Holiness of God - Transcendentally Pure

God's holiness does not only mean that he is completely different and separated and exalted, it also means that he is absolutely pure.
Ps 24:3-4
"Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. "

Hab 1:13a
"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrong"

Heb 7:26
"Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens"

God in His very being is completely separated from sin and sinners, he cannot tolerate or even look upon sin. Furthermore, His moral purity is of an different kind than our moral purity. Whereas we can be a very moral being by the grace of God, but we, by our nature, are sinful, we can succumb to sin, and we often do. Apart from the work of God we are sinful and cannot possibly be pure.

God, on the other hand, is pure in His very being, that is to say He is ontologically pure. It is impossible for God to be impure, it is impossible for Him to do something that is not moral. Furthermore, He is ontologically holy, which means that without Him doing anything, just God being God, He is completely different, completely set apart, completely pure, He is the ultimate definition of holiness.

I don't think anything I wrote tonight are new ideas but I want to stress that there is a need to see God as holy, set apart and pure. I want to reiterate that in our nature we are the total opposite of God, we are His enemies and we are in contention with Him (Rm 5:10), even our righteousness are filthy rags (Is 64:6) which are repulsive to God.

As I wrap up tonight's blog I want talk about three implications of God's transcendental purity. Firstly, there is a need for clean hands and pure hearts to approach a holy God (Ps 24:3-4). Let us examine ourselves as we approach God, do we come with a godly fear and trembling? Furthermore, let us rejoice in the fact that Christ made it possible for us to approach the throne of God with confidence (Heb 4:16). I hope we can have a deeper appreciation for the sufficiency and necessity of the cross in light of the disparity between us and God. Secondly, have we treated God as something common? Have we talked about Him or approached Him without reverence? I think there is a need at times to approach God with an intimate attitude, like a friend or a child, but there are also time that we need to come to God with reverence and awe. Have we lived in a way that others see that God is not common but holy? Thirdly, as we walk with each other in community, are we keeping each other accountable to a standard that God has set for us, or have we settled for what is "good enough"? Let us passionately pursue one another, to encourage one another to be holy for our God is holy.

1 Pet 1:13-16
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 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.'"