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The God Who Is
Three Observations
First, there is a great chasm between God and men. "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1,2). Sin is the Great Divider. It separates families, friends, and even churches—and it is sin that separates men from God. The Good News is that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" (II Corinthians 5:19). As John Bakewell wrote,
Paschal Lamb by God appointed, All our sins on Thee were laid; By Almighty Love anointed, Thou hast full atonement made: All Thy people are forgiven Through the virtue of Thy blood; Opened is the gate of Heaven, Peace is made 'twixt man and God!
Second, if a person is to come to God, he must come through another who is worthy. There must be a Mediator between God and men—and there is: it is the man Christ Jesus. But as the apostle Paul wrote, "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). God sent "his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3).
The Lord Jesus Christ donned a suit of flesh, replete with bones and blood, in order that He might suffer, and bleed, and die for "man the creature's sin," because "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Not Buddha, not Siva, not Vishnu, not Allah can save from the guilt, or the shame, or the judgment brought by sin.
Third, to approach God with godly fear is the beginning of wisdom and understanding. "Wherefore... let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Thomas Watson said, "The Christian's holiness is imperfect. His humility is stained with pride. His faith cries out, `Lord, help my unbelief.' His fervency may grow cold and he may hear the indictment, `Thou hast left thy first love.' His dedication may ebb and flow." But God's holiness is perfect. He cannot have more holiness, because He is perfectly holy. He cannot have less holiness, because He is unchangeably holy.
An Invitation
Perhaps the reader will ask, "What can I do, for I am not holy? How can I go and dwell with God?"
First, has God given you a desire to dwell with Him? Then come to Christ, for "the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us (i.e. catharizes us) from all sin" (I John 1:7).
Second, pray as David did for a holy heart. He prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).
Third, walk with people who want to be holy. Choose your friends from them who are the friends of God. The prophet Jehu scolded king Jehoshaphat, saying, "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?" (II Chronicles 19:2).
Fourth, attend a church where the Bible is faithfully preached. The frivolous understanding by our generation of the nature of God is due to the fact that most preaching today "feeds the bastards while it starves the children," as J.C. Philpot wrote. Most ministers preach "smoother things than God does allow." If truth is precious to you, attend a church where God's truth is preached. If it is found among "the despised of the earth," and you are ashamed to be identified with them, you are not worthy of truth.
Fifth, repent of all known sins. But has God given you a sense of shame and of loathing for your sins? There is no help for people "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1) until God is pleased to "quicken" them, i.e. to make them alive. God must give repentance and faith.
Last, the Spirit of God exhorts, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).
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