When was the last time you paused to consider how holy God is?
In a world where everything sacred feels like it’s being watered down—from worship services to the way people treat God’s name—there’s a truth we desperately need to recover: God is holy. That truth alone has the power to change your life.
What Does “Holy” Even Mean?
The Bible says in James 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure…” That word pure comes from the same root as holy. And holiness isn’t just “being good.” It means set apart, completely different, and without sin. God isn’t just better than we are—He is in a category all His own.
Over and over again, the Bible cries out this truth:
- “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness…” (Exodus 15:11)
- “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)
- “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
The entire Bible—from Genesis to Revelation—declares one central theme about God: He is holy.
Why It Matters
Here’s the issue: many Christians today live as though God is just a casual buddy, someone to call on when you’re in trouble but ignore when you want to indulge in sin. But God isn’t casual. He’s not common. He’s not okay with sin.
Think about it. He’s called the Holy Spirit—not the Nice Spirit, the Cool Spirit, or even the Loving Spirit (though He is loving). Holiness is what defines Him. So why does that matter to you, personally?
Because if you’re going to walk with God, holiness must matter to you, too.
The Cross Proves It
Some people ask, “Why did God the Father turn His back on Jesus at the cross?” The answer is found in Isaiah 53:6—“the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” But Psalm 22 gives us the why: “But thou art holy.” (Psalm 22:3)
God turned away because Jesus became sin for us. And a holy God cannot look upon sin with favor. That’s how serious your sin is—and how committed God is to His own holiness.
So What About You?
If you believe in a holy God, you can’t keep watching filth on Netflix like it doesn’t matter.
You can’t keep listening to music filled with compromise and worldliness and expect to walk closely with Jesus.
You can’t keep casually saying “OMG” like it’s no big deal. His name is holy.
And let’s not kid ourselves: the issue isn’t just about standards or rules. It’s about what you love. If you love the world, you’ll act like the world. But if you love Jesus, the world won’t have the same pull on your heart.
To put it bluntly, the problem is not legalism; the problem is lack of holiness. The world isn’t afraid of holy Christians anymore—because there aren’t enough of them around.
What Will You Do?
It’s time to stop being afraid of being “too holy.” You won’t get to heaven and hear God say, “You were too separated from the world.” But you might hear, “You were far too affected by it.”
Revelation 6:16-17 paints a picture of people crying out for the rocks to fall on them—not because of an earthquake or war, but because they’re terrified of the wrath of the Lamb. Yes, Jesus. The meek and lowly One. The one we love—He will be feared.
And one day, so will you. The question is, will you fear Him now and live for Him? Or will you wait until it’s too late?
Take the Challenge
If you really believe that God is holy, then live like it. Turn off the filth. Get on your knees. Ask God to make holiness matter to you again. Not because it’s trendy. Not because someone else is doing it. But because He is worth it.
Because God is holy.
Dr. Jim Van Gelderen is president of Minutemen Ministries, vice-president of Baptist College of Ministry, and evangelist out of Falls Baptist Church. He and his wife, Rhonda, travel the country in evangelism. They have three daughters.
Our words. AI polished. This article was adapted from the author's original content using AI. We’ve used technology to clarify and adapt the message—while keeping the heart and voice the same. All articles are proofread and edited by a human.
