The Holiness of God
The Holiness of God
by R.C. Sproul
1. Would you Recommend this Book?
As highly as possible, I’m not sure any book has brought me to tears and made me stop reading
to worship and pray as much as this one did.
2. What is the Main Point?
God’s Holiness is his defining attribute; God is utterly and entirely unique and different and
Other. The goal of this book is simply a properly high view of God, and he accomplishes it better
than any other book I have read. A.W. Tozer said famously, “What a man believes about God is
the most important thing about the man;” this book will help you view God properly.
3. Which Parts should I read if I’m short on Time?
Read it all, but chapters 1-4 are absolutely crucial, along with chapters 7 and 11.
4. Why does this book Matter?
The modern world does all it can to lower our view of God, to reduce Jesus to a rosy cheeked
sheep hugger and the Father to something mirroring modern "tolerance” and much more 21st
century palatable; this is poison. We need this book as much as any generation ever has, we
need to restore the proper fear and reverence of God, we need that in our own hearts and we
need that in the modern church!
5. Is this Book an “Easy-Read?” (Include Length)
Yes, Sproul is a phenomenally gifted author and he grabs you immediately with his story about
coming to experience God’s holiness for the first time.
6. Who is this Author and what did you think of their writing?
R.C. Sproul was a world renowned theologian and apologist, a presbyterian minister, and the
founder of Ligonier Ministries. Sproul has had a significant impact on myself, David and Adam.
We cannot recommend him wholesale due to his presbyterianism, but the vast majority of his
content we would recommend without any reservation whatsoever. He and John Macarthur had
a great public friendship and modeled how brothers can love one another deeply despite
disagreeing about important things like baptism and ecclesiology.
7. What is One Key Take-Away or Application for my life?
A proper view of God is what it takes to have a proper view of man and self; you will feel the
weight of your sin in this book as it is lifted up against the Holy Holy Holy Alpha and Omega,
and you will thus feel the weight of the Gospel which set you free from even that sin. Nothing
will stir one onward to live a holy life than seeing the holiness of their God.
8. What was One point of Disagreement?
Some argue that Sproul emphasizes God’s wrath and holiness without properly weighing the
balance with God’s love and mercy, however, he dedicates a beautfully written chapter to doing
just this and explaining how God’s justice and his love are not enemies but require each other.
9. What are any other things that stood out to You?
I was captivated by Sproul’s poetic explanation of God’s ability to create by divine fiat, by the
sheer force of his word. He said, “The first sound uttered in the universe was the voice of God
commanding, ‘Let there be!’ . . . As soon as the words left the Creator’s mouth, things began to
happen. Where His voice reverberated, stars appeared, glowing in unspeakable brilliance in
tempo with the songs of angels . . . He spoke, and the seas were shut behind doors, and the
clouds were filled with dew. He bound the Pleiades and buckled the belt of Orion. He spoke
again, and the earth began to fill with orchards in full bloom. Blossoms burst forth like springtime
in Mississippi. The lavender hues of plum trees danced with the brilliance of azaleas and
forsythia. God spoke once more, and the waters teemed with living things. The snail sneaked
beneath the shadowy form from the stingray, while the great marlin broke the surface of the
water to promenade in the waves with his tail. Again God spoke, and the roar of the lion and the
bleating of sheep were heard. . .”
10. Have you read any books similar to this one that you would recommend one
to read first to help with this one?
Kevin Deyoung’s “Hole in our Holiness” would be a great book to pair with this one. As for books
to read before, if any, maybe J.I. Packer’s seminal work Knowing God.
by R.C. Sproul
1. Would you Recommend this Book?
As highly as possible, I’m not sure any book has brought me to tears and made me stop reading
to worship and pray as much as this one did.
2. What is the Main Point?
God’s Holiness is his defining attribute; God is utterly and entirely unique and different and
Other. The goal of this book is simply a properly high view of God, and he accomplishes it better
than any other book I have read. A.W. Tozer said famously, “What a man believes about God is
the most important thing about the man;” this book will help you view God properly.
3. Which Parts should I read if I’m short on Time?
Read it all, but chapters 1-4 are absolutely crucial, along with chapters 7 and 11.
4. Why does this book Matter?
The modern world does all it can to lower our view of God, to reduce Jesus to a rosy cheeked
sheep hugger and the Father to something mirroring modern "tolerance” and much more 21st
century palatable; this is poison. We need this book as much as any generation ever has, we
need to restore the proper fear and reverence of God, we need that in our own hearts and we
need that in the modern church!
5. Is this Book an “Easy-Read?” (Include Length)
Yes, Sproul is a phenomenally gifted author and he grabs you immediately with his story about
coming to experience God’s holiness for the first time.
6. Who is this Author and what did you think of their writing?
R.C. Sproul was a world renowned theologian and apologist, a presbyterian minister, and the
founder of Ligonier Ministries. Sproul has had a significant impact on myself, David and Adam.
We cannot recommend him wholesale due to his presbyterianism, but the vast majority of his
content we would recommend without any reservation whatsoever. He and John Macarthur had
a great public friendship and modeled how brothers can love one another deeply despite
disagreeing about important things like baptism and ecclesiology.
7. What is One Key Take-Away or Application for my life?
A proper view of God is what it takes to have a proper view of man and self; you will feel the
weight of your sin in this book as it is lifted up against the Holy Holy Holy Alpha and Omega,
and you will thus feel the weight of the Gospel which set you free from even that sin. Nothing
will stir one onward to live a holy life than seeing the holiness of their God.
8. What was One point of Disagreement?
Some argue that Sproul emphasizes God’s wrath and holiness without properly weighing the
balance with God’s love and mercy, however, he dedicates a beautfully written chapter to doing
just this and explaining how God’s justice and his love are not enemies but require each other.
9. What are any other things that stood out to You?
I was captivated by Sproul’s poetic explanation of God’s ability to create by divine fiat, by the
sheer force of his word. He said, “The first sound uttered in the universe was the voice of God
commanding, ‘Let there be!’ . . . As soon as the words left the Creator’s mouth, things began to
happen. Where His voice reverberated, stars appeared, glowing in unspeakable brilliance in
tempo with the songs of angels . . . He spoke, and the seas were shut behind doors, and the
clouds were filled with dew. He bound the Pleiades and buckled the belt of Orion. He spoke
again, and the earth began to fill with orchards in full bloom. Blossoms burst forth like springtime
in Mississippi. The lavender hues of plum trees danced with the brilliance of azaleas and
forsythia. God spoke once more, and the waters teemed with living things. The snail sneaked
beneath the shadowy form from the stingray, while the great marlin broke the surface of the
water to promenade in the waves with his tail. Again God spoke, and the roar of the lion and the
bleating of sheep were heard. . .”
10. Have you read any books similar to this one that you would recommend one
to read first to help with this one?
Kevin Deyoung’s “Hole in our Holiness” would be a great book to pair with this one. As for books
to read before, if any, maybe J.I. Packer’s seminal work Knowing God.
Posted in Book Reviews
Categories
Recent
Archive
2025
April
August
What Do We Believe About Predestination/Election?Why Are We Reformed Baptist?The Case for the Resurrection of JesusOrdinary9 Marks of a Healthy ChurchReturn of the God HypothesisThe Rise and Triumph of the Modern SelfPrayerThe Air We BreatheThe Screwtape LettersThe Mortification of SinThe Holiness of God