The Holiness of God

Grace Bible Church of Conway's Podcast

In James Fetterly's sermon "The Holiness of God," he explores the profound attribute of God's holiness and its implications for believers. The sermon begins with a prayer, asking for God's presence and the Holy Spirit's guidance as the congregation delves into understanding His holiness.
Fetterly emphasizes that studying God's attributes, particularly His holiness, helps believers understand who God is and how He reveals Himself. He defines holiness as a state of being set apart and distinct from the common, highlighting the vast difference between the Creator and His creation.
Using Ezekiel 22:26, Fetterly explains that the holiness of God is often profaned when what is sacred is treated as common. The priests in Ezekiel's time failed to uphold God's holy standards, making no distinction between the holy and the common, and disregarding the Sabbath.
Psalm 99 is referenced to illustrate God's sovereign holiness, describing how God reigns with majesty, causing people to tremble and the earth to quake. This psalm, along with other royal psalms, portrays God's sovereignty and the proper response of worship and reverence due to His holiness.
Fetterly also discusses Revelation 4, where God's holiness is depicted through a vision of His throne room. The repeated proclamation of "Holy, holy, holy" by the living creatures underscores the supreme importance of God's holiness. This attribute is raised to the highest level, emphasizing its central role in understanding God's nature.
Further, in Isaiah 6, Isaiah's vision of God on His throne reveals the prophet's response to God's holiness—a recognition of his own sinfulness and the need for atonement. Fetterly stresses that an encounter with God's holiness should lead to worship, confession of sins, and transformation by the Holy Spirit.
Fetterly concludes by highlighting the practical implications of God's holiness for believers. As God's holiness permeates all His attributes and actions, believers are called to reflect His moral character in their lives. This reflection requires a transformation that can only come through the Holy Spirit and results in a life that glorifies God.
The sermon calls believers to worship God for His holiness, recognize their own shortcomings, and seek to live holy lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.