A lady once prayed: “0 Lord, forgive us. We do so many things now that we used to think were wrong.” Her prayer is a commentary on many lives.

When Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord, he was most impressed with God’s holiness. That is not surprising since, in his vision, the creatures about the throne were occupied day and night with that attribute of God.

The holiness of God is taught throughout the Bible. Sodom and Gomorrah could not be allowed to continue in their wickedness. The angels that left their first estate were not spared. The world in Noah’s day had but one hundred twenty years to turn from wickedness before destruction. Nineveh had to repent in forty days in response to the preaching of Jonah or be overthrown.

The most powerful illustration of God’s holiness is found in the death of Christ on the cross. Sin could not be excused. It had to be judged. There was but one way for God to be just and the justifier: The Innocent One had to atone for the guilty. Christ died for us, taking our place: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Live carefully. The price of sin is high. And one day soon we must stand before our Holy God (see Romans 14:12).