Let Us Cleanse Ourselves
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. II Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. II Corinthians 7:1 (New International Version, NIV)
We cleanse and purify ourselves by God’s promises, the Scriptures, and by turning away from sin. We must make a clean break from anything that would lead us to sin. If we become impure, it is up to us to get clean by the blood of Jesus (I John 1:7), the washing of the water by the Word (Ephesians 5:26), and by renouncing sin.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:14-18 (New International Version, NIV)
We must watch what we do, where we go, and who we hang out with. We must guard our hearts with all diligence by obeying God’s Word. It is a good thing to be around sinners to sow seeds of the Gospel and to witness to them of the goodness of God. However, we are to yoke ourselves to believers, being in fellowship with them. Do we dislike or disdain unbelievers? No, but our objective is to bring them to Jesus, not for us to become like the world.
The world is a contaminated place- contaminated by sin and its effects. What is around us must not get on us or in us. We are to be committed to purity. Outer purity means to yield our bodies to God and not to sin. Inner purity means that we watch what we think and what we allow to get in our hearts. We are to be perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. We are not going to get everything right, but we should always be making progress.
The Corinthians were to turn from paganism and turn to God, serving and worshiping Him alone. We are to do the same, leaving no room for compromise. Compromise is how a Christian can allow filthiness and impurities of the flesh and spirit. Make a clean break from all that contaminates, perfecting holiness, or separating ourselves from the world, due to the fear of the Lord (out of reverence for Him). As we do, we can live lives totally set apart to God.
