Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
--2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on June 12, 2013 of Psalm 106:32-39; 2 Corinthians 6:11-7; 1 Kings 11:14-12.
In today's focus verse, Paul encourages the members of the church in Corinth to continue maturing in their faith. He previously intimated that part of their misery comes from their refusal or perhaps their inability to accept and return the love they have been given (please see chapter 6 verses 12-13). And he has already given them some keys toward perfecting their holiness (verses 6:14-17), even quoting as he often does from the Old Testament scriptures to make his point. One way we can cleanse ourselves is to not associate with unbelievers. Now Paul is not saying we should entirely separate ourselves from non-believers, for they are the very ones who most need the Gospel and how are they to hear and know the Good News of Jesus if we don't carry it to them. We cannot detach ourselves completely from the world because we live in it. No, Paul does not advocate some Christian policy of isolationism, but he does caution us to beware of false teachers, those who would skew the Gospel for their, or Satan's, own agenda. Those who would tarnish the word of God are the ones Paul warns us to not associate with for they can soil our spirits.
So we can begin cleansing our spirit by avoiding those who claim to be Christians with their words, but their actions, the "fruits they bear", indicate otherwise. Those who try to get us to believe in something other than the Gospel as presented in our Holy Bible can poison our faith. But Paul also says we must cleanse ourselves of the filthiness of our flesh as well. The "flesh" is our mortal life, as opposed to our spiritual life. As mortals, we are born into the original sin and live in it every day of our life on earth. Satan centers his attacks on our flesh, on the lusts and pleasures of our physical body, as much as on our spirit. Greed, gluttony, covetousness, sexual improprieties, and other acts and temptations Paul lists elsewhere in his letters must be avoided if we are to have any chance of cleaning the filth from our own personal world, from our flesh. We must learn to recognize Satan's assaults, no matter their source or substance, and willingly and with great purpose resist them.
Each step we take, each action we perform, each word we utter, each thought we think carries us further along in our walk. We can either choose the many wide roads that will lead us through all the mud and slime of this world, adding more filth to our souls, or we can choose the one straight and narrow way that leads to Christ and the Father. Scrape off the gunk and the grime and get on that narrow path. Amen.
Father in heaven, if not for the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, we would one day come before you filthy with sin. That blood of the one Spotless Lamb sacrificed on our behalf washed us clean, but it is up to us to stay clean, to not wallow in the muck of the world. Help us, Lord Jesus, cleanse our flesh and our spirit of all filth and to grow in our faith in God. In Your name, dearest Jesus we pray. Amen.
So we can begin cleansing our spirit by avoiding those who claim to be Christians with their words, but their actions, the "fruits they bear", indicate otherwise. Those who try to get us to believe in something other than the Gospel as presented in our Holy Bible can poison our faith. But Paul also says we must cleanse ourselves of the filthiness of our flesh as well. The "flesh" is our mortal life, as opposed to our spiritual life. As mortals, we are born into the original sin and live in it every day of our life on earth. Satan centers his attacks on our flesh, on the lusts and pleasures of our physical body, as much as on our spirit. Greed, gluttony, covetousness, sexual improprieties, and other acts and temptations Paul lists elsewhere in his letters must be avoided if we are to have any chance of cleaning the filth from our own personal world, from our flesh. We must learn to recognize Satan's assaults, no matter their source or substance, and willingly and with great purpose resist them.
Each step we take, each action we perform, each word we utter, each thought we think carries us further along in our walk. We can either choose the many wide roads that will lead us through all the mud and slime of this world, adding more filth to our souls, or we can choose the one straight and narrow way that leads to Christ and the Father. Scrape off the gunk and the grime and get on that narrow path. Amen.
Father in heaven, if not for the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, we would one day come before you filthy with sin. That blood of the one Spotless Lamb sacrificed on our behalf washed us clean, but it is up to us to stay clean, to not wallow in the muck of the world. Help us, Lord Jesus, cleanse our flesh and our spirit of all filth and to grow in our faith in God. In Your name, dearest Jesus we pray. Amen.
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