The Holiness of God [Paperback]

R. C. Sproul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

Central to God’s character is the quality of holiness. Yet, even so, most people are hard-pressed to define what God’s holiness precisely is. Many preachers today avoid the topic altogether because people today don’t quite know what to do with words like “awe” or “fear.” R. C. Sproul, in this classic work, puts the holiness of God in its proper and central place in the Christian life. He paints an awe-inspiring vision of God that encourages Christian to become holy just as God is holy. Once you encounter the holiness of God, your life will never be the same.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Every Christian who is serious about his or her growth needs to read The Holiness of God. I profited greatly from this book. (Jerry Bridges, author of The Pursuit of Holiness)

From the Back Cover

Are you intrigued by God’s holiness, or are you terrified?
Encountering God’s holy presence, R. C. Sproul argues, is a terrifying experience and the only way to cure our propensity to trust in ourselves and our own righteousness for salvation. In The Holiness of God, one of the classic theological works of our time, you will gain a better understanding of how having a biblical picture of God’s holiness is foundational to God-honoring theology and Christian living.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 2nd edition (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0842339655
• ISBN-13: 978-0842339650
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.7 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian education ministry located near Orlando, Florida. His teaching can be heard on the program Renewing Your Mind, which is broadcast on hundreds of radio outlets in the United States and in 40 countries worldwide. He is the executive editor of Tabletalk magazine and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible, and the author of more than seventy books and scores of articles for national evangelical publications. Dr. Sproul also serves as president of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and Reformation Bible College. He currently serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, FL.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 96 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A "One Sitting" Book January 23, 2005

By Jessica

Format:Paperback

This is a "one sitting" book that kept me turning the pages until wee hours of the morning. Few authors possess the keen ability to help readers come into a grasp of the nature of God's holiness, but through this book Dr. Sproul (along with his wits and unique sense of humor) is able to help us understand better and transport the reader into the presence of God.

We often hear many talk about how God is love, yet why do fewer ever speak of His holiness and justice? The Holiness of God reminds me yet again that my salvation (through Christ's propitiatory death) is an act of mercy and grace by God (not an obligation), since His absolute holiness demands only justice for my sins. Dr. Sproul helps readers dig deeper beneath a superficial surface of what it means that God is holy--bringing us into a deeper understanding and love of who God is, a greater awe for His absolute holiness, and reverence in worship. As the famous Reformed preacher Jonathan Edwards once wrote: "A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this."

One of my favorite chapters carries an intriguing title: The Trauma of Holiness. Why and how does holiness invoke trauma? Many other religions have invented god(s) who brought only comfort. Even Sigmund Freud espoused the theory that people invent "god(s)" to help them deal with scary things, to serve as a "crutch," so to speak. In this book Sproul draws a contrast by demonstrating how the one and only true God has certain characteristics distinct from those that would normally be attributed by the common man. Our true God possesses a uniqueness (an awesome "otherness"). After Jesus miraculously calmed the storm in the Sea of Galilee, the disciples felt uncomfortable and terrified (yes, terrified) upon realizing that they, in their sinfulness, were in the presence of the Holy One. What a contrast to those popular man-made ideas of God invented only to bring comfort!

This book helps us to see better the God who is--who not only brings comfort in time of need, invokes our adoration and praise, but also in whose Holy presence drives us to our knees in reverential worship.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Holy, Holy, Holy Is The LORD! July 30, 2000

By Rocco B. Rubino

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is unlike any that I have ever read in that it puts the LORD in His rightful place; on the throne, high and lifted up,exalted.

RC Sproul has a wonderful grasp on the Holiness of God. This book is a must read for any Christian who is serious about furthering his or her walk with the Lord. Holiness is not a topic that is preached on, and that is unfortunate, because the Bible tells us that without holiness "no man shall see the Lord." Dr. Sproul's work is compelling, yet easy to understand. I highly recommend this book, and I am willing to discuss it in more detail, so feel free to send me an email.

56 of 65 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, Not Quite a Classic October 29, 2002

By J. F Foster

Format:Paperback

Many have commented that this book by RC Sproul represents the pinnacle work of Sproul's illustrious publishing career. Some have heralded this book as being a contemporary classic. I must respectfully dissent from both views. While I certainly hold Sproul in high regard and consider this particular book to be very good, it could have been a little better.

It is important to emphasize that this book has many more strengths than weaknesses. Sproul's discourse on the immensity, from a finite perspective, of contemplating the holiness and 'otherness' of God is outstanding and should be required reading in churches all over America. American evangelicalism has gotten increasingly soft in the opinion of many (me included), with great emphasis being paid to human abilities and worshipping a God of love that is devoid of justice. Sproul squarely and correctly provides much needed balance in this book on these questions. God is sovereign, He is infinite, He is eternal, and He is holy - we are none of these things. It would serve the body of Christ well to sincerely take some time to contemplate these things so that the American church can hopefully return to a very clear theology about who God is, who we are, and who needs who in this scenario.

Sproul's analysis of the trials and tribulations of Martin Luther is also outstanding. It's amazing to me that many everyday Protestants know almost nothing about the most prominent figure of the Reformation, what he believed, what he espoused, and what his theological and personal struggles were. Luther is not God, but He 'wrestled' with God in many ways over the deepest questions of life. Woe to the American church that we don't have many more people willing and wanting to be like Luther in this respect - choosing instead a surface level faith that is blissfully indifferent to the gravity of these issues. I thought Sproul did a wonderful job in contrasting Luther's insatiable hunger for better knowing the things of God with the current yawning condition of the modern church.

Sproul also provides good material on God's justice, His wrath, and how such things cannot be divorced from His love and mercy. His treatment of the interesting similarities of God's dealings with Jacob, Moses, Job, and Paul is very insightful.

Despite these many strengths, I am compelled to give the book 4 stars for two main reasons. First, Sproul's chapter on the 'difficult' passages of the Old Testament struck me as a bit inadequate. More verses could have been analyzed, and the analysis itself could have been significantly more exhaustive. Sproul is correct that the difficult commandments of God in the Old Testament represent a formidable stumbling block for many. But I didn't think that Sproul's analysis did much to address them. Secondly, I felt that Sproul took way too much liberty in his interpretations of Biblical texts and events. Some no doubt disagree, but I don't think it's a good interpretational technique to take a passage of Scripture and recast it in different language in our efforts to prove a point. This type of practice really lends itself to strawman arguments and fundamental misinterpretation. Sproul did this throughout the book, and I often found myself asking, "How does he know the inner thoughts of the writers, or the unwritten aspects of the event in question, etc". I have always thought that it is much better to interpret Scripture in light of what Scripture says, rather than relying on our own ability to theorize about what Scripture does not say and then using those theories to advance some point. Going beyond what Scripture says is every bit as dangerous as ignoring what Scripture does say. Does Sproul do this here? Maybe, maybe not. The point is that he leaves himself open to this charge when he didn't have to.

Overall, I would certainly recommend the book due to its many strengths. But readers should be careful to test Sproul's slangish translations of Scripture and event theorization in light of the Word of God, because this is a real disappointment of the book. Slangish translations of Scripture are common among those theologians who don't hold to the plenary (word for word) inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture and instead hold to an inspiration of concepts and big ideas. This view gives them wiggle room to play around with the actual words of Scripture. I would argue that a theologian who holds to plenary level inspiration should not be taking liberty with the text the way that Sproul does here. As a result, his translations should be meticulously scrutinized by the reader for faithfulness to the text. A very good book, but not perfect.