Deep Creek Anglican Church Blog

As our author sets out on his journey of God the Peacemaker he begins by wrestling with our understanding of holiness, righteousness and love when applied to the biblical God.

Do you, like me, relate to Graham Cole’s opening statements:

• understanding holiness does not come easily
• divine righteousness does not immediately resonate with modern sensibilities
• the idea of a loving God comes more easily?

Our author explores the character of God.  In so doing, we are provided with some wonderful illumination of God revealed in Scripture:

• divine righteousness and holiness inform the need for atonement
• divine love provides atonement
• divine righteousness means that God acts as a relationship morally requires or allows ie. we get our due.  This is seen in rescuing the disciplined exiles (Isa 51:11) and judging the Babylonians (Isa 51:8)
• divine holiness means that God is separate from creatures (Isa 40:25) and pure (Hab 1:12f).  Helpfully, Graham points out that holiness in some contexts expresses itself in wrath (Lev 10:1-3) but in others it saves (Isa 41:14)
• divine love (Ex 34:6; 1 John 4:8, 16) shows itself in the cross.  but unlike divine holiness asnd righteousness, divine love does not judge
• at the cross, all three perfections are revealed:
  • divine love (Rom 5:6-8)
  • divine righteousness (Rom 3:25f)
  • divine holiness (Heb 10:11-14)

Graham concludes this first chapter with an examination of the question: “Is divine love in conflict with divine wrath?”  Simple answer: No.  But in exploring the question (to which often answers fail to do justice to God revealed in Scripture) our author gives excellent insight:

• holiness is an essential attribute of God – wrath expresses holiness in certain contexts
• love is an essential attribute of God – mercy is how love acts in certain contexts.

As I read this fine opening chapter, I was again reminded that we cannot properly worship God when we do not know Him, as revealed in Scripture.  Chapter One is an excellent summary of the character of God – essential reading for every child of God.