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Chapter 80 [Home] [Accept Jesus] [More] [Previous] [Next] 080.000.000 Torrey: p36 THE HOLINESS OF GOD080.010.000
Torrey: p36, T:I 080.010.010
Torrey: p36, T:I, P:1 Isaiah 6:3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Joshua 24:19 Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins." Psalms 22:3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. Psalms 99:5, 9 [5] Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy. [9] Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy. Isaiah 5:16 But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness. John 17:11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name -- the name you gave me -- so that they may be one as we are one. 1 Peter 1:15-16 [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." God is called the Holy One of Israel about thirty times in Isaiah, and is so called also in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and elsewhere. In the New Testament, God the Son is spoken of as the holy one. 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. The third person of the Trinity is constantly spoken of as the Holy Spirit. Holiness is the essential moral nature of God. Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and lofty One says -- he who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." With reference to the Holy Spirit, the word Holy is both His name and a description of His character. 080.020.000
Torrey: p37, T:II 080.020.010
Torrey: p37, T:II, P:2 Leviticus 11:43-45 [43] Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. [44] I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. [45] I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you. Note the context of this verse. 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. 080.022.000
Torrey: p37, T:II 080.022.012
Torrey: p37, T:II, P:2 The truth that God is Holy is the fundamental truth of the Bible, of the Old Testament and the New Testament, of the Jewish Religion and the Christian Religion. All of the following were intended to teach, emphasize and burn into the minds and hearts of the Israelites the fundamental truth that God is Holy, unapproachably holy:
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Torrey: p37, T:II, P:2 - the punishment of Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:16- 26 - the doom of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16:1-33 - the destruction of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3 080.030.000
Torrey: p37, T:III 080.030.002
Torrey: no There is an old saying that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." God has absolute power. He has the ability to do anything without fear of reprisal. He could force us to love Him unconditionally; He could force us to do anything He wants and we would be powerless to resist. His holiness is demonstrated by the fact that He gives to each person that which the person deserves -- heavenly rewards to the righteous and eternal punishment to the wicked. Job 34:11-12 [11] He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. [12] It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. 080.030.004
Torrey: no In human legal systems, a judge has to keep order in his court. One of the ways to do this is by punishing people for contempt of court. Also, few questions are clear-cut. On most issues, a judge has a lot of discretion; regardless of which way he decides, no one can say he is clearly wrong. Hence, even lawyers, litigants, and witnesses who cannot stand the sight of the judge will usually pretend to honor and respect him, in the hope that he will not cause problems for them. Because he holds a lot of power, has a lot of prestige, and few people will speak out against him, it is not uncommon for a judge to become very haughty, arrogant, and condescending; he also develops a sense that he is always right and often becomes quite angry when challenged, even if he is obviously wrong. (By no means is this limited to male judges.) One lawyer referred to this combination of arrogance, condescension, etc., as 'judge-itis'. God's holiness is manifested in that even though He has power, prestige, and authority and He is always right, He has not let His position affect His sense of justice or cloud His judgment. 080.030.006
Torrey: no In the American legal system, a criminal accused of a serious crime usually can make a 'plea bargain' with the prosecutor. For instance, a criminal is charged with two counts each of aggravated assault, armed robbery, kidnapping, and rape, crimes for which he could be imprisoned for life. He agrees to plead guilty to one count of aggravated assault with a five-year sentence, and the prosecutor agrees to drop the other charges. God doesn't plea bargain. He doesn't 'cut deals'. He can't be 'bought' or bribed with large donations. He requires genuine repentance of all sins and a sincere desire to try to follow His holy ways. 080.030.010
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:3 Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? Genesis 6:5-6 [5] The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. [6] The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. Deuteronomy 25:16 For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. Proverbs 15:9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Proverbs 15:26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him. Proverbs 6:16-19 [16] There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: [17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, [18] a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, [19] a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Galatians 5:19-21 [19] The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 [9] Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders [10] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 9 has caused translators some problems. The word "offenders" does not occur in the Greek text. According to Ken Barker, General Editor of the NIV translation committee, the NIV translators added it to clarify a distinction that began in the 1970's -- the idea that a person is a "homosexual" because of homosexual "orientation" rather than homosexual activity. Other translations translate "male prostitutes" as "sodomites" It must be pointed out that God hates homosexual activity. The sexual orientation of the participants is irrelevant. Of course, it is possible for two heterosexuals of the same gender to engage in sexual activity together. God hates the acts, not the mere feelings or 'sexual orientation': Leviticus 18:22 Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. In the New American Bible "their blood ..." is rendered as: they have forfeited their lives. It should also be noted that male prostitutes generally have male customers, not female customers. Hence, in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "male prostitutes" is also discussing homosexuality; it is not saying that God only hates prostitution if the prostitute is male. Confer Deuteronomy 23:18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both. 080.030.020
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:4 Proverbs 15:9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Leviticus 19:2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.' Leviticus 20:26 You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. 080.030.030
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:5 Job 34:10, 12 [10] So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. [12] It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. 080.030.032
Torrey: no Job 34:11 He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. Job 4:8-9 [8] As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. [9] At the breath of God they are destroyed; at the blast of his anger they perish. 080.030.034
Torrey: no Job 34:11-12 [11] He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. [12] It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. === DISCUSSION === A heresy that is becoming increasingly popular is Universalism. Universalism claims that because "God is love" He will save everyone, even the unrepentant sinner. An easy response to this is "Do you mean to say that God will let Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and other mass murderers into Heaven?" Some Universalists respond "Well, ... maybe He won't accept a few of the worst sinners, but He'll take everybody else." For proof this is untrue see Point 10, "The Holiness of God manifests itself in a hatred of sin". As Gary R. Habermas and J. P. Moreland say in Immortality: The Other Side of Death, "... It would be unjust to allow evil to go unpunished and to reward evil with good, even when the good was not sought in a genuine, informed way." p. 164. 080.030.036
Torrey: no Romans 2:6, 11 [6] God "will give to each person according to what he has done." [11] For God does not show favoritism. 080.030.038
Torrey: no Job 34:11-12 [11] He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. [12] It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. 080.030.040
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:6 Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 080.030.042
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:6 Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Hebrews 10:10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. All approach to God is on the ground of shed blood. In the strongest way, the holiness of God demands atonement. Any doctrine which holds that atonement is required only for governmental expediency does not go to the root of the matter. Any belief that atonement is required only because God requires man to have a strong motive also does not go to the root of the matter. The first and fundamental reason why "without shedding of blood there is no remission" is because God is Holy and sin must be covered before there can be fellowship between God and the sinner. 080.030.044
Torrey: p38, T:III, P:6 Isaiah 59:1-2 [1] Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. [2] But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 080.030.050
Torrey: p39, T:III, P:7 Exodus 34:6-7 [6] And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, [7] maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." Genesis 6:5-7 [5] The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. [6] The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. [7] So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth -- men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air -- for I am grieved that I have made them." Psalms 5:4-6 [4] You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. [5] The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. [6] You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. God does not punish the sinner merely because it is in the sinner's best interest. God is Holy. God hates sin. His holiness and hatred of sin, like each of His attributes, is living and active and must manifest itself. His holy wrath at sin must strike. See Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. The literal translation of the Hebrew for "has laid on" is "caused to strike upon". Any view of the punishment of sin that leaves out the thought of its being an expression of God's holy hatred of sin, is not only unbiblical, but shallow and dishonoring to God. God is holy, infinitely holy, and infinitely hates sin. We get glimpses at times of what God's hatred of sin must be, in our own burning indignation at some enormous iniquity, but God is infinitely holy and God's wrath at the smallest sin is infinitely greater than ours at the greatest enormity. God is love, it is true, but the love is not of the sentimental sort that sends costly bouquets and tender missives to moral monsters, as some of our Universalist theologians would have us think. Hebrews 12:29 ... our "God is a consuming fire." God's love to sinners will never be appreciated until seen in the light of His blazing wrath at sin. Also see the discussion of Universalism in Chapter 35. 080.030.060
Torrey: p40, T:III, P:8 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, ... 080.040.000
Torrey: p40, T:IV, P:40 080.040.012
Torrey: p40, T:IV Hebrews 12:28-29 [28] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, [29] for our "God is a consuming fire." Exodus 3:4-5 [4] When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." [5] "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Isaiah 6:1-3 [1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. [3] And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Even the holy seraphim covered their faces and their feet in His presence. They have four wings for worship and only two for service. 080.040.014
Torrey: p41, T:IV Isaiah 6:5-6 [5] "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." [6] Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. Compare Job 42:5-6 [5] My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. [6] Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. If any man thinks well of himself, he has never met God. Nothing will demolish self-righteousness like one real sight of God. In dealing with self-righteous persons get them into the holy presence of God if you can. 080.040.016
Torrey: p41, T:IV Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 080.040.018
Torrey: p41, T:IV Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The wonderfulness of God's love! It would be no wonder if an unholy God could love unholy men; but that the God whose name is Holy, the Infinitely Holy God, could love beings so utterly sinful as we are, that is the wonder of the eternities. There are many deep mysteries in the Bible, but no other so profound as this. Consider this analogy -- a gang beats you and your family, steals your belongings, kidnaps, rapes, and murders several family members. They are captured and sentenced to life in prison. They show no remorse; as they are dragged out of the courtroom, they laugh at you and spit on you and one of them punches you. Later, as a result of drug and alcohol abuse, one suffers massive liver failure another suffers massive kidney failure, and a third suffers heart failure. Without transplants, each of them will die. They are still arrogant, selfish, and unrepentant. You are found to be the only person who can donate the necessary organs. If you donate the organs, you will die. Would you donate the organs, because you believe that some of them can be turned around? Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.
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