God is the absolutely pure being who abhors evil. He cannot tolerate any unrighteousness. Habakkuk 1:13 tells us, "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrong." (NIV) God cannot secretly inspire any evil in us, for in His very nature He cannot accept evil in any form.
God's holiness demands consequences for sin. We have broken His standard of holiness, and His holiness demands that He judge sin, not ignore or excuse it.
Throughout the Bible, God's wrath is pictured as a destroying fire. Think back to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities were filled with sin. What was the punishment? The Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur upon those cities. Everyone perished. Yet God's wrath is not uncontrolled anger. Instead, it is a planned and just act based on God's holiness.
Today, many people believe that actions do not have consequences. If you want to have extramarital sex, just use a condom. If you commit a crime, hire a good lawyer. Stealing items from your employer is okay because everyone else is doing it. The lack of teaching on true morality in our public schools and in society in general has lowered the bar.
This is how we sometimes approach God too. "Our sins are not so wrong," we say. "What others do is much worse." The person who believes this has not confronted the absolute holiness of God. One small sin, one white lie, one hurtful word is enough to separate us from God's untainted holiness.
Your View of God Really Matters ...
Are there any "little" sins in your life that you have ignored? In light of God's untainted holiness, how do you think God views those "little" sins? What do you think you should do?
Learn more about God’s character at Discover God, by Bright Media Foundation, an affiliate of Cru.
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