Revelation 4:6 and 8 "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ... 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

 Isaiah 6:2 and 3, "Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

 R.C. Sproul makes this insightful observation from Isaiah 6,  "The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy.  Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy.  He is holy, holy, holy.  The Bible never says that God is love, love, love, or mercy, mercy, mercy, or wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice.  It does say that "He is holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of His glory."  Sproul also stated, "When the word holy is applied to God, it does not signify one single attribute.  On the contrary, God is called holy in a general sense.  The word is used as a synonym for His deity.  That is, the word 'holy' calls attention to all that God is." 

 To define 'holy'  - "it is to be distinct, separate, in a class by oneself." (Robert Deffinbaugh).  The primary meaning is "separate."  It comes from an ancient word that meant ' to cut' or 'to separate'.  More accurately, it means to be 'a cut above something'.  When we find something that is outstanding or of a superior excellence, we use the phrase that it is, "a cut above the rest."  [Even though the Hebrew word for 'holy' means separated, there can be relationship with us because the Lord takes the initiative to provide a mediator (Jesus).]  The repetition (holy, holy, holy) emphasizes the absolute truth and the magnitude of the holiness of God.  According to the Theological Wordbook  of the Old Testament,  "the 'holiness' of God is:  totally good and entirely without evil;  separate from all that is sinful and profane;  and, because God is holy, He is 'above the weaknesses and imperfections of mortals"/  According to Deffinbaugh, "God is so far above and beyond, as that He seems almost foreign to us.  This means the one who is holy is uniquely holy with no rivals or competition."  

 Exodus 15:11(NLT) "Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?"

 1 Samuel 2:2, "No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God."

 The holiness of God is the essence of His being.  Because He is holy (above weakness and imperfection), when He reveals Himself to us in a word or deed,  He does so within the context of His perfect holiness.  The word holy can be used as a synonym for God's diety.  The Bible uses this general term to describe the nature of God, and, who He is.  From the beginning to the end, the Bible describes God as holy.  God is holy in relation to every aspect of His nature and character.  That He is holy, calls attention to all that God is - His love, grace, mercy, knowledge, justice, and, even His Spirit is called the "Holy" Spirit.

 What/How does having this knowledge affect us? 

 Leviticus 19:1 and 2, "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."  Notice this command, "you shall" was given to "all"  In verse 2, the Hebrew word for 'holy' is qadosh.  According to Word Wealth in the NSFLB, "Qadash means: set apart, dedicated to sacred purposes; holy, sacred, clean, morally or ceremonially pure.  The verb, qadash means, to set apart something or someone for holy purposes.  Holiness is separation from everything profane and defiling; and at the same time, it is dedication to everything holy and pure.  God is entirely holy in his nature, motives, thoughts, words and deeds, so that, He is called Qadash and in verse 2 "you shall be qedoshim (holy ones) for I ...am holy"

 God is holy and requires holiness from those who believe.  In fact, it is a serious issue, as we can see from Hebrews 12:14, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord..."  This statement bears repeating, "holiness, without which no one will see the Lord"

 In this age, believers have traded Biblical truth with compromise,  to get along with those of the world.  Sadly, many believers have forgotten God's requirement of holiness.

 Let's look at 1 Corinthians 1:30.  This verse states, "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--"  Christ Jesus has become these things for us.  The word for 'sanctification' in this verse is the Greek word, hagiasmas.  Five times in the New Testament, hagiasmas has been translated as "holiness."  We can pursue holiness in our daily lives because we have been made holy through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus' body on the cross.  Romans 8:2  reads, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."  Being free from the power of sin and death, by grace, we are able to live out that holiness in our day-to-day lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Scripture bears witness that we live out that life of holiness by the choices we make,  2 Corinthians 6:16 - 7:1, "16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Co 7:1, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."   These verses are full of choices we need to make.  Also, the fear (reverence) of God should motivate us to live a life of holiness. 

 How important is our living a holy life, to God? 

 1 Thessalonians 4:7 and 8, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit."  If we reject the command God has given regarding our living our life in holiness, we reject God!

 Even as those who have been created in His image, and called to be holy as He is holy, we realize that walking in that holiness does not come instantaneously.  2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."  This verse lets us know that we  are "being transformed"  It is a continual process and transformation. 

 Remember, God's holiness encompasses His nature and character.  2 Peter 1 verses 1 through 4 are powerful and can be life changing, if we can grasp what they teach us. 

2 Peter 1:1-4, "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."  See it?  He has provided the way for us to be partakers of His very nature!  Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

 John 17:20 and 21 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."  God's desire is for each of His children to be one with Him.

 Holiness is not an option.  It is a command.  Holiness is not an old fashioned idea that requires 'works' such as what the religious leaders of Jesus' time required.

 Holiness is a lifestyle which is lived, because of who we are in relation with Christ, as instructed by His Word and Spirit.  Holiness is the essence of the character and qualities of the Lord.  We forsake the ways of the world and live according to the will of God...reflecting His holiness by making choices that:would be totally good and entirely without evil;would separate us from all that is sinful and profane;would reflect His love, grace, mercy, knowledge, and justice.

 The good news is that, as He calls us to it, He aids and enables us to do it!  We can depend on Him to lead, guide, instruct, and give us the courage and strength to choose to live the holy life He requires us to live!

 Finally, 1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 

 Living a holy life brings eternal rewards!