Revelation 15:4, “Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

The God of the gospel is both fully loving and completely holy.  Some people choose to focus only on one attribute; however, it is clear from the Bible that God is both.  For example, those preachers who only see God’s love emphasize forgiveness, mercy, and compassion, but they neglect preaching about God’s judgment and punishment, Hebrews 10:26-27.

On the other hand, those who only see God’s holiness constantly talk about God’s wrath and hatred of sin, but they neglect to share God’s amazing grace and patience, 2 Peter 3:9.  Therefore, as gospel preachers we cannot be unbalanced in God’s attributes, we must properly preach both.

Frist, the loving nature of God can be seen from creation to the book of Revelation.  John 3:16 states that is was because “God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son,” and 1 John 4:8 boldly proclaims, “God is love.”  Paul also said in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Therefore, it is clear that God loves all of His creation.

Second, the holiness of God can also be seen in every encounter God has with His creation from Adam to Armageddon.  God cursed Adam and Eve and cast them from the Garden after they sinned, He flooded the entire world in Noah’s day, judged whole nations, struck down Ananias and Sapphire for lying to the Holy Spirit, and He has promised to send all unbelievers and liars to the eternal lake of fire with the devil and His angels, Revelation 20:15.  Therefore, as a result of God’s supreme holiness angels fly around His throne and proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory,” Isaiah 6:3.

May today’s gospel preachers preach both the love and holiness of God!

Reflection

Do you believe God is both loving and holy?

Action

  1. Study and develop a biblical understanding of God’s love.
  2. Then develop a understanding of God’s holiness.
  3. As you preach the Gospel emphasize both of God’s two main attributes and how they relate to Jesus and the cross.  For example, God sent Jesus in love to die for our sins because His holiness required sacrifice to appease His judgment, Hebrews 9:22.