Understanding God's Holiness and Our Response
Summary
In a world where so many are searching for meaning and clarity about God, we are not left to guess or grope in the dark. God has graciously revealed Himself to us—not as a vague force or a projection of our own desires, but as the self-defining, unchanging, holy Creator. When Moses asked God for His name, God responded, “I am who I am”—Yahweh. This declaration is not just a name, but a statement of God’s utter uniqueness, consistency, and independence. Unlike us, who are shaped by our circumstances and relationships, God simply is. He is not a product of anything or anyone. He is ultimate reality, past, present, and future.
Yet, in our culture, there is a tendency to reshape God into our own image, to make Him fit our preferences or the plausibility structures of our day. Many claim “God is love,” but often this is a love defined by our own terms—a permissive, ambiguous love that lacks the weight of God’s holiness. Scripture, however, reveals that God’s love is defined and shaped by His holiness. Holiness means wholeness, perfection, and moral completeness. God is holy over 400 times in the Bible, and it is this holiness that gives depth and substance to His love.
The problem for humanity is that God’s holiness and our sinfulness are fundamentally incompatible. Sin is not just a list of bad actions; it is a deep fracture in our nature and in the world. We are born with a bent toward iniquity, and even our best efforts fall short of God’s perfect standard. The law exposes our inability to save ourselves. But God, in His love and holiness, made a way. Jesus, the Son, took on flesh, lived the perfect life we could not, and offered Himself as a sacrifice. His blood established a new covenant, fully and forever forgiving those who trust in Him.
This means that God offers us not His incommunicable attributes—like omnipotence or eternality—but something even more astonishing: holiness. Through Christ, we are made holy in God’s sight, fully known and fully loved. The invitation is not for a part of us, but for all of us—mind, body, and soul. Only Jesus makes this offer, and only He can fulfill it. Our response is to gaze upon His beauty, to worship Him in awe, and to surrender all of life to Him.
Key Takeaways
- God’s Self-Revelation Shatters Our Categories
God is not a concept to be shaped by our opinions or cultural trends. He is the self-defining “I am who I am”—utterly unique, unchanging, and independent. This reality humbles us, reminding us that our ideas about God do not define Him; rather, He defines Himself and invites us to know Him as He truly is. [50:08]
- Holiness Is the Foundation of God’s Love
While “God is love” is true, it is His holiness that gives His love its depth and power. Holiness means wholeness and moral perfection, and it is this quality that makes God’s love steadfast and unbreakable. Without holiness, love becomes fragile and ambiguous, but holy love can withstand the weight of our brokenness and the suffering of the world. [56:37]
- The Scope and Damage of Sin Are Universal and Deep
Sin is not merely a list of wrong actions; it is a pervasive fracture that affects every person and every relationship. We are born with a bent toward sin, and even our best efforts cannot bridge the gap between us and God. Recognizing the true scope of sin leads us to humility and a deeper appreciation for God’s grace. [57:32]
- Christ Bridges the Chasm Between God’s Holiness and Our Sin
God’s holiness would obliterate sin, yet His love compels Him to draw near. In Jesus, the holy God took on flesh, lived righteously, and offered Himself as a sacrifice. His blood establishes a new covenant, fully forgiving and cleansing us, so that we can stand blameless before God—not by our merit, but by His grace. [01:01:01]
- The Invitation Is to Surrender All, Not Just a Part
God does not ask for an hour on Sunday or a compartment of our lives; He desires all of us—mind, body, and soul. Only in surrendering fully to Him do we experience the freedom of being fully known and fully loved. This is the life of holiness He offers: not perfection in ourselves, but a new identity and standing in Christ, lived out in awe and worship. [01:11:13]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Ancient Assyrian Prayer and the Problem of Uncertainty
[03:10] - God’s Self-Revelation: We Are Not Guessing
[06:20] - Making God in Our Own Image
[10:05] - God’s Introduction: Exodus 3 and the Name “I Am”
[14:30] - The Meaning of “I Am Who I Am”
[17:50] - God’s Immutability and Ultimate Reality
[20:40] - The Modern “God is Love” Narrative
[24:00] - Holiness: The Defining Attribute of God
[28:15] - Holiness in Revelation and the Throne Room
[32:00] - The Problem of Sin and the Scope of Brokenness
[36:10] - God’s Solution: The Incarnation and Sacrifice of Jesus
[41:00] - The New Covenant and Cleansed Conscience
[46:00] - Encountering God’s Holiness: Isaiah’s Example
[50:30] - The Invitation: Surrendering All to God
[54:00] - Closing Prayer and Call to Response
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
- Exodus 3:13-15
(God reveals His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM”)
- Isaiah 6:1-7
(Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness and his response)
- Revelation 4:6-11
(The throne room vision: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In Exodus 3:14-15, what does God say His name is, and how does He describe Himself to Moses?
2. According to the sermon, how does God’s self-revelation as “I AM WHO I AM” challenge the way people often think about or define God? [50:08]
3. In Isaiah 6, what is Isaiah’s immediate reaction when he sees the holiness of God?
4. The creatures in Revelation 4 never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy.” What does this repetition tell us about what stands out most about God in heaven’s perspective?
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that God defines Himself as “I AM WHO I AM” rather than letting people define Him? What does this say about God’s independence and uniqueness? [50:08]
2. The sermon says that “God is love” is true, but that His love is defined by His holiness. How does understanding God’s holiness change the way we understand His love? [56:37]
3. According to the sermon, what is the real problem with sin, and why can’t we fix it ourselves? [57:32]
4. How does Jesus bridge the gap between God’s holiness and our sinfulness, according to the sermon? [01:01:01]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon warns against making God in our own image or shaping Him to fit our preferences. Are there ways you have tried to “customize” God to fit your own desires or comfort? What would it look like to let God define Himself in your life? [50:08]
2. When you hear that God is holy, not just loving, how does that affect your view of Him? Does it make you feel more distant, more in awe, or something else? Why? [56:37]
3. The sermon says that sin is not just a list of bad actions, but a deep fracture in our nature. Can you think of ways this “fracture” shows up in your own life or relationships? How does this understanding affect your need for grace? [57:32]
4. Jesus offers to make us holy, not just to forgive us. What does it mean to you to be “fully known and fully loved” by God? Is there any part of your life you are holding back from Him? [01:01:01]
5. The invitation is to surrender all—mind, body, and soul—not just a part. What is one area of your life that you find hardest to surrender to God? What would it look like to take a step of surrender this week? [01:11:13]
6. The sermon describes worship as “gazing upon the beauty of the Lord.” What helps you to do this in your daily life? Are there practices or habits you want to start or return to in order to focus more on God’s holiness and beauty?
7. The preacher mentioned that only Jesus offers to make us holy and to have all of us. How does this offer compare to what the world or other “gods” (like work, success, approval) demand from us? [01:11:13]
---
Devotional
Day 1: God Reveals Himself: "I Am Who I Am"
God is not a distant or unknowable force; He has made Himself known to us by revealing His personal name and character. Unlike the uncertainty and confusion of ancient prayers to unknown gods, we have the assurance that God has spoken, defined Himself, and invited us to know Him as He truly is. He is not shaped by our opinions or cultural trends, but stands as the unchanging, self-defining center of all reality—Yahweh, the great "I Am." This means we are called to worship Him as He is, not as we imagine or wish Him to be, and to submit our lives to His revealed truth. [50:08]
Exodus 3:14-15 (ESV)
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”
Reflection: In what ways have you tried to shape God into your own image or preferences, and how can you intentionally seek to know and worship Him as He truly reveals Himself in Scripture today?
Day 2: The Holiness of God Defines His Love
While many are quick to say "God is love," the Bible emphasizes far more often that God is holy—perfect, whole, and morally complete. His holiness is not just one attribute among many, but the foundation that shapes and gives meaning to His love. To truly understand the depth and power of God's love, we must first grasp His utter holiness, which sets Him apart from all creation and ensures that His love is not weak or permissive, but strong, pure, and enduring. [56:37]
Revelation 4:8 (ESV)
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Reflection: How does starting with God’s holiness change the way you understand and experience His love for you and others today?
Day 3: The Scope and Solution for Sin
Sin is not a minor flaw or a list of mistakes; it is a deep, pervasive brokenness that affects every person and every part of creation. We are born with a bent toward iniquity, unable to save ourselves or meet God’s perfect standard. Yet, in His holiness and love, God sent Jesus to live the righteous life we could not, to die in our place, and to establish a new covenant through His blood—fully, freely, and forever forgiving those who trust in Him. In Christ, our past is cleansed, our conscience is made new, and we are given a righteousness not our own. [01:01:01]
Romans 3:23-25 (ESV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to believe you are fully forgiven and cleansed by Christ? How can you bring this to Him in prayer today?
Day 4: Encountering God’s Holiness Leads to Humility and Worship
When we truly encounter the holiness of God, as Isaiah did, we are confronted with our own unworthiness and the reality that even our best efforts fall short. This encounter does not lead to despair, but to humility, repentance, and a deeper worship that centers on God’s glory rather than our own performance. The purpose of our gathering and our lives is to make much of God, to gaze upon His beauty, and to live as priests who bring Him honor and praise. [01:05:42]
Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
Reflection: When was the last time you were truly awed by God’s holiness? What practical step can you take today to cultivate humility and deeper worship in your life?
Day 5: God Wants All of You, Not Just a Part
God’s desire is not for a piece of your life or a few hours on Sunday, but for all of you—mind, body, and soul. Unlike anything else in this world, Jesus offers Himself fully and calls you to respond with your whole self. Through Christ’s sacrifice, you are invited to live out of a place of being fully known and fully loved, no longer hiding or holding back, but surrendering every part of your life to Him. [01:11:13]
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Reflection: What is one area of your life you have been holding back from God? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him completely today?
Quotes
God is the only one in the universe whose self-defining. God has told us who he is and we live in a day and age where there's a lot of opinions about what God should be like and how God should behave and here's what's great none of it matters. Like I know we don't know each other well and I'm not trying to say you're not very smart people I am biblically inclined to tell you that your opinion about God does not matter. Like your thoughts on who he is and what he should be like has no bearing on who he actually is and I can say that with confidence because God has made himself known. [00:45:03] (45 seconds)
He's saying, I have been who I have always been. I am consistent and unchanging. You're inconsistent and always changing. I'm consistent and never change. This is that idea of divine immutability. I do not change. You change. I do not. It means I am who I am. God is not shaped by others. Like you're shaped by others. I'm shaped. I am a product of an upbringing. I am a product of a friend group. I am a product of a mother and father and family system. God is not a product of a family system. God is just God. [00:51:22] (39 seconds)
The point of the scriptures is not the love of God, but the holiness of God made manifest in his love by sending the Son. Right? If you start with love, you'll rarely get to holiness. Because what kind of love? Is it a morally perfect love? Is it a love of entirety? Is it a love of wholeness? Because if it's not, it's a weak, fragile love that'll crumble under the weight of the suffering of this world? But if it's a holy love, it'll hold. God will not violate this holiness for any reason. He cannot not be holy. [00:56:37] (44 seconds)
God has not offered, if you think about the incommunicable attributes of God, I would just call that God's godness. Those things that only God is and we are not. He has not offered to make you and I transcendent. We will never be. He has not offered to make us almighty. Right? He hasn't offered to make you all-knowing, everywhere at once, and all-powerful. That's not on the table for you. He's offered no one that. He has not offered anyone immutability or unchanging. He has not, he has not offered anyone eternality. He's offered everlasting life, but he has not offered eternality. You will not be eternal in the sense that God has always been and will always be. You have a beginning point, and God has chosen that you would be everlasting, but you will not be eternal. Now, here is the brain-bending reality of the Christian faith. God has offered to make you holy. God has offered to make you holy. This is the good news of the gospel. [00:57:26] (61 seconds)
The holiness of God obliterates and destroys everything that is sinful. So God can't get too close to his people, can't get too close to humanity without absolutely obliterating them. So how does a holy, perfect God who loves his people move towards them? Glad you asked. That's actually what's next in my notes. The second person of the Trinity, God the Son, co-eternal with the Father, condescends, puts on flesh and blood, which is a scandal, and dwells among us. That's why they call him Emmanuel, God with us. [01:00:29] (53 seconds)
Jesus does it, and then he goes to the cross. I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but it's only at heavy metal concerts and church where people sing about blood. It's the only two places. If you go to a heavy metal show, they're going to scream about blood. If you come to church, we've talked about blood all morning. It's kind of weird, right? We're the only two groups out there that make a big deal about blood. But in the ancient Near East, like blood in our culture, like means death or darkness, but blood in the ancient Near East was life. The pouring out of blood was the pouring out of life. And we see Christ come, live, die, and his blood, according to the scriptures, establishes a new covenant. [01:01:36] (48 seconds)
Atones for our sins. All of our sins. Past, present, and future. Fully, freely, and forever forgiven on the cross of Jesus Christ and in his resurrection. Provides for salvation. There is no salvation by which men can be saved except the death and resurrection of Jesus. He redeems those who would believe and he cleanses our conscience. [01:04:19] (23 seconds)
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