Do We Truly Know Who God Is and Who We Are (or Have Been)?

One of the greatest tragedies in the modern religious world is that many people have developed a view of God that is far too small and a view of man that is far too high. God is often spoken of casually, almost as though He exists merely to affirm mankind rather than to rule over him in absolute holiness and authority. At the same time, sin has been minimized, excused, renamed, and softened until many no longer see themselves as truly guilty before the Creator. Yet when we open the Scriptures, we encounter an entirely different picture. The Bible reveals a God who is infinitely holy, absolutely righteous, perfectly pure, and completely separated from evil. In contrast, the Bible exposes man as sinful, accountable, and desperately in need of reconciliation with God. Until a person sees God as He truly is, he will never understand himself correctly. And until he understands the seriousness of sin, he will never fully appreciate the greatness of God’s grace, the necessity of the gospel, and the lifelong call to holiness that belongs to those who follow Christ.

The holiness of God is central to everything the Bible reveals about Him. Scripture does not merely say that God is loving, wise, or powerful, though He certainly is all of those things perfectly. The heavenly beings surrounding His throne cry continually, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). The repetition magnifies the truth. God is utterly holy in His nature, His character, His judgments, His words, and His works. There is no corruption in Him, no evil motive, no darkness whatsoever. First John 1:5 declares, “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Habakkuk proclaimed that God’s eyes are “too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk 1:13), that is with approval. His holiness means that He is infinitely above sin and perfectly righteous in all He does.

When a man begins to grasp the holiness of God, he also begins to see himself differently. The problem with sinful humanity is not merely that people commit acts of sin, but that mankind has fallen short of God’s perfect standard. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The issue is not whether a person appears morally better than another human being. The issue is whether anyone measures up to the holiness of God Himself. Against that Divine standard, every accountable person stands guilty.

This is precisely what happened when Isaiah saw the Lord seated on His throne. Isaiah did not respond by boasting of his prophetic office or comparing himself favorably to others. Instead, he cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). The holiness of God exposed the uncleanness of man. Throughout Scripture, whenever people came face to face with the majesty of God, they became painfully aware of their own sinfulness. Job said, “I retract, And I repent sitting on dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). Peter fell before Jesus saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). A true understanding of God humbles man rather than exalting him.

Yet modern culture constantly seeks to lessen the seriousness of sin. Pride is called confidence. Covetousness is called ambition. Sexual immorality is called freedom. Rebellion is called independence. But no matter how society redefines sin, God’s Word remains unchanged. Sin is still lawlessness against the will of God (1 John 3:4). David understood this after his sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah. Though others had certainly been harmed, David ultimately confessed to God, “Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4). Every sin is ultimately committed against a holy God.

This is why the punishment of sin is so serious in Scripture. Many people question divine judgment because they fail to understand the holiness of the One against whom sin is committed. Adam’s sin in the garden was not a minor mistake or an innocent failure. It was direct rebellion against the Creator who had blessed him abundantly and spoken plainly. The seriousness of sin is measured not only by the act itself, but by the majesty of the One offended. God is not merely greater than man by degree. He is infinitely above His creation in holiness, purity, authority, and glory. "The question is not why was Adam's punishment so severe, the question is why wasn't it infinitely worse, isn't it?" (RC Sproul). Though we cannot agree with everything Sproul taught or wrote, he does make a valid point here. If we have a correct understanding of our sin and the grace of God, we would truly seek to abstain from that which is against His Holiness.

At the same time, Scripture reveals something astonishing about the character of God. The same holy God who must judge sin is also abundant in mercy, lovingkindness, and grace. Even after Adam sinned, God showed mercy. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly demonstrated patience toward rebellious people, calling them to repentance rather than immediately destroying them. Ezekiel 18:23 says, “‘Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,’ declares Lord Yahweh, ‘rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?’” God desires that men repent and obey Him rather than perish in rebellion.

The greatest demonstration of both God’s holiness and God’s love is found at the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross shows that sin is so serious that forgiveness could not come apart from sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, offered Himself willingly so that mankind could have the opportunity to be reconciled to God. Isaiah 53 describes the suffering Servant bearing the consequences of sin. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” Christ’s death was not an arbitrary act. It was the divine means by which God could remain just while extending mercy to sinful humanity.

But the blessings of Christ’s sacrifice are not automatically applied to every person regardless of response. The gospel calls men and women to submit themselves to God in obedient faith. Jesus declared, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Peter preached, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). The gospel invitation is extended to all. God does not force salvation upon anyone, nor does He remove man’s responsibility to respond to His revealed will. Men are accountable for whether they will humble themselves before God, trust in Christ, and obey the gospel.

Yet salvation is not merely about escaping condemnation. It is also about transformation. The God who saves sinners calls them to holiness. This is the biblical doctrine of sanctification. Sanctification means being set apart unto God and progressively conformed to His will through submission to His Word. It is not sinless perfection in this life, nor is it some mystical experience detached from Scripture and obedience. Rather, sanctification is the ongoing work of a believer growing in spiritual maturity, putting away sin, and learning to reflect the character of Christ more faithfully in daily living.

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” That statement alone destroys the shallow idea that Christianity is merely about obtaining forgiveness while continuing to live carelessly. God did not redeem His people so they could remain enslaved to the very sins from which they were delivered. Romans 6 asks powerfully, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be!” The grace of God is not a license for unrighteousness. Titus 2:11-12 teaches that the grace of God instructs us “to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”

This means that the Christian life involves continual spiritual warfare against sin. Even faithful believers must daily examine themselves, repent of sin, and pursue holiness. Sanctification is not passive. Scripture repeatedly calls Christians to active obedience. Paul commanded believers to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18), to “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1), and to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). Peter exhorted Christians to “long for the pure milk of the word” so that they may grow spiritually (1 Peter 2:2). Growth in holiness does not happen accidentally. It comes through reverent submission to God, diligent study of Scripture, prayer, worship, self-examination, and faithful obedience.

Sanctification also reminds us that Christians must never become comfortable with sin. Modern religion often seeks to remove the sharp edges of biblical holiness because holiness confronts the culture. Yet God still says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). The believer is called to be different from the world in speech, conduct, attitudes, priorities, morality, and worship. Christians are not perfect people, but they are people who are striving to walk in the light rather than remain in darkness. First John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The Christian life is characterized not by flawless perfection, but by faithful walking in the truth.

This pursuit of holiness also flows out of gratitude. The believer understands what he once was apart from Christ. Paul reminded the Corinthians of their sinful past, listing numerous sins that separated men from God, and then said, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:11). The Christian never forgets that he was rescued from sin, cleansed by the blood of Christ, and called into a new life. That reality produces humility rather than arrogance and gratitude rather than self-righteousness.

The church desperately needs a renewed vision of the greatness and holiness of God. Much modern religion focuses almost entirely upon man’s feelings, man’s preferences, and man’s desires, while neglecting the majesty of the One whom we worship. Yet biblical preaching consistently exalts God and humbles man. The prophets proclaimed His holiness. Jesus preached repentance and the kingdom of God. The apostles warned of judgment while offering the hope of salvation through Christ. Genuine worship begins when people recognize who God truly is.

And that leads us to the central question. Do we truly know who God is? Do we understand His holiness, His righteousness, His justice, and His authority? And do we truly understand who we are apart from Him? Have we seen the seriousness of sin, or have we become comfortable with what God condemns? The fear of Yahweh remains “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Not a terror that drives us away hopelessly, but a reverent awe that causes us to humble ourselves before Him and submit to His will.

The good news of the gospel is that although man is sinful, God has provided a way of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. The holy God whom we offended is also the God who lovingly provided the means of forgiveness. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, sinful men can be cleansed, forgiven, sanctified, and restored to fellowship with God when they respond in obedient faith. That reality should move every person to humility, worship, gratitude, holiness, and faithful obedience before the God who is infinitely holy and abundantly merciful.