In this critical volume, RC Sproul addresses the oft-neglected topic of The Holiness of God (1985/1998). Early on, Sproul makes the point that the only characteristic of God that is referred to in triplicate (the trisagion) is his holiness. This grammatical approach is designed to demonstrate the ultimacy of this trait. God is all-holy. Story after story in the Bible demonstrate the absolute dread of people when they first encounter the holiness of God. There is none of the casualness about his glory seen among today's evangelicals. If you read Isaiah 6, you will not come away with an image of someone who considers God his "buddy" as we see today. Jesus does call us his friends, but unless we have a balanced view of his holiness, his otherness, we will diminish who he is.
On page 124, Sproul writes, "In two decades of teaching theology, I have had countless students ask why God doesn't save everybody. Only once did a student come to me and say 'there is something I can't figure out. Why did God redeem me?" That one student had a glimpse of God's holiness. Too many of us feel entitled to grace, which completely misses the point.
If you do not have an appropriate sense of God's holiness, read Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4. Then come and read this book.
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