We often confuse the word “holy” with “righteous” so we use them interchangeably. Holiness has been explained as “the state of being pure and free from sin, while righteousness is a state of being morally right and just”. Both holiness and righteousness are the nature and attributes of God. Righteousness comes from God’s holiness. One must first attain holiness, and then righteousness follows suit. Holiness is the tree whilst righteousness is the fruit. Without the tree, there cannot be fruit.
We cannot be holy yet live in unrighteousness. Those who are holy cannot be unrighteous. Those who are unrighteous do not have God’s holiness. We cannot also be righteous without first being holy. We are enabled to attain these attributes of God only by the Holy Spirit. Holiness and righteousness go together on one part; whilst lack of holiness which permits unrighteousness is also together. Holiness and righteousness signify God’s presence whilst its absence signifies a disconnection from God.
God’s nature
God’s primary nature is holiness which is divine purity. He wants us to be like him because he created us in his own image. This should be our first desire. Leviticus 19: 2 says you shall be holy, for I the LORD your God is holy. If we fail to be holy, we cannot serve God nor be his friends. It was said to the people of Israel in Joshua 24: 19 you cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. In order to serve God, we must first be holy in order to align with his nature.
The prophet Samuel said of God in 1 Samuel 2: 2, there is no holy one like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. To stand before God, we must be holy. In 1 Samuel 6: 20 the people of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? To whom shall he go so that we may be rid of him?” Nothing short of holiness comes near him because everything about him is holy.
In elucidating this fact, the psalmist wrote in Psalms 47: 8 God sits on his holy throne. He proceeded in Psalms 68: 5 God is in his holy habitation. Paul affirmed the holiness of God in 1 Corinthians 3: 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. This is a warning to us that if we violate the holiness of God, we shall be accountable.
God is described in Psalms 71: 22, O holy one of Israel. Psalms 99: 9 says the LORD our God is holy. The prophet Isaiah also said of God in Isaiah 48: 17… the Holy One of Israel. These references point to one irresistible fact, which is, God is the only Holy One and in whom righteousness dwells. What efforts have we made to attain God’s nature of holiness to his glory and honour? How does God show his holiness?
Through righteousness
Isaiah 5: 16 says, the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness. It means righteousness is of God; righteousness shows God’s presence; God is righteous. Where there is holiness, there is righteousness and vice versa. We cannot have one without the other. Both must manifest in us if God is with us.
God said of himself in Isaiah 43: 3, for I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. This verse brings two things in mind; there is only one holy God; he is the only Saviour. Speaking of himself, God said in Isaiah 43: 11, I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. God also spoke in Hosea 13: 4… besides me there is no savior. In due course he gave Christ Jesus to be our Saviour.
In and through Christ Jesus
In Luke 2: 10-11 the angel said to them (the shepherds living in the field) … I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. It is recorded in John 4: 42… “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this (Jesus) is truly the Saviour of the world.”
God has not ordained any other person to be our savior in holiness except Christ Jesus. Speaking of Jesus, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said in Acts 4: 12 there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5: 21 for our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus had the fullness of God’s nature. Jesus is the standard of God’s holiness.
In and through his creation
God’s creation acknowledges his holiness. God revealed himself to Israel as a holy God. Isaiah 54: 5 says… the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. We read from Exodus 15: 11, “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders? God said in Ezekiel 38: 23 so I will display my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.
God’s spirit is holy, Acts 2: 33; his nation is holy, 1 Peter 2: 9. He is righteous, Psalms 7: 9. He is a righteous judge, Romans 2: 5. His company is righteous, Psalms 14: 5. He manifests in righteousness, Psalms 35: 24; 116: 5. He loves and rewards righteousness, Psalms 45: 7. We are his righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5: 21. He strengthens our hearts through Christ with his holiness, 1Thessalonians 3: 13 .
How do we become holy?
We are therefore to serve him the way he wants. 1 Thessalonians 4: 7 says for God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. We must vacate sin and embrace his purity through his blood. Hebrews 12: 14 says pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. We must pursue peace through reconciliation with God.
David said in Psalms 93: 5 your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore. We cannot have his peace outside his word. God wants us to preserve his holiness. He said in Ezekiel 20: 40… my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols. We profane God when we disobey or deride his word or engage in acts contrary to his will. Do we uphold God’s holiness?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we are grateful to you that by your holiness, you have made us righteous through your blood. Please keep us holy and true in our relationship with you. Guide us to take on your nature of holiness by which you created us so we may glorify your holy name by our lives. We cannot be holy by ourselves save by your blood, so wash our sins away in your precious blood with our prayer, Amen!!
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