Earlier, we looked at Isaiah 6. This was a most amazing scene. Angels flying around crying “Holy, Holy, Holy” and the very presence of God was enough for the prophet to be overcome. God is Holy! Do we really understand what this means? Many have tried to describe God in ways that we can understand. This passage is a most effective way to show us this great a glorious God.
The word Holy, does not only indicate purity but also completeness. God is more than we can even imagine. He is flawless in all ways. He is lacking in nothing! He does not lack power, wisdom, or love. We may have a hard time fully grasping the extent of the completeness of God for we have no comparison. The exciting thing is that God has called us to be Holy, even as he is Holy! (1 Peter 1:16)
We have already stated that God is not demanding perfection, but Holiness. The difference is profound. Perfection is God not man. Holiness is being totally complete in all ways and lacking in nothing. We must continually seek to live Godly lives of purity but that is our effort. God wants us to know and accept the fact that we are complete in him and lacking nothing because of his effort. Again the focus is on God not us.
“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.” (Isaiah 6:3). Translate the words and we can declare, “complete, complete, complete” is the Lord of Hosts! Scripture shows that he is not a brittle potentate that snubs creation because of who he is. What a loving and wonderful person! Even though he is pure and complete, he is always reaching out to each one in love.
When we consider the holiness of God we are compelled to be different. To be whole is our desire. This is an act of God that we cooperate with. We are not taking sides regarding Calvinistic or Arminian theology, rather we celebrate the beauty of the Almighty who would love all so much that he would call us to be Holy even as he is Holy.
If it is an act of God, how do we cooperate with God to be Holy? The simple truth is that we accept the truth of who God is. This is the most complete definition of true worship! Jesus said in Matthew 23:25, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.” It’s not a matter of looking good to others. The eyes of the most Holy One see the inside as well as the outside. Trying to fool people is bad enough but to try to fool ourselves is an insult to God.
At salvation, we become saints. We become complete in God. Heirs of God. We lack nothing. Psalm 23 is such a beautiful picture of how we, as God’s sheep are totally without lack. Some may say, “but I am sick”, or “I am in debt”, or “I am in trouble”. God does not lie. He is not a debtor to anyone. No charge can be made to him who is pure and complete. He is no respecter of persons, meaning that he does not discriminate between anyone. No one gets while others lack because of God. “But some are healed and others aren’t”. Do we dare point an accusing finger at the one who gave that we can be healed? Scripture declares in Isaiah 53:5, “by his stripes, we are healed”. It does not say some. That is not the character of God. Jesus was offered up for all, not just some. When will we seek God and not answers? We may have to wait for the “God” appointed time, but we have the assurance of the love of a Holy God! A lifestyle of worship will be marked by the calm assurance of the Holiness of God.