Bible Reading: Exodus 19; Job 37; Luke 22; 2 Corinthians 7
2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
What promises is the apostle speaking of here? Let' go back one chapter and see!
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
The Bible tells us to come out from among the unbelieving yokes we are under. We are told not to touch the unclean thing. Then the Lord promises that he will receive us. He will be a Father unto us and we will be his sons and his daughters! Now those are some mighty promises! With those promises we can see that since God receives us as sons and daughters we are princes and princesses. Sons and daughters of the king do not live in the filth of the lost world. They cleanse themselves of the filthiness of this world.
The Bible tells us that we are to cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit. Our cleansing should be of the outward actions that are sinful and the inward attitudes and desires that are sinful. The old Puritans used to talk about the 'affections'. These would be the appetites that we can indulge that are not what God wants for us to have.
This is holiness. The Bible tells us to be holy.
1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
How do we do this? We keep our eyes on Jesus and realize that we are the sons and daughters of God NOW!
1 John 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Since we have these promises, let's purify ourselves. Live NOW like you are already there!
In Christ,
Rody
