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.