“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.”
(Psalm 99:9)
One of our ongoing duties as believers is the solemn responsibility of assessing whether our inner desires, outward actions, and daily conduct exalt the holiness of the Lord. As those who bear His name, we reflect His reputation. If He is our Father, then our lives ought to mirror His character. If we claim His name, then our speech, behavior, and thoughts must bear witness to that holy Name we profess.
Throughout the pages of Scripture, holiness is declared as one of the chief attributes of God. Of all His perfections, it is His holiness that Scripture raises most frequently and urgently before our eyes (Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8). In addition, the doctrine of God’s holiness is the foundation of all divine expectation and the fountain from which flows every command to obedience. “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The Apostle Peter repeats this call, saying, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Our pursuit of holiness is therefore essential because God is holy, and He commands that His people reflect that holiness in their lives.
Yet even as we consider this command, our hearts recoil with the awareness of our own sinfulness. We are not God. We are not holy in essence or degree. So how can frail, sinful creatures meet such a high calling? Are we doomed to failure?
The Lord does not command from us what is impossible. He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). But He does expect that we walk before Him in sincerity and truth, that we reflect His righteousness in all our dealings, and that we commit ourselves to holy living by the power of His Spirit. For what He commands, He also supplies. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit enables believers to strive after holiness—not in the strength of the flesh, but by the power of God working within.
As Christians, we are bound by covenant to reflect the God who has redeemed us. We read a Holy Bible, we serve a holy God, we are saved by a holy Christ, and we are led by a Holy Spirit. Can we then live in a way that mocks that holiness? What shame it is when those who bear the name of Christ choose unholy paths. Our lives must not bring reproach upon the name of our Redeemer.
Andrew Gray rightly said, “We must leave sin and live in a holy manner, because to sin is very unsuitable work; and very unbecoming to Christians.”[1] Sin is the foreign garment; holiness is our true clothing. It is not only fitting, it is required. It is not a burden, but a calling. If we would live forever with the Holy One, then we must take seriously the pursuit of holiness on earth. If I call myself a Christian, then I must live in a way that honors the Christ I claim. I must seek to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
To forget this is to forget who I am. To pursue holiness is to remember who He is.
Contemplations:
- Reflecting God’s Holiness. I often speak of God’s holiness, but do I reflect that holiness in my life? It’s easy to honor Him in word, but much harder to honor Him in action. But if I truly believe that He is holy, and that I belong to Him, then my choices must show it. Lord, don’t let me be content with shallow religion, but rather help me walk in genuine holiness that brings honor to Your name.
- The Weight of My Baptism. I rarely think of what my baptism truly signified. It wasn’t just a symbolic act—it was a public declaration that I now belong to Christ. It marked the death of my old self and the beginning of a new, holy life. But how quickly I forget this when I indulge sin or neglect Your Word. Lord, stir my heart to remember that I vowed to walk in holiness, and renew my dedication to You.
- A Holy Spirit Dwelling Within. When I excuse sin, I grieve the very Spirit who dwells in me. The Spirit is holy. His presence in me means that I must strive against every impurity. I am not alone in the fight for holiness, yet I often act as though I must rely on my own strength. Lord, remind me that Your Spirit is at work in me, and help me yield to His sanctifying power each day.
- Holiness as Worship. I often separate my acts of worship from the way I live, but in truth, a holy life is itself a form of worship. When I obey You, when I resist sin, when I strive to reflect Your purity, I am honoring You. It is not just about what I say in prayer or sing in church, but how I conduct myself in secret. Let my life be an act of worship—a living sacrifice, set apart for You.
Prayer:
[Adoration to God]
Most Holy and exalted God, I come before You with trembling adoration, for You alone are holy. Your name is holy, Your Word is holy, Your dwelling is holy, and all Your ways are righteous and pure. There is none like You in all the earth. You dwell in unapproachable light, yet You have condescended in mercy to make Yourself known to Your people. I worship You, O Lord, not only because of what You have done, but because of who You are—utterly separate from all sin, perfectly pure, and entirely worthy of my reverence.
I adore You for the beauty of Your holiness. The seraphim veil their faces before Your throne, crying “Holy, holy, holy.” The heavens declare Your glory, and the whole earth is full of Your splendor. And yet You have called me—sinful and frail as I am—to be holy as You are holy. What a privilege, what a calling, what a responsibility! I bless You for not only commanding holiness but for enabling it by the power of Your Spirit.
You are not a distant deity who leaves Your people to flounder in failure. You are the God who walks with His saints, who strengthens them with grace, who purifies them with fire, who sanctifies them day by day. I praise You for Your patience with me, for Your enduring mercy that does not cast me away when I stumble. You are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. You are glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.
I adore You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the Holy One of God. He is the perfect image of Your holiness—unstained, unspotted, undefiled. And in Him, I see what holiness looks like in human form. He lived in purity, loved righteousness, hated sin, and fulfilled all Your will. Through His blood, I am cleansed. Through His righteousness, I am justified. And by His Spirit, I am being made holy.
O God, let the vision of Your holiness compel me to live differently. Let me never become comfortable with sin, nor casual about obedience. Let me never take lightly the high calling of walking before You in truth. May my life reflect Your purity, not for my own honor, but for Yours. May my conduct testify that I serve a holy God. May my thoughts, my words, my actions, all be set apart unto You.
Receive the praise of my heart, O Lord. You are great, and greatly to be praised. May all glory be ascribed to You, now and forevermore.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Psalm 99:9:
Isa. 6:3; Ps. 2:6; Rev. 4:8; Exo. 15:11; Hab. 1:12.
[1] Andrew Gray, A Door Opening to Everlasting Life, eBook (Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2013) Section: What it means to be holy.
