Passage of the Day: Psalm 145: 17 … The LORD is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.
My Journal for Today: Today again we look at God’s primary over-encompassing attribute of HOLINESS. John MacArthur wrote this: “God’s holiness is evident in everything He does, particularly in creation, the law, His judgment, and through salvation.” In fact, all of the Old Testament proclaims God’s holiness, which was first made apparent in CREATION (see Genesis 1: 31), which reflected His perfect creative character. And then GOD’S LAW communicated His moral perfection to His people. So, we might say that God’s holiness and righteousness has been painted on the canvass of creation and codified and communicated in His Law.
But ultimately God’s holiness is manifest in the righteousness of His JUDGMENT against sin; and it becomes so readily apparent - in reverse - by the unholiness of His created and fallen creatures, both angels and men. As MacArthur puts it, “God’s holiness is so infinite, and our unholiness so great, that only the sacrifice of the God-Man could pay for the enormity of our sin.” And it was the provision of God’s Son, Who became the spotless, HOLY Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, dying on a cross to satisfy God’s perfect holiness, which most clearly depicts God’s holiness to mankind.
Jesus was, and is, the Holy and righteous One (see Acts 3: 14 below) and we, the unrighteous ones, disowned him in disobedience. Only Christ could have been that perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of mankind (Heb. 9: 26); and He did so in mercy and grace, though we certainly deserved Him not.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 3: 14 … You [God’s sinful people] disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 9: 26 … Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Miracle of miracles … blessing of blessings! Our sins are washed clean; and we become sanctified to the position of holiness when we accept, in humility, God’s saving grace, … truly repenting of our sinfulness and receiving the salvation of Christ’s atonement … FOREVER! What a deal!
Holy is our God; and we are saved by His Holy desire that we be one with Him forever. We deserved nothing but Hell; yet, in my choice of receiving His grace, I, like Paul, a sinner of sinners, become Holy in the eyes of God. It is incomprehensible … but true! … HALLELUJAH!!
My Prayer Today: To be and become holy is my desire, Lord, as You shape me into Your image. Amen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment