Topical Bible: God is Declared to Be: Holy

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The holiness of God is a central theme throughout the Bible, underscoring His purity, moral perfection, and separateness from sin. The term "holy" signifies being set apart, sacred, and distinct from all that is common or profane. God's holiness is foundational to His nature and is repeatedly affirmed in Scripture.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, God's holiness is prominently declared. In the book of Leviticus, God commands His people to be holy, reflecting His own holiness: "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44). This call to holiness is a recurring theme, emphasizing the distinctiveness of God's character and the moral purity He requires from His people.

The prophet Isaiah provides a profound vision of God's holiness. In Isaiah 6:3, the seraphim proclaim, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth" . This threefold repetition of "holy" underscores the absolute and unparalleled holiness of God, setting Him apart from all creation.

New Testament Affirmations

The New Testament continues to affirm God's holiness. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to revere God's name as holy: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Matthew 6:9). This prayer reflects the reverence and awe due to God's holy nature.

The apostle Peter echoes the call to holiness found in Leviticus, urging believers to live holy lives in response to God's holiness: "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16). This exhortation highlights the continuity of God's holy standard from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

The Holiness of God in Worship

God's holiness is a central aspect of worship. In Revelation, the heavenly beings continually worship God, declaring His holiness: "Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!'" (Revelation 4:8). This eternal proclamation of God's holiness emphasizes His eternal nature and the perpetual reverence He receives.

Implications of God's Holiness

The holiness of God has profound implications for humanity. It reveals the vast chasm between God's purity and human sinfulness, necessitating atonement and redemption. The sacrificial system in the Old Testament and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the New Testament address this gap, providing a means for sinful humanity to approach a holy God.

God's holiness also serves as a moral compass for believers, calling them to live lives that reflect His character. The pursuit of holiness is a response to God's grace and a testament to His transformative power in the lives of His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 99:9
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 5:16
But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

That one God Formed all Things in the World, by Means of the Word ...
... to God, but it was still a future thing that man, through the good pleasure of the
Holy Spirit, should ... Wherefore also Moses declared that God was indeed a ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xx that one god formed.htm

The Holy Ghost, Throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, Made ...
... Since, therefore, the Father is truly Lord, and the Son truly Lord, the Holy Spirit
has fitly designated them ... Therefore God has been declared through the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter vithe holy ghost throughout.htm

And in the Holy Ghost. What Has Been Delivered Above Somewhat at ...
... in those clauses in which the faith concerning the Godhead is declared, we say
"In God the Father," and "In Jesus Christ His Son," and "In the Holy Ghost," but ...
/.../35 and in the holy.htm

How the Prophets and Holy Men of the Old Testament Knew the Things ...
... to that he had before, and who declared the law ... words worthily, and, therefore, to
have seen God and heard ... it hath now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/2 how the prophets and.htm

Christians are the Holy People Promised to Abraham they have Been ...
... [2403] And they shall call them the holy people, redeemed by ... 2405] For this is that
nation which God of old promised to Abraham, when He declared that He ...
/.../chapter cxix christians are the holy.htm

The Holy Spirit in the Glorified Christ.
... teaches more than once that it was connected with a work of the Holy Spirit. St.
Paul says (Romans 1:4) that Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God, by the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxiii the holy spirit in.htm

The Profession of the Tridentine Faith, 1564.
... defined and declared in the holy Council of Trent concerning original sin and
justification. 6. I profess likewise that in the mass there is offered to God a ...
/.../ 25 the profession of.htm

Sanctified by God the Father.
... Nowhere else in the Bible are we expressly declared to be "sanctified by God the ...
if the working of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter xi sanctified by god.htm

Holy Wisdom: or, Directions for the Prayer of Contemplation
... THE SECOND SECTION OF THE FIRST TREATISE, IN WHICH IS DECLARED AND PROVED THAT GOD
ONLY BY HIS HOLY INSPIRATIONS IS THE GUIDE AND DIRECTOR IN AN INTERNAL ...
/.../baker/holy wisdom or directions for the prayer of contemplation/

On the Sufficiency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures In
... received through revelation of the Spirit, who "searcheth the deep things of God,"
has been declared by them "in words which the same Holy Spirit teacheth." (1 ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 2 on the sufficiency.htm