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.