THE
HOLINESS OF GOD
Because God is holy,
acceptance with Him on the ground of creature-doings is utterly impossible.
A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which
would meet the approval of infinite Purity. Can darkness dwell with Light?
Can the Immaculate One take pleasure with "filthy rags" (Isa.
64:6)? The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree
cannot bear good fruit. God would deny Himself, vilify His perfections,
were He to account as righteous and holy that which is not so in itself;
and nothing is so which has the least stain upon it contrary to the nature
of God. But blessed be His name, that which His holiness demanded His
grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has
fled to Him for refuge stands "accepted in the Beloved" (Eph.
1:6). Hallelujah!
Arthur
Pink
THE
HOLINESS OF GOD
Not all the vials of judgment that have or shall be poured out upon the
wicked world, nor the flaming furnace of a sinner's conscience, nor the
irreversible sentence pronounced against the rebellious demons, nor the
groans of the damned creatures, give such a demonstration of God's hatred
of sin, as the wrath of God let loose upon His Son. Never did Divine holiness
appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Saviour's countenance
was most marred in the midst of His dying groans. This He Himself acknowledges
in Psalm 22. When God had turned His smiling face from Him, and thrust
His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him,
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" He adores this
perfection -- "Thou art holy" (Psa. 22:3).
Stephen
Charnock
What kind of God
is the God whom men shall meet at the judgment and with whom they have
to do now? This generation does not know. For the most part it has not
heard preaching on the character of God! God is holy! Men do not believe
this today. Do we who preach believe God is holy?
We must preach the holiness of God until some spue out their hatred of
such a Holy God and others flee for refuge to His Holy Son. God's Law
was and is holy, just, and good. He did not make a mistake when He gave
His law, nor has He ever apologized for it. It is still the expression
of His holy character. God delights to show mercy, but He will save no
one apart from the absolute satisfaction and vindication of His law and
justice. He cannot be bribed nor coaxed. It is redemption through Christ
who obeyed the perfect law and endured the righteous judgment of a Holy
God for believers, or it is to experience the punishment of that God.
Rolfe
Barnard
(The)
admirable patience and meekness of Christ was the fruit of his perfect
holiness. His nature was free from those corruptions that ours groan and
labor under. Take the meek Moses, who excelled all others in this grace
— let him be tried, and see how "unadvisedly he may speak with
his lips." (Psalm 106:33). Take a Job, whose patience is resounded
over all the world , "ye have heard of the patience of Job,"
and let him be tried by outward and inward troubles meeting upon him in
one day, and even a Job may curse the day wherein he was born. Envy, revenge,
discontent, despondence, are weeds naturally springing up in the corrupt
soil of our sinful natures. "I saw a little child grow pale with
envy," said Augustin. "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth
to envy." (James 4:5). The principle of all these evils being in
our nature, they will show themselves in time of trial. Our nature is
fretful and passionate. But it was otherwise with Christ. "The prince
of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me," (John 14:30), no principle
of corruption, as an inlet to temptation. Our High-priest was "holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." (Heb. 7:26).
John
Flavel
The
throne of God is threefold: 1) His throne of glory. Oh, how little I know
of that! The majesty, holiness, and awful presence of God is beyond my
comprehension. 2) His throne of Justice. I want nothing to do with that!
As David lamented, "Do no bring me into judgment with Thee."
3) )His throne of grace, where the Man, Christ Jesus, my forerunner and
mediator, sits. To this throne I boldly come and there my sins confess,
knowing full well that in Him I shall obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.
Ebenezer Erskine
WHAT
ABOUT YOU?
I can
imagine the day of judgment. All are gathered before the throne of God.
Those who are robed in the perfect robe of Christ's righteousness are
gathered to His right hand. The rest wait to hear His voice of condemnation,
"Depart from Me!" Does anyone have anything to say? If there
be one who has no sin, let him step forth and say so. Come forth, my friend,
and state your case! What about the righteousness and holiness in which
you boasted while on earth? Come forward and tell about your works, your
gifts, your denomination; you found much comfort in those things once.
You who scoffed at substitution, who laughed at free grace, imputed righteousness
and covenant mercies ---you are not laughing now! Why is your face so
pale? Why do you tremble so? You never trembled before but always had
so much confidence in your decision and boasted of being as sure for heaven
as if you were already there! Why do you not tell God what you did for
Him on earth? It is quite evident that He did nothing for you. But I remember
that you said, "God has done all that he could do and salvation is
up to you." What a terrible time to discover what you should have
known, "SALVATION IS OF THE LORD!" "Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Why
do you not speak? Is it because of the awesome, infinite "HOLINESS,
OF HIS PRESENCE"? You clutch your righteous garments about you and
they are nothing but filthy rags now, and you know it! You think of your
prayers, your religious activities, your debates over doctrine; and they
are all so much rubbish in the light of His presence. And now you are
praying? What is it that you cry? "O rocks and mountains, fall on
me, and hide me from the face of Him that sits upon the throne."
I wish that you had cried as fervently for Christ to hide you, cleanse
you, and cover you ---HE WOULD HAVE!
Thomas
Brooks said, "The preaching of this and that opinion may please a
man's fancy, but it is only the preaching of Christ that changes a man's
heart."
Henry Mahan
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