Holiness of God

Pastor Martin begins defining the fear of God by examining how the Hebrew and Greek words for fear are used in ordinary Scripture language. He identifies two aspects: the fear of dread and terror (illustrated by Adam hiding from God, and Jesus commanding fear of Him who can cast into hell), and the fear of reverence and awe (illustrated by the command to fear parents). He then expounds the first aspect at length, showing from both Testaments that a legitimate dread of God is commanded and commended, even for Christians, as a deterrent from sin.

Pastor Martin shifts focus from the fear of dread to the dominant biblical theme: the fear of reverential awe. He examines biblical examples of this awe in Jacob at Bethel, Moses at the burning bush, Isaiah in the temple, Peter at the miraculous catch of fish, and John before the glorified Christ. He then defines the fear of God as 'the controlling sense of the majesty and holiness of God and the profound reverence which this apprehension draws forth,' and introduces the first essential ingredient of the fear of God: correct concepts of the character of God, particularly His immensity, majesty, and holiness.

Pastor Martin begins the section on 'The God Whom We Worship and Confess' by laying down the fundamental proposition that there is but one true and living God. He then develops the first of four major assertions about Him: that this God is the God of absolute perfection, perfect in Himself (self-sufficient and needing nothing), perfect in all His attributes (every attribute infinite and held in perfect balance with the others), and perfect in all His ways and works as testified by Moses, David, and the redeemed in heaven.

Pastor Martin begins a focused study on Christ's priestly sacrifice, establishing first the fact of His priestly sacrifice from Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 9:24-28, and Hebrews 10:10-12. He defends the Bible's unequivocal presentation of Christ's death as a true, bona fide priestly offering to God rather than a mere example of self-giving. He then begins to unfold the context of sacrificial activity — the reality of God as holy, just, and gracious, and of man as accountable, guilty, and polluted.

Pastor Martin expounds Revelation 4 as the first half of the great vision of the throne of God and of the Lamb. After the seven letters are dictated, John is beckoned through an opened door in heaven to see a throne set and One seated on it, surrounded by four living creatures and twenty-four elders rendering unceasing praise. He explains that before the church can understand the cycles of conflict to come, she must see the Creator God upon His throne, holy, almighty, and eternal, and hear the elders ascribe to Him worthiness because by His will all things were and are. The vision is a word of instruction and consolation for the struggling church (God is still on His throne, the rainbow of covenant faithfulness still surrounds it) and a word of terror to the impenitent who chafe against a non-negotiable divine sovereignty.

Pastor Martin sets the doctrine of justification within the supportive framework of three indispensable truths without which it cannot be rightly understood: the character and position of God as holy and just Creator and Judge, the character and position of man as accountable creature and guilty sinner, and God's overall ultimate purpose to conform His people to the image of His Son. He warns that whenever justification has been wrenched out of this larger context, it has suffered grievously even at the hands of its friends.