Fear the Holy God

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:28-29

Last night when driving home from church, I was reminded that God is a holy God.  He is flawless in character, beautiful in perfection, fierce, infinite in power, and a consuming fire.  Every example I can give in comparing God to man is woefully lacking.  He is like molten gold in comparison to dung, flowing lava that consumes chaff in an instant.  We are made of corruptible elements of earth, while God is unchanging, timeless, and a supernatural Spirit.  No man dare stand before Him, and only fools believe they can fool Him.  If a man should think twice about attacking the Leviathan mentioned in the book of Job, who can fight against God?

In a day when personal rights are embraced and protected more than ever, the pride and arrogance of man is ever increasing.  We stand up for our rights, freedoms of speech, and freedom of expression.  People carry signs, chant slogans, camp out in public, cover their mouths in duct tape, burn their bras, live in trees, and set themselves on fire to make their point.  Authority of any kind is met with fierce resistance because "We have rights!"  Courts are filled with cases where people have locked horns over the compensation they feel they rightfully deserve.  From children to corporate executives, greed is a chronic malady.  People are naturally selfish, stubborn, vengeful, and proud.

While man runs around fighting for his rights, standing up for himself while being steeped in sin, God is holy.  God does not operate like a democratic government that allows people to collect signatures to place an issue on the ballot.  God is absolute, and is absolutely holy.  He allows man to have his own will and do as he pleases.  Because He loves man and desires that none should perish, God gave man His unalterable laws.  Man is only condemned by God's law and proven a gross sinner.  Then God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ revealed in the form of a man without reputation, and He laid down His life on Calvary so all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  He rose from the dead, proving His power both over sin and death.  But God is still holy.  He still cannot abide with sin.  His holy nature is a consuming fire.  All who think they can approach a holy and righteous God in their sin are gravely mistaken.

After Joshua accompanied the children of Israel into the Promised Land, he said some interesting things.  Even though the Israelites were to serve only God, they still carried with them idols from the land of Egypt (Josh. 24:14).  Joshua rebuked the people, telling them they needed to choose whom they would serve.  Then he said something every person on the planet would do well to hear in Joshua 24:19-20:  "But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good."  We cannot serve God, nor be forgiven if we are living in sin.  He is a righteous, holy God.  If any man think he has something to offer God, hear again the word of the LORD:  "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God...He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins."

God cannot ignore sin.  His righteous character is a consuming fire which instantly ignites any chaff in His presence.  No Christian has the right to be in sin.  Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 10:12-13:  "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"  God has requirements of His people and those He will save by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  Being washed with the blood of Jesus does not free us to pursue sin, but it condemns us because we knowingly trampled the blood of Jesus underfoot and have counted His sacrifice as rubbish (Heb. 10:26-31).

So what is to be done? 1 John 1:7-9 reads, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Everyone has sinned, and the wages of sin is death.  Jesus reaches out to all men today with great love - not because it is our right - but out of His grace.  Here is the true picture of how God views humanity according to holiness and righteousness:  Romans 3:9-18 (NKJV) "What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. ¹⁰ As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. ¹² They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." ¹³ "Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips";¹⁴ "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." ¹⁵ "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ destruction and misery are in their ways; ¹⁷ and the way of peace they have not known." ¹⁸ "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

That is only half the picture.  Mankind is absolutely sinful, but God is absolutely good.  As fierce as His wrath burns towards sin, His gracious love towards man glows bright.  Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  It is also written in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:  "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."  We are sinners, and there is grace in God.  The way to receive of this grace is to repent and receive forgiveness for sins (Luke 24:47).  God promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  As Christians we must repent, believe on the LORD Jesus, and then we can obey and serve Him.

If we want to go to heaven, then Christ is the only way (John 14:6).  Only His blood can wash away the stain of sin, and only He can provide the robe of righteousness needed to gain heavenly entry.  Even after receiving Christ, we have no rights as slaves - only God's grace as adopted sons.  Heed therefore the words of Romans 13:11-14:  "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  God has said "Be holy, for I am holy."  He's talking to me, and He's talking to you.