So, after my maths exam today, I popped down to the local Christian book shop. My intention was to pick up Warren W. Wiersbe's BE commentary on Isaiah in order to use it for my devotions. Unfortunately, the didn't have the Isaiah one in, so, instead, I picked up the one on Leviticus.
I decided that to do my devotions and then launch into study for my Biology exam tomorrow afternoon. I had just finished reading the introduction for the first chapter of the book (not the Bible book, the commentary book) when the first sentence of the next section arrested my attention:
"Contrary to what you may hear today in some sermons and popular religious songs, the emphasis in the Bible is on the holiness of God and not on the love of God."
I was, needless to say, I little surprised by that sentence. I re-read it a few times while thinking it through.
I realised the most surprising part of that sentence wasn't the fact that the Bible focuses on God's holiness more than His love, but the implications that this isn't how the church and Christian pop culture (if such a thing can be said) portrays it.
Then I realised it is true.
It's not that anything explicitly teaches that God's love is more central to the Bible and who God is than His holiness, but that it is implied through the focus of evangelical Christianity being on God's love and not on His holiness.
I have lost track of the number of talks I have heard emphasize that fact that we are sinful but God loves us and so He saves us, but I can count on one hand the number of talks I have heard that emphasize the reality of God's holiness.
And sure, God's holiness is implicit in the very definition of sin, but it is very, very, very rarely explicity discussed.
And this has some terrible ramifications to our faith and our attitudes towards salvation.
Just think, some of the most frequently asked questions about the Christian faith are "if God is so loving, why does He punish people?" and "what do you mean 'only one way to God'? That's awfully arrogant. There must be other ways." and "I'm better than them, surely God will save me?"
Anyone else seeing what is going on here?
Yes, it is true that God is loving, more than that, He is love, but in the rush to reassure the world that there is a solution to their problem (this love) we have failed to fully explain what our problem is.
Yes, we can explain sin. But is sin really so bad if we don't hold in our minds just who it is we're sinning against?
God's mercy and grace suddenly make a whole lot more sense when we realise just how holy He is. When we realise the extent of His Holiness.
And I'm not talking about the "holiness: an absence of sins", I'm talking about a holiness that is living and active righteousness.
God's holiness is not a negative, a lack of sin, but a postive, a presence of perfection, goodness and purity.
So, yeah, all of a sudden the fact that good enough is not actually good enough, and we deserve punishment and there is only one way to God make a lot more sense.
And, in fact, I would say it makes that last one "there is only one way" absolutely incredible.
And I can't help but wonder is this what we lose when our devotions shelves at our Christian bookshops are filled with comforting titles like "Hope for the Hurting" (which is good and true, but only part of the story)?
Have we lost this really, deep understanding of God's holiness?
I think we have. And I think the cost of that is we lose a true understanding of God's love. Of the absolute depth and purity of His Love and Mercy.
When we forget just how Holy God is, when we forget the extent of His Holiness, we start to feel entitled.
More than that, as Augustus H. Strong once said (Wiersbe quotes him) "Love is central in god, but Holiness is central in love."
So, my friends, don't forget God's love, don't do away with it, but let's bring back the focus and understanding of God's holiness. Let's seek the depths of God's heart by seeking an understanding of His holiness. A great place to start is your Bible!
And so, for my thanksgiving point, Weirsbe makes the comment that "Love without holiness would be a monstrous thing that could destroy God's perfect Law, while holiness without love would leave no hope for the lost sinner." I give thanks that God is a both a holy God, and a Loving God. And I give thanks for the salvation He us offered to us in His Love.
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