The invitation in the separation

Isaiah's Vision. Frank Marsden-Lea

God's Holiness Is An Invitation

I begin each year of Bible Copy Club with a focus on God and His attributes. I thought that a study of God's holiness would emphasize His separateness from us.

After all, his absolute purity, power, and perfection set Him apart from all creation.

But as we explored this theme through Isaiah’s vision, Psalm 99, and Peter’s exhortation, a deeper truth emerged:

God’s holiness is not meant to leave us estranged.

Instead, it is an invitation into a relationship with Him.

Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, high and lifted up, is a vivid picture of God’s majesty and purity. The seraphim’s cry of “Holy, holy, holy” shook the very thresholds of the temple, and Isaiah was undone, acutely aware of his sinfulness.

Yet, what followed was not condemnation but grace. God’s holiness, while exposing our unworthiness, also provides the means for our cleansing. Isaiah’s lips were touched with a burning coal, showing that God Himself bridges the gap created by our sin.

Holiness at once exposes our need for reconciliation and offers the path to it.

Psalm 99 does not present holiness as distant or inaccessible. It recounts how God answered the prayers of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, demonstrating that His holiness operates within a relationship of intimacy and intercession.

“You were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds,” the psalmist writes, showing that holiness does not negate mercy but works in harmony with it.

Holiness invites us to approach God, not in casual familiarity, but with an awe and reverence that leads to a deeper communion.

Finally, Peter’s exhortation to “be holy, for I am holy” brings the call of holiness into our daily lives. Holiness is not just about God’s nature; it is the standard and goal for His people.

It transforms us from the inside out, setting us apart in a way that bears witness to the world. As daunting as this call is, it is grounded in Grace. The holiness God calls us to is made possible through Christ, who has redeemed us.

God’s holiness is the essence of who He is and the foundation of His relationship with us, making us aware of our separation from Him while inviting us to draw near, to be made clean, and to live lives that reflect His character.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword; it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12