Pursuing Holiness

2 Corinthians 7:1, "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."


The promises of God must provide the impetus for the pursuit of holiness.
 
How much do you long for holiness? I've asked myself that question on many occasions as I have warred against the constant barrage of temptations that seem to continually bang against the door of my heart. And then, in those moments of failure, I feel the grip of anguish and remorse along with that godly grief which moves me to once again repent of sin and strive after holiness. 

Paul mentions that we have "these promises." To what promises does the Apostle refer? You would have look back to the previous chapter, specifically 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

We walk in a culture saturated with all manner of wickedness--and God has promised to be with us. But God cannot fellowship with darkness, nor can He partner with sin (see 2 Corinthians 6:14). Thus, for us to enjoy the fellowship of God we must depart from wickedness--or as Paul said, to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, from every external and internal corruption, that would pollute our lives.

And that is how holiness is pursued.

You must understand, the pursuit of holiness is not merely moral reformation or ethical adjustments to conform to a better code of conduct. Those things are important, and are the outgrowth of holiness. But to pursue holiness is to forsake all inward worldly desires that do not conform to the Lord and be separate from all other external pursuits that conflict with love for Christ. It is more than behavioral reformation, it is a willing separation from those things that defile and a unity with Christ that leads to righteousness. 

In its simplest understanding: holiness is to be separate from the world and united with Christ.

In the text above it says that we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16). We must not bring into our lives any form of worldliness or idolatry that would pollute or defile God's temple. And when we discover those things within us that do defile, let us cleanse ourselves through repentance (see 2 Corinthians 7:10) that we might bring our lives into a greater holiness in the fear of God.

Perhaps, there is no better way to begin a New Year.

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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