I have one final quote to share from The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. I recommend the book as a great God-focused book on what God’s holiness really is and how it should impact us.
Sproul spends some time discussing Martin Luther, and highlights an instance when he was to offer his first Mass. This is before Luther was converted, but it shows how clearly Luther was aware of God’s holiness and the true terror that this holiness should work in man. Luther was unable to give the mass, and could not speak. He was paralyzed when he got to the point when he was supposed to say the words, “We offer unto thee, the living, the true, the eternal God.” Luther explains why this caused him to be speechless in the following few lines. Would we all were so keenly aware of God’s majesty and our sin.
At these words I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken. I thought to myself, “With what tongue shall I address such majesty, seeing that all men ought to tremble in the presence of even an earthly prince? Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine Majesty? The angels surround him. At his nod the earth trembles. And shall I, a miserable litle pygmy, say ‘I want this, I ask for that’? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin and I am speaking to the living, eternal and the true God.” [Holiness of God, pg. 107 (Wheaton: 1985); quote was taken from (Roland Bainton, Here I Stand (NAL, 1978)]
Praise God that we have a mediator, one Jesus Christ to take our place and allow us to approach the great and Mighty God. How truly amazing is God’s grace.
That quote struck me, as well, when I read that book some years back. How inexcusable it is for so many evangelicals to have such a flippancy when discussing divine things! Luther’s later insistence that the Law had to break down before the Gospel could truly heal is related to this idea, I think. How many of us in so called “Evangelicalism” like to retain a “gospel” that will assure us of a place in heaven, but will not infringe upon our pursuit of worldly lusts and securities? The fear of God is very lacking these days, I’m afraid.
This idea/feeling Martin Luther addresses,Well, I thank God for bringing me into a wonderful church family now {EastHills Church – Oroville CA} where they strive to please God [Hebrews 11:6] and where I have begun a RE-Awakening in my soul. Well, not me, Almighty God has.
I have been brought to this new level lately through His mighty Hand holding me, where the Apostle Paul speaks of having this strong desire for those he has been teaching to come closer to God, to leave sin behind. I have felt that {literally} so strongly I have been brought below my knees in prayer for those lost in my life who my LORD has put in my path to pray for, to speak to.
AND – wonderfully- He has taken me further and further from wordly/ fleshly desires to an all consuming need for HIM in my life, by first stirring the need for His Holy WORD. The power of feeling the absulute miserably dreadful fear and lothing for ones own part in nailing our Savior to the cross can take your breath away.
But with my own pitiful faith & praise-giving, I thank my Holy Father for sending My Savior Jesus Christ, giving Himself as the sacrifice for my selfishness and lowliness, by Grace and, after overcoming death itself, sending His Power , our Comforter, Counselor, to reside in my body drawing me closer to Him day by day.
~De
Amen!
i want to read about god story.