Holy, Holy, Holy
The sermon emphasizes the infinite and pure holiness of God and the call for believers to strive for holiness in their lives.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the unparalleled holiness of God, describing it as infinitely, transcendently, and gloriously holy. He contrasts God's pure holiness with the mixed and imperfect holiness found in humans, highlighting the constant presence of unholiness in our lives. Brooks asserts that God's holiness permeates all His actions, attributes, and nature, making Him the ultimate source of holiness. He encourages believers to seek God's holiness as the standard for their own lives, reminding them that true holiness can only come from God. The sermon culminates in the call to recognize and aspire to the holiness of God as the ultimate example.
Text
"Who is like You, glorious in holiness?" Exodus 15:11
God is . . .
infinitely holy,
transcendently holy,
superlatively holy,
constantly holy,
unchangeably holy,
exemplary holy,
gloriously holy.
All the holiness that is in the best and choicest
Christians is but a mixed holiness, a weak and
imperfect holiness. Their unholiness is always
more than their holiness.
Ah, what a great deal . . .
of pride is mixed with a little humility,
of unbelief is mixed with a little faith,
of peevishness is mixed with a little meekness,
of earthliness is mixed with a little heavenliness,
of carnality is mixed with a little spirituality,
of harshness is mixed with a little tenderness!
Oh, but the holiness of God is a pure holiness, it is
a holiness without mixture; there is not the least
drop or the least dreg of unholiness in God! "God
is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5
In God there is . . .
all wisdom without any folly,
all truth without any falsehood,
all light without any darkness, and
all holiness without any sinfulness.
God is universally holy.
He is holy in all His ways,
and holy in all His works.
His precepts are holy precepts,
His promises are holy promises,
His threatenings are holy threatenings,
His love is a holy love,
His anger is a holy anger,
His hatred is a holy hatred, etc.
His nature is holy,
His attributes are holy,
His actions are all holy.
He is holy in sparing;
and holy in punishing.
He is holy in justifying of some;
and holy in condemning of others.
He is holy in bringing some to heaven;
and holy in throwing others to hell.
God is holy . . .
in all His sayings,
in all His doings,
in whatever He puts His hand to,
in whatever He sets His heart to.
His frowns are holy,
His smiles are holy.
When He gives, His givings are holy giving;
when He takes away, His takings are holy takings, etc.
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty!" Isaiah 6:3
God is eminently holy.
He is transcendently holy.
He is superlatively holy.
He is glorious in holiness.
There is no fathoming,
there is no measuring,
there is no comprehending,
there is no searching, of that
infinite sea of holiness, which is in God.
O sirs! you shall as soon . . .
stop the sun in its course, and
change the day into night, and
raise the dead,
and make a world, and
count the stars of heaven, and
empty the sea with a cockle-shell,
as you shall be able either to conceive or express
that transcendent holiness which is in God!
God's holiness is infinite.
It can neither be . . .
limited, nor
lessened, nor
increased.
God is the spring of all holiness and purity. All that
holiness which is in angels and men flows from God,
as the streams from the fountain,
as the beams from the sun,
as the branches from the root,
as the effect from the cause.
Ministers may pray that their people may be holy,
parents may pray that their children may be holy;
but they cannot give holiness, nor communicate
holiness to their nearest and dearest relations.
God alone is the giver and the author of all holiness.
It is only the Holy One who can cause holiness to flow
into sinners' hearts; it is only He who can form, and
frame, and infuse holiness into the souls of men.
A man shall sooner make make a world--than he shall
make another holy. It is only a holy God, who can . . .
enlighten the mind, and
bow the will, and
melt the heart, and
raise the affections, and
purge the conscience, and
reform the life, and
put the whole man into a holy gracious temper.
God is exemplary holy. He is the rule, example, and
pattern of holiness. "Be holy, as I am holy." 1 Pet. 1:15.
God's holiness is the copy which we must always have in
our eye, and endeavor most exactly to write after.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - God's holiness is infinite - God's holiness is pure and unchangeable - God's holiness is universal
- II points: - God's holiness in His attributes - God's holiness in His actions - God's holiness in His judgments
- III points: - God as the source of all holiness - The role of God in imparting holiness - The necessity of God's holiness for transformation
- IV points: - The call to emulate God's holiness - The importance of striving for holiness - Holiness as a reflection of God's nature
Key Quotes
“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” — Thomas Brooks
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty!” — Thomas Brooks
“Be holy, as I am holy.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Reflect on God's holiness as a standard for your own life.
- Pray for God's help in cultivating holiness within your heart.
- Strive to emulate God's attributes in your daily actions and interactions.