God Is Holy

July 21, 2025 / by Pastor Justin Waples

Let’s explore together the holiness of God! This is a concept so profound and vast that it often feels beyond our full understanding or ability to explain.

Living in a world heavily contaminated by sin, even those considered righteous find their perception of God’s holiness diminished, often losing the awe and reverence it deserves. Divine holiness is unlike anything else; it is infinite, unapproachable, and incomprehensible. We are like blind people groping in darkness, desperately trying to grasp the true essence of God’s holiness.

A.W. Tozer wrote: “The natural man is blind to it (the holiness of God). He may fear God’s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine. Only the Spirit of the Holy One can impart to the human spirit the knowledge of the holy. Yet as electric power flows only through a conductor, so the Spirit flows through truth and must find some measure of truth in the mind before He can illuminate the heart….The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth. It is possible to have some truth in the mind without having the Spirit in the heart, but it is never possible to have the Spirit apart from truth.”

Romans 10:17 reminds us that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” The Bible serves as the ultimate source of truth regarding God’s holiness. It uses terms like “holy” and “holiness” approximately 654 times, emphasizing the concept of being set apart or separated.

God’s holiness is not something He strives for; it is intrinsic to His very nature. Holiness is simply who He is. His love for holiness and His desire for His people to reflect that holiness serve as evidence of His own divine character. This holiness should evoke in us a sense of awe and majesty, recognizing God’s absolute otherness. Reformed theologian, Louis Berkhof, notes that this realization awakens in humans a sense of “absolute nothingness”—a creaturely humility and self-abasement.

What does this mean for us? A true response to God’s majestic holiness involves both reverent awe and humble acknowledgment of our own impurity. It calls us to worship and to live holy lives—separated from sin and surrendered to God’s will. As Leviticus 19:2 commands, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Embracing God’s holiness transforms our hearts and directs our lives toward genuine worship and righteousness.

Pastor Justin Waples is East White Oak’s Outreach and Discipleship pastor. He is married to Abigail and they are blessed with five children. Justin is passionate about equipping the saints for ministry and helping each member reach out to their neighbors and community.