What Does It Mean That God Is Holy?
I enjoy listening to Stephen McWhirter; he’s an amazing singer. I suggest checking him out on YouTube if you don’t know him. Anyway, I love his version of “Revelation Song,” especially this line:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”
We sing songs like this and others where we talk about the holiness of our Lord God.
We also read Scripture and see the seraphim declaring not once, not twice, but three times, “Holy, holy, holy.” So, Scripture clearly places a lot of importance on God being holy.
But why does the Bible place so much emphasis on this word? What does it mean that God is holy? And more importantly, what does His holiness mean for us?
Being holy does not simply mean doing our best to be really good and nice. God calls us to belong to Him, turn away from sin, and become more like Christ in the way we live. He sets us apart and, through His grace, changes us.
In this guide, we’re going to use Isaiah’s encounter with God to understand His holiness. We’ll also see how God’s holiness exposes our sin, how His holiness works together with His love and mercy, and what God means when He tells us to be holy.
Key Takeaways
- God’s holiness means more than being without sin. He is completely pure, uncreated, and different from everything He made. There is no corruption or darkness in Him.
- God’s holiness exposes what is wrong inside us. When we compare ourselves with other people, we may think we’re doing great. But when we look at God, we see how much we still need His grace.
- The Holy God is not afraid to come near us. Jesus touched the unclean, ate with sinners, forgave sins, and restored people without becoming contaminated by their sin.
- Being called to holiness does not mean becoming God. It means belonging to Him, turning away from sin, becoming more like Jesus, and being ready to serve when God calls us.
Isaiah Saw God and Suddenly Saw Himself Differently
You can read Isaiah 6:1–5 before we jump into it. But several things happen:
- Isaiah, the prophet of Israel, has a vision where he sees God seated on a high and lofty throne.
- The seraphim stand above God, calling to one another, “Holy, holy, holy.”
- The foundations of the temple doorways shake at the sound of their voices, and the temple becomes filled with smoke.
After Isaiah saw God’s holiness and glory, his behavior changed. He looked at himself and the people around him and realized that he was a man of unclean lips living among people of unclean lips.
I think we all fall into the same mistake. We do not truly understand God’s holiness. I might look at myself and think I’m pretty good.
But when you’re faced with God, you realize how much sin and uncleanness you still have.
Nothing about Isaiah had suddenly changed. What changed was what he could now see.
Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, and God did amazing things through him. Yet even he clearly saw how sinful he still was when standing before God’s glory.
Still, as we keep reading, God does not tell Isaiah, “Get away from me, you dirty man.” Instead, God reaches out and cleanses him. This story shows us not only the holiness of God but also His mercy and goodness.
Holy Means More Than “God Never Does Anything Wrong”
When you think of God’s holiness, the first thought that may come to your mind is, “He’s perfectly pure and without sin.”
That is right. God is morally perfect and completely without evil. But holiness goes beyond that initial understanding.
Creator vs. Creation
God’s holiness points to how different He is from all creation. God has always existed, and He is the Crea