The Holiness of God: Reflections on Chapter 21 of The Knowledge of the Holy
In The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer explores the majestic and often overwhelming concept of God’s holiness. Holiness, as Tozer emphasizes, is not simply one attribute of God among others—it is the defining characteristic of His being. It is the unapproachable light of His purity, the very essence of His perfection, and the foundation of His moral authority over creation.
The Essence of Divine Holiness
Holiness is more than moral purity; it is God’s very nature. Tozer points out that God does not conform to a standard of holiness—He is that standard. His holiness sets Him apart as wholly other, unique, and utterly incomparable. Human beings, limited and broken, cannot grasp the fullness of this holiness. As Tozer writes, a new channel must be cut into the desert of our minds to allow the life-giving truth of God's holiness to flow.
Even the purest human conception of holiness cannot approximate the infinite reality of God’s holiness. This infinite distinction is why Isaiah, when confronted with a vision of God’s holiness, could only cry out, "Woe is me! I am undone!" (Isaiah 6:5). It is this overwhelming encounter with holiness that reveals the depths of our need for grace and cleansing.
Holiness and Moral Health
Tozer connects God’s holiness with the health of the universe. Holiness is not an arbitrary rule; it is the moral condition necessary for the flourishing of creation. Sin, in contrast, is a sickness that threatens the wholeness God intends. God’s wrath against sin is not capricious but a holy and loving act of preservation. Just as a mother abhors the disease that threatens her child, so God detests sin, which corrupts and destroys His creation.
Holiness Imparted to Humanity
While absolute holiness belongs to God alone, He graciously imparts a relative holiness to His redeemed children. This holiness is both imputed—credited to believers through the righteousness of Christ—and imparted, as the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and transforms us into the image of Christ.
The call to holiness, then, is not an impossible standard but an invitation into deeper fellowship with God. “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16) is not a command to attain God's level of holiness but a summons to live in the holiness He provides through Christ.
Seeking Refuge in God’s Holiness
Tozer reminds us that holiness both attracts and terrifies. Like Moses, who hid in the cleft of the rock as God’s glory passed by, we must seek refuge in Christ to endure the consuming fire of God’s holiness. It is only through the wounds of Christ that we, unholy as we are, can approach the Holy One.
This dynamic—finding refuge in God from God—is at the heart of the Christian experience. God sees us as perfect in His Son, even as He disciplines and refines us to partake in His holiness.
Living in the Light of Holiness
Tozer calls us to respond to God’s holiness through faith, obedience, and a deepening relationship with the Spirit of Holiness. By meditating on God's holiness, loving righteousness, and hating sin, we prepare ourselves for eternal fellowship with Him. This preparation allows us to begin living the heavenly life now, experiencing a foretaste of eternity on earth.
Closing Reflection
The holiness of God is a mystery that humbles us and invites us into awe-struck worship. It reveals our need for grace while assuring us of God’s power to transform. As Tozer concludes, by aligning ourselves with the Spirit of holiness, we can find a "heaven to go to heaven in." May we live daily in the light of this transforming truth, growing in holiness as we draw closer to the Holy One who calls us His own.