Book Review: The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
by Sam Brown

The Holiness of God, written by R.C. Sproul, was first published in 1985. More than 200,000 copies of this book have been sold since its publication. On the back of the 1998 paperback edition, James Montgomery Boice comments, “It may be a bit early to call R.C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God one of the classic theological works of our time. But if it does not have that status yet, it is well on the way to achieving it.” Certainly this book has risen to the level of “must read” for all conservative students of God’s Word. God commands us to “Be holy, for I am holy” in 1 Peter 1:16. Therefore, all believers should seek to understand what it means to be holy.

This book is Dr. Sproul’s personal journey through conversion; his first face-to-face with God’s holiness; and his subsequent years of mediation on God’s holiness. God has granted some men and women an exceptional understanding of His Word and an exceptional capacity to think. When they speak, we listen. Dr. Sproul is one of these dear teachers of God’s Word.

Are you intrigued by God’s holiness, or are you terrified? Maybe the question should be “do you even think about God’s holiness?” In order to truly contemplate God’s holiness we must come face-to-face with our own sinfulness. The blazing light of God’s holiness reveals all imperfections, and God’s holiness will consume and destroy all imperfections. Man hates God because of his sinfulness. He stands in complete opposition to God as a mortal enemy. At the same time, God stands in complete enmity against man. This is known as dual enmity. God’s holy wrath is rightly poised against all sin. Romans 6:23a says, “The wages of sin is death.” Why then is man not completely and immediately consumed? Because of God’s grace! However, before we can truly understand God’s grace and mercy, we must first wrestle with the concept of God’s holiness. What does it mean for God to be holy? This is the direction of The Holiness of God. So the question remains: does God’s holiness frighten or even anger you, or does it draw you to him? Perhaps it does both.

Sproul begins his book by discussing two men’s encounter with God’s holiness - Isaiah and Moses. Then he moves to Martin Luther’s own salvation journey and his wrestling with the consequences of God’s holiness. Next, Dr. Sproul addresses some opposition to God’s “sudden” acts of justice including God’s judgment on Nadab, Abihu, and Uzzah; and God’s order for pagan nations to be murdered, including women and children. These are good Biblical occurrences that many of us have stepped back from. On this foundation the author spends the final five chapters thinking through our position as sinners and God’s position as the Holy One. He tackles commonly held opinions on grace and mercy in light of God’s justice. In the end, Dr. Sproul raises God to His proper place in the reader’s thinking. As well, he brakes through the reader’s preconceived notions of God’s justice and grace.

On a personal note, I have never thought so much on the very essence of God’s holiness. When I think of God’s righteous wrath and holiness it scares me. When I think of God’s mercy, grace, and love it comforts me. But at all times, through whichever way God seeks to act, He is holy. I will conclude with this quote from the book. On page 192 the author writes, “Once we refuse to honor God as God, our whole view of life and the world becomes distorted.” Therefore we must give attention to books like this that draw our attention to the Scriptures and to our God. May we honor Him in our thinking and subsequently through our lives.