Called by God's Name

Holiness in God means his uniqueness and separateness. He is the "high and lofty One who lives forever, whose name is holy" (Isa.57:14). When his covenant law was given to God's people they were told to "worship at a distance"(Ex. 24:1). In time, holiness came to also mean moral purity: "O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy one…Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, you cannot tolerate wrong" (Hab. 1:12,13a).
In all other religions, salvation is sought in self-effort because their gods are not seen as absolutely holy. To a holy God no works, however sincere, can satisfy. It is the biblical ideal of holiness that makes an atonement for our sin indispensable.
The holiness of God shines forth preeminently in the cross, where spotless holiness, inflexible justice, incomprehensible wisdom, omnipotent power and holy love are revealed. The demands of divine holiness were not bypassed at Calvary, giving way to the interests of divine love. The holiness of God demands the sinner's destruction. The mercy of God demands his salvation. The pleas of justice are satisfied in punishing; the pleas of mercy are heard in pardoning. Thus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us (Gal.3:13). The gospel does not provide us with unrighteous mercy or merciless justice, but with a righteous mercy and a merciful justice.
"God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
(Rom. 3:25,26, italics mine).
Had we been punished, holiness would have triumphed and mercy been grieved. Had we, being guilty, been absolved, mercy might have rejoiced and holiness been grieved. God transfers our debt to our Redeemer, Christ, and reckons his merit to guilty sinners.
Holiness, as likeness to God and to his will, is the purpose of creation. It is the goal of redemption. The redeemed saints in heaven also adoringly praise this Holy God.
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty,
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages,
Who will not fear you, O Lord and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy."(Rev. 15:3,4a)
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Practical Outworking in the lives of God's people
The Bible's teaching on the holiness of God affects the life of the church in four ways.
First, in its doctrine of salvation, which means deliverance from both the penalty and power of sin. God's love will be seen as a holy love. His ultimate purpose in salvation is to bring rebellious creatures into complete conformity to the image of his Son (Rom. 8:29). In the light of divine holiness, emphasis will be given both to the reconciling work of God in Christ for us and the sanctifying work of the Spirit within us. The grace of God "teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age" (Tit.2:12). The wonder of redeeming love will loom larger in our eyes the more we see how the mighty gulf between divine holiness and human sinfulness was bridged through the cross.
The second area affected will be the area of sanctification. "Be holy, for I am holy". Is obedience an optional extra to the Christian faith? Is it merely a desirable sequel to grace? Or is obedience required by the gospel, in which case "without holiness no one will see the Lord"? (Heb.12:14). Peter presents the relationship quite clearly, "As he who called you is holy so be holy in all you do" (I Pet. 1:15). The grace of God does not lead to a spirit of moral complacency but to moral ambition after holiness. The holiness of God which is capable of imitation by us is his separation from all impurity. Be imitators of God as dear children (Eph. 5:1). "He called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (I Pet.2:9). God is light, in him is no darkness at all"(I John 1:5b).
Holiness does not consist of mystical speculations, fervent enthusiasm, or self-imposed austerity; it comes to expression in thinking God's thoughts after him and choosing to do as he has commanded.
He has chosen us to salvation "through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth "(II Thess. 2;13). We will need to guard ourselves at this point from a common danger of the Christian life, which is to view holiness as something which only comes to expression in the larger issues of life. The will of God is always revealed in some degree of detail! As in the popular song of the l950"s, Little Things Mean a Lot", Peter tells us to be holy "in all we do"(I Pet.1:15). Life is made up of a multitude of little things and there is nothing so minute that it cannot mirror the holiness of God. The great things come to us a few times in our lifespan, the little things come every time the clock ticks. We need a Christianity that sanctifies the trifles or we will not have a Christianity to sanctify the crisis!
"Little words, not eloquent speeches or sermons; little deeds, not miracles, nor battles, nor one great heroic act of might martyrdom make up the true Christian life. The avoidance of little evils, little sins, little inconsistencies, little weaknesses, little follies, little indiscretions, little foibles, little indulgences of self and of the flesh, little acts of indolence or indecision or slovenliness or cowardice, little equivocations or aberrations from high integrity, ………"