“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9)
One of our responsibilities as Christians is to continually evaluate whether or not our attitudes, intents, and actions exalt the holiness of God because, as His children, our reputation reflects on Him.
Scripture abounds in references to the holiness of God – the attribute mentioned more often than all the others. Further, additional references leave no doubt as to what God expects from us: “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy,” (Lev. 19:2), and “It is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy,’” (1 Peter 1:16). God’s holiness is the foundation for and reason behind our holiness, and the motive for all our obedience.
But we are not God, and to live holy before God seems next to impossible with our sinful natures. So, what are we to do? How can we begin to obey such clear and straightforward commands?
God knows us through and through (Ps. 103:14). And He is not unreasonable, nor does He demand something impossible of us (1 Cor. 10:13). So He does not expect us to be essentially (i.e., in essence) and infinitely holy, which He is, but at the same time He does require that we walk before Him in truth. He does expect us to make choices that honor and reflect His righteousness, knowing that the power and strength to live blameless before God and man is possible because of His Spirit that lives in us. In others words, as holy as God is capable, man is to reflect as much as humanly possibly in the power of the Spirit.
If we call God “Father,” and He is indeed our Father, then our life will reflect His namesake. We read a Holy Bible, serve a holy God, are saved by a holy Christ and are led by a Holy Spirit. What kind of shame and dread should overtake us then if we choose to act unholy?
As much as we may want to make excuses for the lack of holiness in our lives, the truth is that if we love God, we will be an imitator of God. Likeness is the effect and outgrowth of love. If you seek God’s favor, you must labor to be like Him. And if you choose instead to live unholy, how can you expect an infinitely holy God to delight in you? How unfit would you then be for His love and blessings?
Andrew Gray said, “We must leave sin and live in a holy manner, because to sin is very unsuitable work; and very unbecoming to Christians.” Decide to not waste your life with that which hinders you in your journey heavenward to adore God and Jesus Christ. If you expect to live with God, His Christ, the angels, and the saints of old for all eternity, you must seek holiness here, now, with your whole heart.
- My Lord, once I was Satan’s slave, now I am Your servant. Once I was in darkness, now I am a child of light by faith in Your Son. Once I was one of the devil’s servants, but thanks to Your love and grace I am now one of Christ’s followers. How can I even think of accommodating sin in my life? Instead may You find me exalting You in Your holiness, worshipping and honoring You by living more holy.
- What does baptism in the name of Christ represent? Why was I baptized? Was it not to demonstrate that I am now dead to sin and raised to live a new life? At baptism I publicly declared that I now belong to God. I publicly dedicated my life to Christ, the Holy One of God. Am I upholding my promise? Do I pursue holiness and exalt Christ’s holiness by my life?
- Father, as I consider who I am in Christ, it brings to my mind the covenant between You and me. You promised to be my God, and in turn I promised that Your enemies would be my enemies. I promised to dedicate myself to Your service, to obey Your holy will and commandments, and to walk worthy of Your name all the rest of my days, that I may honor and worship You as an acceptable living sacrifice. Surely, the worst thing I could to is to forget that I am a Christian. Instill in me a deep and lasting desire to exhibit Your holiness Lord!
Further References for Psalm 99:9
Isa. 6:3; Ps. 2:6; Rev. 4:8; Exo. 15:11; Hab. 1:12.
