The Holiness of God
Last updated: 2026-04-13
To say that God is holy means that He is absolutely distinct, transcendent, and morally pure, standing infinitely apart from all creation as the perfect standard of all goodness. Because He is holy, He demands that His people be set apart to Him, reflecting His nature in their worship and daily walk.
✨ The Infinite Holiness of God
The holiness of God is not merely one attribute among many; it is the quality that defines His very essence. As affirmed in the 1689 LBCF Ch.2 §2, God is the 'alone fountain of all being' and is 'most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.' He is not contingent upon the creation, nor does He derive His worth from it. Rather, as the Westminster Larger Catechism Q.7 describes, He is 'infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection.' His holiness means He is essentially separated from all impurity and is the unique, uncreated source of all moral excellence.
Sources: 1689 LBCF Ch.2 §2 · Westminster Larger Catechism Q.7
⚖️ A Call to be Set Apart
God's holiness dictates the life of His people. In the Old Testament, the distinctions between clean and unclean served as a graphic shadow of this reality, reminding Israel that they were to be set apart from the corruption of the world. As Jehovah says in Leviticus 11:44-45, 'For I am Jehovah your God: sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am holy.' We are reminded that we are more sinful than we ever dared believe, yet because of the work of Christ, we are invited to walk in the light of His holiness, being renewed after the image of God as we grow in grace.
Sources: Leviticus 11:44-45
God's holiness is his absolute moral purity and separation from all that is evil, which necessarily renders him a consuming fire toward sin. Because we are united to Christ, who bore the wrath our sins deserve, we are empowered by the Spirit to pursue the holiness that reflects our Savior's image.
🔥 The Consuming Fire of Divine Purity
Because God is absolutely holy and distinct from his creation, he cannot tolerate or ignore evil. Every sin, even the smallest, acts in direct defiance of his sovereign character and righteous law. Consequently, as the Westminster Larger Catechism — Question 152 clarifies, every sin earns the wrath and curse of God. This is not a vindictive outburst but the necessary reaction of a perfectly pure Being against all that contradicts his own nature. We are more sinful than we dare believe, for our sin is against the infinite Majesty of God.
Sources: Westminster Larger Catechism — Question 152
🌱 Sanctification: The Fruit of Grace
The gospel does not leave us in the crushing weight of that wrath. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we are justified—declared righteous—and then progressively transformed through sanctification. As stated in the Westminster Confession of Faith — Chapter 13: Of Sanctification, Section 1, those who are regenerated are renewed by the Spirit, enabling them to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. This is never the basis of our acceptance, but the inevitable fruit of being accepted in Christ. We are more loved in him than we ever dared hope, and this love is what finally empowers us to pursue true holiness.
Sources: Westminster Confession of Faith — Chapter 13: Of Sanctification, Section 1 · Hebrews 12:14
Related Questions
See all 10 Theology Proper questions →
You Might Also Explore
Want to explore more?
Ask a question