"God is too holy to look upon sin."



If you grew up in religion and are familiar with the prevalent theology, you will have heard this phrase over and over. In fact, odds are, many of you probably even heard it in church today. 


It is plucked from the book of Habakkuk, ripped from its context, and used to instill in people a general sense of distance from God, because He is too holy to even look at us sinners let alone be among us, He basically has to avoid us like the plague. God is too holy to be around sinners, really? "Well you know, God has been in heaven for eternity, He hasn’t built up an immunity to a fallen world. Sin is dangerous to God! You can’t just step into the sin arena and not get contaminated!" 


Never mind Jesus that is another point, let's hear what Habakkuk says.


Habakkuk says it right there, “Your eyes are too pure to see evil, And You can not look on wickedness.” (Hab. 1:13) Good old Habakkuk, but keep reading, he paints a different picture. Habukkuk continues, “Why then do You look on those who deal treacherously?” "Just a cotton-picken-minute now. What did he just say? God actually does look on sinners? You mean GOD LOOKS UPON SIN"!!! That’s the logical conclusion of that verse? Yes, this verse is expressing Habakkuk’s confusion as to why God is not meeting up to His beliefs about God. Habakkuk is saying, “God! You’re too holy to look upon sinners! So why do you?”


How many believers have been taught that God is too holy to look upon sin, and thus have been hindered from truly seeing God in the face of Christ and relating to God as Jesus showed him, as a LOVING Father? People who believe that "God is too holy to be around sinners" might have missed the entire gospel. You know, that part about God becoming flesh and dwelling with sinning humanity...that's a really important part. And if that isn't enough, while in the flesh, God went out of His way to hangout with drunkards, thieves, and prostitutes. He was called “the friend of sinners.” Hmm. Either God lost His holiness when He came to earth, or the idea that Gods holiness is allergic to sinners is a big stiken lie. The Pharisees portrayed they were "too holy" to be around sin, not Jesus. God is like Jesus, not like the Pharisees. Sometimes when describing God’s holiness, people end up describing an omnipotent Pharisee. But that is not the God revealed in Christ. God’s holiness is wholly Christlike.


The incarnation obliterates the idea of distance between God and man. God has shown Himself to be united to humanity through Christ. This was not something that began when Christ was born, but has always been, and was revealed to us by Jesus. The incarnation reveals God has ALWAYS been amongst us, in us, for us, one with us. Gods holiness is Christ, God's love is Christ and they shine all the brighter in their purity when blazing in our darkness, relentlessly sinning humanity for redemption and restoration of ALL.


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