What can we know about GOD'S holiness?

In an article on GOD's holiness, Vincent Cheung says: "The doctrine of GOD'S incomprehensibility does not nullify the possibility of true and abundant knowledge about HIM by finite human beings through scriptural exegesis. We must not allow GOD'S incomprehensibility to negate his knowability. Although we cannot possess exhaustive knowledge about HIM, we can indeed have true knowledge about HIM. Whatever GOD reveals to us through the words of Scripture is true, and we have true knowledge about GOD to the extent that we know and understand these words."

This little quote teaches us two things:

1) we will never know everything there is to know about GOD (the limitation will remain even after the resurrection of believers);

2) we can learn about HIS HOLINESS through the words of Scripture.

Let us suppose a man with very great mental abilities. Let us also suppose that he is a christian and that he decides to pass his whole life studying the Bible about GOD'S holiness. The more he studies, the more he sees the unspeakable profoundness of the Word of GOD. Let us also suppose that he is faithful and that he does that diligently all his life. Will he know all that it is humanly possible to know about the LORD'S holiness? Absolutely not! Because no one can exhaust all the riches of GOD'S Word! Well, will you say, if that is true, it is not very encouraging to study this doctrine. This attitude is also wrong! We must study this teaching simply because GOD commands us to do it. So our knowledge and understanding will be in direct proportion of our efforts. Our LORD said: "Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22: 37) How can we love someone that we do not know? The more we know about HIM, the more we love HIM.

Lesson number 1: it our responsibility to study and learn the more we can about GOD and about HIS HOLINESS in particular. And we can not do that without efforts and time. We have a great tendency to laziness!

The other day, I was discussing about the matter of holiness with two other christians and I told them: "I would be curious to ask the average christian to write all he knows about GOD'S holiness just from the top of his mind? How many pages could he produce?" And how many pages could I produce? This little question puts us in face of our responsibility: we must study the Scriptures! How many theology books have you read and studied since you are a christian? If we are ignorant, it is by our own fault. There is never been a time in history where good books are available at very good prices! For example, I had Steven Charnock's book "The existence and attributes of God" (1140 pages) for $9.99! By the way, Charnock has written 100 pages on the attribute of holiness. And even if we do not have any money, there is a lot of good books that you can read free on the internet. We have no excuses!

If we cannot fully understand GOD's holiness in a whole life of study and that eternity will not be sufficient to extensively grasp this same holiness, do we begin to see how great GOD's holiness is? And don't forget, holiness is only one of HIS attributes!...

Dear readers, the greatness of OUR LORD is wonderful! "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11: 33-36 These are my favorite verses. They are so profound!...

Marcel