gospel presentation:

God’s holiness and man’s response

In presenting the gospel, we should be clear on the fact of God’s purity, His unique being, His justice, His hatred of evil and His righteousness – that which we speak of as His holiness.

Why is it important to tell people of God’s holiness?

Because when we catch a glimpse of God’s awesome purity, we are convicted of our own sinful state, and even our very highest and most noble efforts are “as filthy rags” in the light of His awesome holiness.

Without a true understanding of who God is, it’s difficult to persuade anyone that they’re sinners. The average person doesn’t really feel all that bad about his fibs, slip-ups and indiscretions, and merely talking about his lusts, his pride and his appetites doesn’t convince him of his need to be rescued.

It is when he is convicted that he has “fallen short of the glory of God”, and hears that “God is of purer eyes than to behold evil,” that God “will by no means clear the guilty”, and that the standard is to “be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect” that he will see himself as he really is, a dirty rotten sinner and lost beyond any hope of redemption by his own efforts.

In the joyful saint’s testimony, how often have you heard that someone was weighed down by an enormous burden of guilt, with feelings of shame, with a feeling of being unworthy, soiled and undeserving of forgiveness? And how, having received Christ, that has all changed? Now the person’s life is characterized by the pursuit of righteousness, truth and justice, and with full assurance of cleansing, of justification and being set apart as a clean vessel unto God.

That is why –

When sharing your faith, don’t portray God as some kind of old fuddy-duddy pal who just shakes his head and chuckles when you trifle with evil and flout his commandments. Tell ’em the truth, and admonish them to “seek after that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” – which no man can attain to, but must find in Christ alone.