Attributes of God pt8

Push my button here. All of God's attributes are his imperfection.

Agreed? That there's no limit to God's omnipotence. There's no limit to the fact that God sees all that.

God knows all that. That God always does right.

But when you think about holiness, if we had to put one...

And that's where I'm struggling. Like, in other words, can we put one attribute of God, one characteristic of God above all others?

Can we do that and still say that when we consider God in his being, whatever he is in his being, he is in an infinite way, and that there is...

it's limitless. So can we say that there is an essential characteristic of God that we can look to from which all others flow?

Let's just think about that for a second. Are we able to do that or would we be violating, if you will, the fact that God is all -powerful?

And what we've been saying is that whatever God is, he is in absolute completeness.

I'm sorry, could I just ask you a question? So what do you think?

Can we do that? Would we be right if we said that, and this is where I'm still working through it in my own mind, that God's holiness is the ocean from which all other attributes flow.

Would that violate thoughts about God? Hey, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning.

Hey, brother. Would that be off -limits, if you will?

So we just started talking about the attributes of God. We said we were going to do one more today, and it's on holiness and what

I had asked. Well, naturally, everything flows in his being, naturally.

Whether it be holiness, whether it be omniscience, whether it be... But I still say that I don't think you'd be off -base necessarily saying, okay, holiness because he lets

Israel know throughout the Old Testament, I'm holy. Right. He's holy because I'm holy.

I am holy, so... Which he bases his whole nature to them on that. Right. So I don't think we'd be wrong either way, saying it naturally flows.

See, that's where I... And I want to make sure that I'm thinking about it correctly, and it seems like you're somewhat in agreement with me that when we look at it from...

And that's my problem, saying an essential characteristic of God, essential attribute of God.

Is holiness that ocean from which all other things flow?

Or is it truly that as the scriptures kind of work out and give to us that God is, again, all -powerful, all -knowing, all -seeing, and that holiness is...

I'm just struggling with that. Bro? I didn't hear the first part, but going off of this,

I think one factor to consider is that because God is dealing with a fallen race, that would be the one characteristic to always remind man,

I am holy. In other words, you're fallen, and so all of our perspective would seem...

So I would say it would seem to flow from that because from a human perspective, we couldn't understand what holiness is because of our fallenness until we come into that relationship with God, and then we start being illumined by the

Holy Spirit as time goes on and we grow and mature and develop that understanding. So, following that thought, so when we become

His, we don't become omnipotent, we don't become all -seeing, we don't become everywhere at all but that reality of, be you holy for I am holy, that we do take on for the first time, and in truth, an aspect of the nature and attributes and the being of God, which is essentially what?

Holiness. Now, there's two things that I guess we could break out.

So, one is two characteristics of holiness. One is, I'm going to just use it this way, that God is separate.

And I think that's what you were saying, brother, unless I'm misunderstanding you, that God is... Remember what it says in Psalm 50, it says, and I think

I put it up on the board, you really thought I was such a one as you, right?

And one of the great characteristics or the great attributes or the, if you will, infinite attributes of God is this fact that He is separate from all else.

He even charges the angels, right? It says in the Psalms, He charges the angels with error.

So, there is none like God, sister. And A .W.

Pink was speaking on the holiness of God and he said how, why it was sinful, because God's love is holy.

With me, there's no love like that. God's wrath is holy, he said, because there's no wrath like God.

So, what do you think about that part? No, and I'm going to show us a couple of verses to support that because when we read through, especially in the

Old Testament, God talks about different characteristics and different attributes of Himself.

And He always prefaces it by holy. And I'm going to show you that. But let me just finish this.

The other thought when we think about holiness is, let's do it this way.

And George, I think this is what you were talking about. There's none like God. There is none righteous, no, not one.

And God is infinitely what? Righteous. So, these two thoughts about Him being, if you will, the great other, separate from all else.

And then the fact that everything that God does is in absolute purity and righteousness.

And again, which this speaks about His character, about His being, and this speaks about what

He does. Everything, because that's what we would say, right? What does the psalmist say?

God is righteous in all His ways and holy in all

His works, right? So, with that statement, and again,

God is righteous in all His ways. In His being, in His character,

God is separate from all else. And then in His actions.

So, let's look at a couple of them because I do think, let me just run through the scriptures with you.

Let's go to Psalm 145. What was interesting to me is I pulled out some verses, and certainly there are many more, but a lot of them were in the

Psalms. And I thought about that and I said, well, when you see it in, if you think about the

Psalms, what is the Psalms? One of the great characteristics of the

Psalms is that it's an expression of man's experience, not only with other men, but with God.

And so, it would seem that it would fit that as man contemplates

God, and that's what is in the Psalms to a great extent, that man would always look to the fact that God is holy and that God is different.

In Psalm 145, and I think we just said this, but in verse 17, the

Lord is righteous in all His ways, glorious in all

His works, and the Lord is near to all who call upon Him. That you and I can think of it that way.

And let's think about what it says in Habakkuk. And the reason why

I'm going over these is because to us, a lot of these are familiar, but at the same time,

I think it's worthwhile for us to see them and to continue to go over them.

So, remember what it says in Habakkuk? I always want to say tobacco, but I don't think that would,

I don't think there's a translation that would do that. In Habakkuk 1, and just look at it with me in verse 12 of the first chapter, look what he says.

Are you not from everlasting? Oh Lord, my God, my holy one. We shall not die, oh

Lord. You have appointed them for judgment. Oh rock, you have marked them for correction.

And look at verse 13. You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and you cannot look on iniquity.

Of purer eyes than to behold evil, and you cannot look on iniquity.

Now, I believe it was Sproul who said this, and I've been thinking about it, and I'm not sure how

I think about it, but he said,

God forgives sinners, but God never forgives sin. And I've been thinking about that, and I'm not quite sure if I am in absolute agreement with that.

And, but the fact is God does forgive sinners.

The fact that God forgives sin can only be because of what?

Because of Christ, right? It can only be, if God forgave sin without a mediator, that would violate

God's character, because he's of purer eyes than to look on iniquity and behold evil.

So, I'm not so certain that I can say that, unless there's a qualification. I know what the scriptures say, that God has put our sins as far as the east is from the west, right?

And God has put our sins behind his back, and he remembers them no more. But I'm just not sure if I'm absolutely settled on the fact that, of what he said.

But I know this, one of the great attributes, or if you will, the overwhelming attribute of God is that he's separate, and that he's pure, and that he cannot look upon evil, and he cannot just disregard iniquity.

He's of purer eyes than to behold it. And so when you think about that, and you think about what is being said, well, what do you think about that?

Can we rightfully say, God forgives sinners, but God doesn't forgive sin?

Well, Isaiah tells us that your sin has separated us. So there's something there, you know, that has to be set aside for us to even have a relationship.

Yeah, that's exactly what I've been doing. I've been rolling it around in my head since I read it.

And I'm just, well, you mentioned Isaiah, and so there's so many verses to look at.

But go to Isaiah 1 for a second, and that, what you just said, brother,

I believe that's Isaiah 59, where it says our sins are separated. I believe it is. Yeah. Yeah.

But go to Psalm 1, because this is the great issue, if you will, in the book of Isaiah, isn't it?

From the very beginning. Well, not just from the book of Isaiah, but from the very beginning is that man is sinful, and God is absolutely holy.

Therefore, there is this, if you will, great issue. But look what it says.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth. I'm reading verse 2 of Isaiah 1. For the

Lord has spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib.

But Israel does not know, and my people do not consider a last sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupted.

They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked to anger the

Holy One of Israel. They have turned away backwards. And then it goes on and continues on, right?

But there's this great controversy, which causes separation.

And it's really because the Holy One has been violated, right?

And as you begin to think about those things, and you think about how a man in general,

I'm going to say, a man in general thinks they're the victim, and God is the criminal almost, because they get into their whole issue about what's fair and what isn't fair.

But isn't the truth that God has been the victim, if we could say it that way, God has been the victim of what?

Of the criminality of man. Not necessarily that man is as bad as he can be, but he is, what it says here, a people laden with iniquity, and a brood of evildoers, and children who are corrupted.

And the reason being, again, is because they have forsaken the Lord, who is the

Holy One. And I agree with you. Matter of fact, I think I wrote it down in my notes somewhere that, let me just see if I can, that the holiness of God, yeah, there's 1144 times the

Bible uses holy. And a lot of them are in Isaiah.

And interestingly enough, a lot of them are in the book of Acts, where it talks about the

Holy One. But if you think about it, when

God says certain things, he really only needs to say it once.

But yet this whole thought of holiness, the Holy One, the one who is separate, the one who is absolutely pure, is mentioned over 1100 times in the

Bible. And I'm not even sure I've got all of them correct. But when you think about these things, and I want to go back to what you had said, sister, about everything is about the character

God is almost prefaced by the fact that he is the great other, and that there, he's absolutely pure.

So I'm going to jump you around a little bit in the Psalms. But I want to show you this, go to Psalm 98.

I know I have a tendency to go to the Psalms. And for whatever reason,

I agree to that, that I do a lot of times go to the Psalms.

But it is so revealing to me of not only the thoughts that men have, but of my own thoughts.

So I want to show you a couple of things in Psalm 98.

And this is where it begins to unfold. Well, let me just read it to you in Psalm 98, verse one,

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.

Now look, his right hand and his holy arm has gained him the victory.

See, so when we talk about the omnipotence of God, what is, which would be the thought behind his holy arm, the power of God, it's a holy arm.

It's a pure arm. It's an arm that is unlike any other arm, if you will.

So again, is that not in some way stipulating that God's omnipotence is based on the fact that he is holy, that he is of purer eyes than to behold evil, that he cannot look on iniquity.

And then again, we can still mull around in our minds, is

God not only the forgiver of sinners, but does God forgive sin? And think about those kinds of things.

All right, go to Psalm 105. We're in here. So might as well just hang around.

I want you to look at verse 42.

You can read all the Psalms and we're going to read one at the end, but think about this.

Verse 42 says, he remembered his holy promise.

You see how, again, it's almost as if the promises of God are prefaced on what?

His holiness. So we have his holy arm. We have his holy promise, which, again, was given to Abraham, at least as we look at it in this standpoint.

Now go to just flip back to Psalm 103 for a second. And there's something else to consider in these verses.

Let me just read it to you from the beginning. Psalm 103. So, bless the

Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, what? Bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercy, who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Again, is that teaching us that the forgiveness of sin is based on God's holiness, and that there's a necessity in order for God to be

God, there has to be a holy aspect of his forgiving sin, which

I'm going to say is to be found where? In Christ. Only in Christ.

And so can there be forgiveness outside of Christ? We would say no, right?

We would have to say that's not possible. So his holy arm, his holy promise, his holiness is the outworking, and it's outworking, forgives sinners, but qualified in what?

In the Lord Jesus Christ, because he is the express image of God, being the express image of God.

Isn't it interesting that we read things like that? Jesus did always the things that pleased the

Father. So what are we saying by that? That he was in perfect agreement with the holiness of God, and that you and I, again, are forgiven because of his work and his surety for us.

Uh, one more in the Psalms for now, anyway. Psalm 30, since we're here, we might as well just hang out for a little bit.

In Psalm 30, I want to look at. I will extol you,

O Lord, for you have lifted me up, and you have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you have healed me, O Lord. You have brought my soul up from the grave.

You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the

Lord, you saints are his. Give thanks at the remembrance of what?

His holy name. See, again, it seems to be that, uh, and I think you brought it up before, brother, that especially as you read through the

Old Testament, and certainly not neglecting the New Testament, but it's, it's, it's always directed towards who?

The Holy One. Not just any God, but only

God who is holy. And therefore, um, can any other

God make that claim? Can the God of, of Allah make that claim?

Can the God of, of this denomination or this, uh, philosophy or thought or faith or whatever way you want to term it, can they make that claim?

Or is it only the fact that God claims himself as the Holy One, as the

Righteous One, as the One who is absolutely separate from all others?

And I know we've talked about this many times, but what's the one characteristic or what's the one attribute of God that's given to us, not just in one place, but there's in more places than that, where it says that God is what?

Holy, holy, holy, right? What was the statement in Isaiah 6?

When Isaiah saw the Lord high lifted up and his train filled the temple and, and what was it?

Holy, holy, holy, right? And again, people have highlighted, and I know brother

Keith has mentioned it a number of times, and I think many of us have probably said it. That attribute of God is, is given to us in triples.

Um, never says God is love, love, love. And that goes back to what

I've been struggling with, because is this then the absolute, if you will, ocean from which all other things flow?

Because God is love, right? Same way God is light. And you remember what it says in the other place that I remembered that it said, holy, holy, holy was in Revelation.

I'm not going to step on brother Mike's feet, but nevertheless go to Revelations 4 for a minute and let's just read it again.

I know we just read it, but, um, in Revelation 4, and as, as the throne room is revealed to us after you, if you will, in the beginning of chapter 4 and, and the door standing open in heaven and, and all that, um, activity that's revealed to us.

And then it says in verse 8, and the four living creatures, each having six wings were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night saying what?

Holy, holy. Is that not only denoting the fact that God is absolutely pure, but is that also confirming to us in the sense of the

Trinity? Holy, holy, holy. These things that, um, what

I find interesting at times is, let me pose it as a question.

Do you think that the churches of Christ spend sufficient time on the holiness of God?

On the fact that God is unlike any other, the great other, and that God is absolutely pure, or do we find ourselves at times entertaining,

I'm not going to say less important things, but it almost seems at times as if we try to avoid the fact that God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that he cannot look on iniquity.

Not that he will not, he cannot. And because he cannot, he will not. I agree to that.

But God is of purer eyes than to behold evil. What do you think?

Do you think that that's, that there's some legitimacy in the fact that we seem, let me say this, this causes me to fear.

I don't know about you, but the fact that there is none like God, and that he is absolutely pure, realizing my impurity, realizing what

I am and who I am, this is such an awesome thought, isn't it?

That we're not dealing with some God who winks and just says, ah, don't worry about it.

That God is of such purity that he cannot bypass offenses against his holiness.

What do you think? I think that what you just said basically encapsulates it all.

If I, the way I see it, if you look at the law, especially when

God is giving Moses instructions on how the priests are to dress, how they are to enter the process and the rituals that they are to perform, how the sinner is supposed to come to the

Lord, how the priests are to do the sacrifices, all of that is premised on this fact, and it's emphasizing you cannot just approach

God. Yep. You have to recognize that God is what the Hebrews say, right?

That without faith it is impossible. Why? Because you're not dealing with another human being.

You're dealing with the creator. Absolutely. The holy man has really, on his own, he has no concept of what that means unless God reveals it to him.

So throughout all of scripture, this is where I see the theme always being emphasized.

You're dealing with a holy God. Yeah, and as you say that, God doesn't leave anything up for our own decision, especially as it pertains to what you just talked about in the priesthood.

And I've been reading through 2 Chronicles, interestingly enough, part of my own personal study, and yeah, as Solomon was building a temple,

God didn't say, hey, Solomon, I've given you wisdom above all, now you figure it out.

What do you think would work? It's almost like, what do you think of this color? No, God has absolute purity, and that must be demonstrated in his worship.

So again, what I'm getting at in part is, have we as the churches of Christ, do we avoid this reality of who he is and what that means over just gathering in?

And again, I'm not trying to take shots at anything. Well, holiness has you coming to grips with sin and repentance, and that's not a popular thing.

No, it's not, brother. You're right. You're right about that. And it almost seems in a way that people would prefer, again, opinion, so I've got to be careful about that.

People would prefer devotional thoughts, right? People will prefer knowing facts.

People will prefer, and again, I'm not, but that was one of the allurements to me was back when the late great planet

Earth and all this stuff was coming up, people wanted to know about the second coming of Christ, and still today they do, right?

But do they really want to know the one who's coming? So it's almost like, I want to know when it's going to happen, but I don't want to necessarily deal with the one who is coming, and we bypass this reality of God's...

trying to figure out who the beast is within their own spiritual life. Absolutely. Then the holiness of God, and if you will, his purity, and again, isn't

Christ portrayed to us in that sense as brighter than the sun, and his garments shine, and all those imageries that are given and presented to us, do we just bypass them because we think it's like some supernatural character?

But it's not, it's because that's his essence, that's his character, those are the very things that he is, and that you and I ought to think about that in that way.

Now, in Psalm 89, you don't have to turn there, it says, Our shield belongs to the

Lord and our King, and our King to the Holy One of Israel. I can't tell you how many times it will say, the

Holy One of Israel, because that was the very thing that separated God from all the other gods, right?

Was his, not only who he is, what he does. And so again, just some things to think about it, and I will admit, um, if we really grasp the holiness of God, it's disturbing.

And I wonder if that's why we so often don't, is because it is disturbing, you know, it's unsettling, if you think about it.

You said it earlier, it's fearful. It's a fearful thing, right? And isn't it, that's why it says, it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living

God, because the living God, the true God, the everlasting God, as Jeremiah says, he is the great other, and he is of absolute purity.

Same way to sacrifices. Again, what was that teaching? Is the lamb without what? Blemish.

Because again, blemishes cannot come in the sight of a vice holy

God. And so when you think about those things, um, you can't help but deal to it, deal with it.

Go, if you will, for a minute, just into Isaiah 45. I wanted to look at this in Isaiah 45.

Actually, before we do that, go to Isaiah 40, because I think this is even clearer.

Okay. I'm going to read this a little bit, um, but I'm going to jump around from different verses.

So the premise of chapter 40, comfort, yes, comfort my people, says your

God, speak comfort to Jerusalem, cry out to her, her warfare is ended, her iniquity is pardoned, for she has received from the

Lord's hand double for all her sins. And again, that's a troubling thought when you think about God forgives sinners, but does

God forget sin? Anyway, um, and then it goes on, and of course, he describes what man is.

And as you begin to work through this, um, look in verse 10.

Behold, the Lord shall come with a strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. Remember, we read it was a holy arm.

Behold, his reward is with him, his work before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs with his arm, carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those who were with young.

And then it goes on to describe God, right? Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hands and measured heaven with a span, calculated the dust of the earth in a measure, weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

Who has directed the spirit of the Lord? Who has, or who as his counselor has taught him?

With whom did he take counsel and who instructed him? Which is pretty interesting if you think about it in relation to what we're talking about.

Who could instruct the absolute pure one? Because no one is absolutely pure, right?

So how could anyone seek to give counsel to one who is absolutely pure?

So drop down to verse 18. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

The workman molds a graven image. The goldsmith overweighs it with gold.

The silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution chooses a tree which will not rot.

And he seeks himself a skillful man and then goes on and on and on. But as you begin to,

I come down to it in verse 25. It says, to whom then will you liken me?

Or to whom shall I be equal says who? The Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these things, who brings out the host by number, who calls them all by name by the greatness of his might and the strength of his power.

Not one is missing. And so why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel? My way is hidden from the

Lord and my just claim is passed over by the Lord. Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The everlasting, the Lord, the creator of the heavens and the earth, neither faints nor is weary.

There's no searching to his understanding and gives power to the weak. And those who have no might, he increases strength.

And even the youths shall faint and be weary. And the young men shall utterly fall.

But those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles.

They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not be faint. So again, who then can be equal to the

Holy One? Then think about this, because we're running out of time.

Remember what this verse says? I'll tell you what it says. It says, be holy for I am holy.

Now you can, you can spend a month of Sundays thinking about that one, right?

And then you can spend another month. Be you holy for I am holy.

How many of us can honestly say that we strive to live a holy life?

I mean, I will admit I strive to live a peaceful life, right?

And it even says that it says, follow after peace with what? With all men and what else?

Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. And again, this is disturbing.

And I don't mean it in a bad way. I mean it in a, in a way that this, this will take you down.

And unless God gives grace, you're not coming out of it. How many of us truly can say we strive to live a holy life?

Many of us strive to live a separate life, a peaceful life, a happy life.

If we live the holy life, do you not think those other things would follow? Would not a holy life lead to a peaceful life?

Would not a holy life lead to a happy life? Would not a holy life lead to a, if you will, safe life?

Again, not safe merely from externals. But when we think about it and we think about who is the one who will ultimately return, it's a fearful thing.

It's a fearful thing. All right, I'm going to read one more and then we'll be pretty much out of time.

I want you to go to Psalm 99. I'm just going to read it. Short one.

Because to me, this is almost a summary of all the things that we've been talking about.

And it's only nine verses. The Lord reigns.

Let the peoples tremble. He dwells beneath or between the cherubim.

Let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.

Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is holy.

The king's strength also loves justice. You have established equity. You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at his footstool for he is holy.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests. Samuel was among those who called upon his name.

They called upon the Lord and he answered them. He spoke to them in a cloudy pillar.

They kept his testimonies and the ordinances that he gave them. You answered them, O Lord our

God. You were to them God who forgives, though you took vengeance on their deeds.

Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at his holy hill for the

Lord our God is holy. Wow. Contemplating that will leave you breathless.

Oh, let me put it this way. It ought to leave us breathless. And the problem with us is, again, we're so, if you will, clouded with so much that is opposed to that very thought of God's holiness, that it kind of causes us to drift.

Just like, do you ever have a time where you're in prayer and you think you really have a fellowship with God, and the next thing you know, you're thinking about wanting to have a cheeseburger?

All right, so that's where I go, unfortunately. Unfortunately, or something really insignificant, and then it's like, do

I not realize? Or is this just a temptation? Is this just something that is broken against me to take me away from the fact that God is holy?

So a lot more could be said, but I'm going to leave it at that.

Like I said, we spent eight studies on the attributes of God. Next week, we're going to look at miracles.

And I don't even know if we'll get through that in one sitting. But after that, then we're going to move on to the person of Christ.

And then after that, we'll move on to the person of the Holy Spirit. And then after that, there's a bunch of different things concerning the church and church government.

There's a lot to be had. And if you've been following in the book from Sproul, I'm not going through every single topic that he mentions.

I will go back at a certain point. But anyway, all right, let's just close with a word of prayer.

Father, again, we come to you and we praise you that you are the

Holy One. That there's none like you, Lord, that you are righteous in all your ways, that you are holy in all your works.

Oh God, make us a holy people. Make us a people who hate sin. Even as you're of pure eyes, then to be whole evil.

And you cannot look on iniquity. And so Lord, may we rejoice in the truth that Christ came to restore fellowship with a holy

God and sinful man, because he alone is fully God, fully man. May we worship you this morning in spirit and truth and bless us in your holy name.