“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.”
2 Corinthians 7:1
In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul has just instructed the church not to be yoked to unbelievers – that is, not to attach yourself to other people who do not follow Christ. The reason, he says, is because God has made each of us a temple of his presence. If you have ever read much in the Old Testament, you’ll know that nothing unclean or holy was ever allowed in the Temple of God. His presence is holy, and nothing that is unholy can be associated with him.
How then, can we be associated with God? None of us is perfect. None of us are holy on our own. That is certainly true, but that is the promise that Paul references at the beginning of Chapter 7 in our verse today. God has made his dwelling within us through Jesus. It is only through the holy sacrifice of Jesus that we may be in the presence of God. That sacrifice has bridged the gap between our sinful nature and the pure holiness of God. Jesus’ blood has washed us of our sins and allowed our bodies to become Temples of the living God.
That has huge implications for our lives, Paul says. It means that we must make ourselves pure and holy and the God who lives in us. How could a holy God live in someone who rejects him in favor of sin? It doesn’t make sense. Through Christ, we have forgiveness and redemption, so we have hope despite our failures, but if we know we are sinning and we go on doing it, there can be no forgiveness. For forgiveness there must be repentance – a turn away from sin.
So, let’s repent of those things that are defiling the temple that is our body. Reject the sinful nature that pulls us toward the world and away from God. Transform the desires of your heart by immersing yourself in Christ and the good news of the gospel. Let Jesus forgive you and give you new life, and then commit to living a holy life, not bringing any sin or uncleanness into the presence of God.
Prayer:
Father,
I know that you are holy. I know that you cannot have anything to do with sin because you are pure in every way. Help me not to defile the temple that you’ve made of me through the Holy Spirit. Let the blood of Christ wash me clean and let the Holy Spirit guide me toward a life of purity of body and spirit.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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