A point we must grasp

[Richard OFfill]

If it can be said that the revelation of God in the New Testament pictures His mercy and forgiveness, it can also be said that the revelation of God in the Old Testament pictures primarily His holiness.

The point that we must grasp once and for all is that God is first holy and then He is everything else. We like to focus on the mercy of God, the forgiveness of God, and His love for us--attributes that make us feel comfortable. But mercy, forgiveness, and love diminish in significance unless we have a clear understanding that the essence of the person of God is His holiness.

The holiness of God is the foundation on which the whole plan of salvation rests.

[Larry Lyons]

If it can be said that the revelation of God in the New Testament pictures His mercy and forgiveness, it can also be said that the revelation of God in the Old Testament pictures primarily His holiness.

The point that we must grasp once and for all is that God is first holy and then He is everything else. We like to focus on the mercy of God, the forgiveness of God, and His love for us--attributes that make us feel comfortable. But mercy, forgiveness, and love diminish in significance unless we have a clear understanding that the essence of the person of God is His holiness.

The holiness of God is the foundation on which the whole plan of salvation rests.

Amen! I suspect that a clear understanding of that would eliminate some of the differences in worship styles that exist in the church.

[Ed Sutton]

What is holiness ?  It's one of those difficult terms to try to define .   As far as human holiness through the power of God working in us, I found some definitions of holiness.

“ Holiness is constant agreement with God. Shall we not strive to be that which Christ so greatly desires us to be--Christians in deed and in truth--that the world may see in our lives a revelation of the saving power of truth? This world is our preparatory school. While here we shall meet with trials and difficulties. Continually the enemy of God will seek to draw us away from our allegiance. But while we cleave to Him who gave Himself for us we are safe.  {HP 33.4} 
     The whole world was gathered into the embrace of Christ. He died on the cross to destroy him who had the power of death and to take away the sin of every believing soul. He calls upon us to offer ourselves on the altar of service, a living, consuming sacrifice. We are to make an unreserved consecration to God of all that we have and are.  {HP 33.5} 

“   God has commanded us, "Be ye holy; for I am holy;" and an inspired apostle declares that without holiness "no man shall see the Lord." Holiness is agreement with God. By sin the image of God in man has been marred and well-nigh obliterated; it is the work of the gospel to restore that which has been lost; and we are to cooperate with the divine agency in this work. And how can we come into harmony with God, how shall we receive His likeness, unless we obtain a knowledge of Him? It is this knowledge that Christ came into the world to reveal unto us.  {5T 743.1}

So then Eve then Adam ceased to agree with God and through that process came to distrust God and set themselves as their own ruler and then committed the act of eating the forbidden fruit.  While Enoch so agreed with God in daily partaking of God's nature that all his attitude, heart, thoughts, actions fully agreed with God so much so that God translated him.   A RBF in action verses Adam & Eve's apostasy of self righteousness and distrust and doing what God said NOT to do.

But that still leaves the hunt for the inspired definition of "holy" as in God is holy.