Holy & Righteous

2. Holy & Righteous

3. Let’s attempt to DEFINE & DEFEND these attributes…

4. These attributes are very similar and have many overlapping aspects.

5. However, they are two different words, with two different meanings.

6. I would say that the kind of behavior that would be called holy and the kind of behavior that would be called righteous are, in fact, the same behavior but viewed from different angles… But that doesn’t mean that the words are identical in meaning. John Piper

7. HOLY Sacred Set Apart Separate from Distinct from Different in form & nature High & lifted up

8. RIGHTEOUS Perfect Morally pure, blameless The ultimate standard Absolute moral perfection Sinless Undefiled

9. Holy

10. First, when we say that God is Holy we mean: He standsalone. In all His attributes, in all His ways… He is alone-He solelypossesses them perfectly.

11. We mean that God stands alone in all of his attributes… not just moral perfection.

12. He alone is God. He alone is triune. He alone is worthy of praise. He alone is almighty. He alone is omnipotent.

13. He alone is omniscient. He alone is eternal. He alone is self-sufficient. He alone is omnipresent.

14. There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

15. Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? Exodus 15:11

16. The Greek word: Hagios Different from all others.

17. The Greek word: Hagios Different in likeness & different in nature.

18. The Greek word: Hagios Distinct, different from, special.

19. Second, when we say that God is Holy we mean: He is special & setapart. He is utterly unique, in every way He is distinct from all the rest.

20. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8

21. You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine. Leviticus 20:26

22. In the Old Testament especially holiness carried the idea of individuals being set apart for a certain task…being set apart in a sacred way.

23. However, when we think of God’s holiness we primarily mean, special & set apart: morally.

24. Third, when we say that God is Holy we mean: He stands-alone in His moral perfections. He alone is perfect, He alone is absolutely morally pure.

25. Since we have these promises,  dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

26. Fourth, when we say that God is Holy we mean: Something God is & does. God’s holiness is not just an attributethat God possesses but something that God does in all His actions.

27. Your great and awesome name; Holy isHe. Psalm 99:3

28. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts. Isaiah 6:3

29. The LORD is holy in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds. Psalm 145:17

30. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lieto David. Psalm 89:35

31. For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. Revelation 15:4

32. God’s holiness is not just an abstractstate of being… it is specific action.

33. Every action that God takes is holy.

34. Everything God thinks, desires & does is morally perfect, without fault etc.

35. If God appearsto do something which is ‘not holy’… (takes a life, causes harm or suffering towards someone)

36. Our understanding should be that the action taken was holiness on the part of God.

37. Our understanding should be that the course of action taken was right, correct, perfect & holy for God to do.

38. Meaning; it must have been holy for God to do that and to do that-that way…even thought I do not fully understand.

39. Another important thing to remember is that just because something may be ‘unholy’ for the creature to do (take life)…

40. …that does not necessarily mean that the same act isn’t holy for the creator to do.

41. Righteous

42. First, when we say that God is Righteous we mean: The sumof all moral excellence is found in Him.

43. We mean that He is the very definition of and the absolute standardof all that is morally pure, ethically right and spiritually true.

44. He is completelymorally pure and without fault, without sin. He is utterly perfect and flawless in all of His thoughts, all of His actions and all of His desires.

45. Nothing but moral excellence & holiness can proceed from Him.

47. Second, when we say that God is Righteous we mean: God is and meets the requirements of the law fully.

48. The Old & New Testament concepts of righteousness always include the idea that righteousness exists in comparisonto something else.

49. Righteousness by definition carries the idea of… “meeting the standard” “to measure up to” “to fulfill the requirement of”

50. Therefore, for God to be righteous, He not only is the standard, but He must, and does, always meet the standard flawlessly, perfectly, instantly, effortlessly.