Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 53

February 22;     2 Corinthians 7:1;     53/260(II);     ‘Perfecting Holiness’

2 Corinthians  7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Apostle Paul, in this verse, makes a very logical statement.  The promises Paul is referring to are all of the blessings and privileges we have as Christians.  When we become Born Again, the Lord gives us all of these free things because He loves us.  We did not earn them, nor could we.  Paul, remember, what he wrote in this letter to the Corinthians was inspired by the Holy Spirit, continues, since we have been freely blessed so abundantly by the Lord, we should desire to ‘clean up our act,’ physically and spiritually.  That is rational.  Why would we find out from the Word of God what Jesus Christ did for us, accept Him as our Lord and Savior and then continue to live as we did before we were Born Again?  What the Lord would have us do, as this verse tells us, is to purpose in our spirit that we will live right and begin to perfect holiness, having made the decision to be holy, from the day you make that decision forward.  You will not arrive the next day, but by your will, the Holy Spirit, Word of God and prayer your life will change as your outward man, reflecting the changes in your spirit, enables you to be more like Jesus every day.  The reason perfecting holiness is the only rational thing we should do when we become a Christian is out of reverence for Jesus.  We all, because of the sin of Adam would have been eternally separated from the Lord.  Never to be in the presence of the absolute love of Jesus.  We were too important to the Lord for that to happen, so Jesus came, took our sins and sicknesses upon Himself and by His sacrifice we were forgiven.  He deserves a holy Church.