What Is Holiness?

That God is holy does not mean that he is smug, haughty, or disdainful of others. On the contrary, he hates such qualities. (Proverbs 16:5; James 4:6) So, what does the word "holy" really mean? In Biblical Hebrew, the word is derived from a term meaning "separate." In worship, "holy" applies to that which is separated from common use, or held sacred. Holiness also strongly conveys the idea of cleanness and purity. How does this word apply to Jehovah? Doe it mean that he is "separate" from imperfect humans, far removed from us?

Not at all. "As the Holy one of Israel," Jehovah described himself as dwelling "in the midst of " his people, sinful though they were. (Isaiah 12:6; Hosea 11:9) So his holiness does not make him distant. How, then, is he "separate"? In two important ways. First, he is separate from all creation in that he alone is the Most High. His purity, his cleanness,is absolute and infinite. (Psalm 40:5; 83:18) Second, Jehovah is entirely separated from all sinfulness, and that is a comforting thought. Why?

We live in a world where true holiness is a rarity. Everything about human society alienated from God is polluted in some way, tainted with sin and imperfection. We all have to war against the sin within us. And all of us are in danger of being overcome by sin if we let down our guard. (Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 10:12) Jehovah is in no such danger. Completely removed from sinfulness, he will never be tainted by the slightest trace of sin. This reaffirms our impression of Jehovah as the ideal Father, for it means that he is completely reliable. Unlike many sinful human fathers, Jehovah will never turn corrupt, dissolute, or abusive. His holiness makes any such thing quite impossible. Jehovah has on occasion even sworn oaths by his own holiness, for nothing could be more trustworthy. (Amos 4:2) Is that not reassuring?

Holiness is intrinsic to Jehovah's very nature. What does that mean? To illustrate: Consider the words "man" and "imperfect." You cannot describe the former without invoking the latter. Imperfection pervades us and colors everything we do. Now consider two very different words-"Jehovah" and "holy." Holiness pervades Jehovah. Everything about him is clean, pure and upright. We cannot get to know Jehovah as he really is without coming to grips with this profound word-"holy."

Next time: "Holiness Belongs To Jehovah"

Draw Close To Jehovah,2002