John,

J.I. Packer writes: "the aspect of God's character on which God laid most stress in the Old Testament was his holiness. The angels' song which Isaiah heard in the temple with its emphatic repetitions -- "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty" (Is 6:3) -- could be used as a motto-text to sum up the theme of the whole Old Testament. The basic idea which the word holy expresses is that of seperation, or seperateness. When God is declared to be holy, the thought is of all that separates him and sets him apart and makes him different from his creatures; his greatness ("the Majesty in heaven" --Heb. 1:3; 8:1) and his purity ("Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong" --Hab 1:13)."

However, in the New Testament believers focus on his love which is summed up nicely by Packer in three words; adoption through propitiation. "Adoption shows us the greatness of God's love. The New Testament gives us two yardstickes for measuring God's love. The first is the cross (see Rom. 5:8; I Jn. 4:8-10); the second is the gift of sonship. "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God!" (I Jn. 3:1 RV). Of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest."


Wes

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts