GOD IS HOLY
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: God is Holy
Main Scripture: Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 40:25-26; Jeremiah 10:5-6; Habbakuk 3:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 2:15
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week, consider taking time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up! More scripture is throughout the sermon notes.
Summary:
This sermon proclaims that God is utterly holy—perfect in purity, power, and glory, set apart from all creation and unmatched in majesty. Because God is both personal and sovereign, believers are called to respond with reverence, obedience, and awe, recognizing that His holiness exposes sin but also provides cleansing through Christ’s sacrifice. Through salvation, we are made holy and become temples of His presence, set apart for His purposes. Therefore, our response to a holy God is to pursue holiness in our daily lives, turn from sin, love Him wholeheartedly, and live in reverent fear—an awe-filled devotion that shapes our choices, conduct, and worship.
Notes:
How we view God in our everyday lives is critical in our relationship with Him. We are to understand that He is both a PERSONAL God and a SOVEREIGN God. As a PERSONAL God, He is our Heavenly Father, caring for His children. As a SOVEREIGN God, He is the creator of all things, the ruler of Heaven and Earth. There is NO ONE like the Lord God Almighty.
God is HOLY – Holy is a moral attribute of God, like love, grace and mercy, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. God Himself is THE MOST HOLY ONE.
Exodus 15:11 “Who is like you among the gods, O LORD— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?”
“The idea of holiness is at once understandable and elusive. Nevertheless, there is no term equal to the fullness inherent in holiness. All of heaven’s hosts, Israel, and the church ascribe praise to a holy God because that idea sets him apart from everything else.”
M. William Ury, Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
“God alone is majestic in holiness. The uniqueness of His holiness is stressed in the repetition of the angelic choir surrounding His throne as they sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.” (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). God’s perfect holiness is a humbling and even terrifying thing when revealed to weak and sinful men (Isa. 6:5; Luke 5:8; Rev. 1:17). Cabal, Ted, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Holiness is what God is -His nature.
Holy is an essential attribute of God and inherent to God’s identity – His wisdom, justice, and power all flow from and reflect His holy nature. God’s holiness reveals His supreme moral purity, and His separation from all evil. In God there is no sin, nor can He commit sin. Holiness means God is PURE with a mighty all-consuming purity permitting no blemish, and that He is supremely good. God stands alone in His perfection, power, and moral authority, making Him worthy of exclusive devotion and trust. God becomes the standard by which all is measured, the ultimate test to which everything must submit.
1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
God is transcendent in His holiness – surpassing the range of normal or merely physical human experience. He is so utterly beyond human experience. God is all together holy, a consuming fire. (Heb 12:29).
Isaiah 40:25-26 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
Jeremiah 10:5-6 “No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. 7 Who should not fear you, King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise leaders of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.”
Psalm 113:4-6 “For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. 5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? 6 He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.”
God’s glory, God’s presence is beyond words – magnificent, bright, blinding.
Habakkuk 3:3-4 “His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise. 4 His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden.”
God’s holiness is brighter than the sun!! God’s holiness is infinite, unchanging, and perpetually astonishing, offering an inexhaustible subject of praise. (Commentators speculate that) His glory is constantly being revealed over and over.
Psalm 89:5-11 “All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. 6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord? 7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne. 8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. 9 You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. 10 You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.”
WHO IS LIKE OUR GOD?
Asking “Who is like God?”—is not so much a question seeking an answer, but this is a declaration that God stands alone in power, holiness, compassion, and transcendence. The question itself becomes a form of worship, inviting believers to recognize what cannot be matched or imitated. When men encounter the awesomeness of God’s glory, they are humbled, fall prostrate with their faces to the ground, trembling in the encounter because they have experienced the incredible power of God’s holiness, His glory.
The Story of Isaiah seeing the glory of God,
Isaiah 6:5 “Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
When we encounter a HOLY God, all things in darkness are brought into the light. We choose in that moment to fall to our knees, confessing that we are a sinner in need of grace, OR we run and hide. OUR GOD IS HOLY!
WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE TO A HOLY GOD?
Know our place – we are set apart He alone is the Almighty God. WE ARE NOT GOD! He alone is the great “I AM”. Our posture must be one of reverence, deep respect, and awe of God. Reverence is a respectful, submissive disposition arising from affection and esteem, from a sense of superiority in the person reverenced. With a HOLY God as our Head, we don’t have the luxury to do what we want, how we want to, whenever we choose. God doesn’t play…He is altogether holy with no blemish or darkness in Him. He HATES sin. He is complete purity and will not tolerate, condone, or “wink at” sin.
Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
We cannot take the holiness of God for granted. He has drawn a defining line between good and evil, and we are to be set apart, different, forever changed in the light of His holiness. To contemplate the realization that we are to be set apart, to turn away from evil, should cause us to take pause.
What in our lives draws us away from holiness?
What tarnishes our soul?
What actions do we continue to take, knowing they are sin?
God does not HATE us because we are sinners. Yes, He is a holy God who hates sin. And we operate mostly in our relationship with God by receiving from Him, with our focus mainly on what He gives us in His grace and mercy. AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO. We believe and behave in the truth that His love covers over a multitude of sin. AND IT DOES. We live in the shadow of the cross, allowing Christ’s sacrifice to cover us and make us righteous. AND IT DOES! His grace, mercy, and the sacrifice of Christ makes us clean and righteous. Therefore, we can approach a HOLY God. But should we continue to sin because of His grace and mercy?
Romans 6:1-2 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”
We cannot only RECEIVE all God has provided us without also giving back what is rightfully due Him - HONOR, REVERENCE, AND RESPECT. Holiness radiates outward from God’s character, transforming and setting apart all that encounters His nature. We serve the Almighty God who created all things. We are to bow before Him in reverence and awe, consecrating ourselves before Him, rather than taking the sacrifice for granted and continuing in sinful ways. He calls us to a holy life. A life set apart for His purpose.
The Correlation with The Tabernacle and Temple In the same way the tabernacle in Exodus 40 and the temple of God in 1 Kings 8, were anointed, consecrated, and made holy, and the presence of God filled each place, we are made holy, purified, and consecrated to God when we accept Christ as our Savior. As the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and also filled the temple, His presence fills us – His glory, His majesty, His holiness. Now WE ARE the temple of God in which His presence dwells. We are made holy, pure, consecrated, and dedicated for the service and purposes of God. When Christ said, “It is Finished,” the veil/curtain that once separated us from the presence of God was torn in two, now allowing us access through the blood of the Lamb to enter into the MOST HOLY PLACE. We are made holy when we accept Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation, cleansing us from all sin. What was once off limits to only the priests is now ours. God established a new covenant, and we experience his presence - His glory fills us, His temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16 “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”
Now, as temples of the living God, we separate ourselves.
Be Holy
God’s holiness creates a requirement that His people also be holy. Understanding God’s holiness is crucial for comprehending sin, salvation, and one’s own nature. God’s holiness provides the pattern for His people to imitate. Several places in scripture God calls His people to be Holy because He is Holy. (Lev 19:2; 11:44-45; 20:26)
1 Peter 1:14-16 “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
We would not be commanded to be holy if it were impossible. He wouldn’t ask something of us we were unable to fulfill.
What does “being holy” look like in the life of the believer?
Following His standards for living. God has provided everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Run from sin – all things evil. Pursue righteousness – go after it
1 Timothy 6:11-12 “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
Stay away from those things that will corrupt you
Galatians 6:7-8, ESV “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Romans 12:1-2, AMP “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Mark 12:29-30 “Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’”
Being holy in the life of the believer means our deepest desire must be to serve, honor, adore, and fear God so fervently that we don’t look back. We don’t look back to Egypt, to what once was, to the lure of comfort, worldly possessions, temporary satisfaction. Our eyes must be set on the promised land. We don’t look back!! What we have in Christ is so much more fulfilling, satisfying. It brings peace, versus being slaves again to the brutal slave driver of this world, who shows no mercy, who leaves destruction in his wake.
Living a holy lifestyle, saying no to ungodliness, being set apart is not always easy. We can be ridiculed, misunderstood, even mocked. Anything we experience in our lives today is to teach us, mold us, develop us, and guide us into holiness. Be holy. Be set apart, consecrated to God for His purposes by living a life pleasing to God.
Fear God
To be holy as God is holy requires us to fear God. To fear God DOES NOT mean we are to be afraid of Him. To fear God is expressing reverence and awe – a posture fundamentally different from cowering before a threat. Cultivating a healthy fear of the Lord begins with understanding what reverence actually means. Rather than dread, panic, being frightened, fearing God involves “reverential awe” – grasping His power and holiness. This means taking His Majesty seriously enough that you wouldn’t consider disobeying or dismissing Him.
“To fear God is to reverence and be in complete awe of Him. To adore Him above anything else. We love what He loves and hate what He hates. What is important to Him, is important to us.” –John Bevere, The Awe of God
We don’t need to be afraid of God. He is our Father and we are His children. He is not such a harsh disciplinarian that we are scared of his outbursts of anger over our failings. But like children, we should live in such a way as to avoid discipline. God disciplines those He loves. It is not enjoyable when He corrects our wrongs, it is painful. But afterward there is a peaceful harvest of right living. (Hebrews 12:5-11)
Story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 16-22) God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of a multitude of nations. With this covenant came the promise that God would give him a son of his own through Sarah (the mother of many nations). God’s promise was fulfilled – Sarah and Abraham had a son and named him Isaac. Abraham’s faith was tested when God told him to take his only son, Isaac, whom he loved so much, into the mountains and sacrifice him as a burnt offering.
Genesis 22:9-12 “When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” 12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
We can’t hold onto things with a death grip. God is holy and pure. We can show our full devotion and trust to Him - this is showing reverential awe, the fear of God. He’s got it!!
Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom - it results in good judgment.
Proverbs 9:10 “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”
This wisdom is not mere knowledge, but the ability to live rightly. The cultivation of this fear, then, isn’t about earning God’s favor through performance, but about recognizing His character so thoroughly that reverence becomes our natural response. We choose good over evil, right over wrong, God’s standards over the way the world operates. We choose obedience. To fear God is to do His will, to walk in His ways completely. The fear of God encompasses total devotion. BUT for those who refuse to serve God, there is a fear, being afraid, of wrath or judgment.
Luke 12:4-5 (Jesus speaking), “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.”
“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” – Oswald Chambers
Know Your Place, Be Set Apart
Be Holy
Fear God. Reverence Him as the ultimate authority in our lives.
TAKEAWAYS
1. We are called to be holy, to be set apart. We are to be different, not better than, the world in which we live. We are to be different, not better than, the world in which we live.
1 John 2:15 – “Do not love this world [be closely related to and associated with its beliefs, behaviors and customs; the world’s ideals] nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”
God’s word straight up says that if we say we love God but don’t obey His commands, we’re a liar and not living in the truth. Don’t deceive yourself.
1 John 5:21 – Keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
1 John 2:5 – Those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love Him by living their lives as Jesus did.
2. We are set apart for God’s purposes – to do His will. We are holy, having received the presence of God through salvation. His presence in us is a LIGHT for all to see, drawing others in from the darkness.
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds [AND YOUR MORAL EXCELLENCE] shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
3. Our relationship with God must begin with reverence. We cannot reduce Him to something casual, manageable, or familiar. He is not just an acquaintance. He is HOLY – transcendent, glorious, and entirely set apart.
Our lives are to be lived in a way that we don’t want to hurt Him. We don’t want to disobey Him. We honor Him. We sacrifice ourselves, our desires, our will, our ways to be holy as He is holy. Our posture is one of worship, reverence, awe, respect, adoration, and devotion.
Discussion:
How do you personally balance seeing God as both PERSONAL and SOVEREIGN? How might a fuller understanding of both change your daily relationship with Him?
When you think about God’s holiness—His absolute purity and separation from sin—what emotions or thoughts rise up in you?
The sermon asks: “What in our lives draws us away from holiness?” What are some subtle ways believers today can drift from being “set apart”? How can we practically pursue holiness without becoming legalistic?
What does it mean to “be holy because He is holy” (1 Peter 1:16) in your everyday life? What would pursuing holiness look like in your speech, relationships, habits, media choices, or thought life this week?
The sermon distinguishes between being afraid of God and fearing God with reverential awe. How would you describe the difference? How does a healthy fear of the Lord lead to wisdom, obedience, and freedom rather than anxiety?
Pray Together
Lord, we honor you above all else. You are a Mighty God, maker of all things, the Most High God. There is no being or god like YOU! We lift you up. We praise you. With the angels around your throne, we sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” In the light of your holiness, we see our faults, our shortcomings, our blemishes. Will you forgive us for ever taking you for granted and thank you for offering your free gifts of grace and mercy, lovingkindness, and holiness. We thank you for your gifts of salvation, sanctification, and for creating in us a clean heart. We give back to you our adoration, our gratefulness, our praise, our focus. Worthy are you, Lord God Almighty. May my heart forever sing of your greatness.
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!