Perfecting Your Holiness

                Last week I preached on our responsibility, as children of God, to live a holy life before Him and before the world. The Apostle Peter (in 1 Peter 1:15-16), strongly urged us to be holy because 1. God’s very nature is holy and 2. because God, through the Holy Scriptures, commands us to be holy.

                Our new life verse for the month of July was chosen to focus our attention on living a holy life…

 

“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.”

~2 Corinthians 7:1

                Here in 2 Corinthians, chapter 7, we have the Apostle Paul, this time, encouraging us to “perfect holiness.” He is writing to the members of the church in Corinth as well as to all the saints that lived in Achaia. Achaia is located in the south western part of Greece and is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.  It included the cities of Corinth and Athens.

                The church members at Corinth were relatively new converts that were heavily influenced by the prevalent Greek culture of their day. There were problems in their church due to unrestrained sin. Paul addressed their sin-caused problems and corrected them in his first letter to them. Now in his second letter he is not desiring to correct them again, rather he is encouraging them to live a holy life.

                Think about our nation. In a few days we will be celebrating the 241^st birthday of the United States of America. From 1776 until 2017, there has been a shift in culture. We started out as a people who had a reverence and a respect for God. The Ten Commandments as well as other Scriptural references were found inscribed in many public buildings. Our founding documents and the early writings of the founding fathers reflected their faith in God and desire to operate this newly formed government in such a way as to please and honor Him.

“It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will,

to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

~ George Washington (1703– 1791)

“The government of the United States is acknowledged by the wise and good of other nations, to be the most free, impartial, and righteous government of the world; but all agree, that for such a government to be sustained many years, the principles of truth and righteousness, taught in the Holy  Scriptures, must be practiced.”

~Emma Willard (1787 – 1870)

                 Two hundred and forty-one years later, we find ourselves in a vastly different culture…not just a different culture of government, but in the moral fabric of our society, as a whole. What the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1 is true of our country today…

 

Romans 1:18-32

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
 

The Apostle Paul also hit the nail on the head in his second letter to Timothy, the young pastor of Ephesus.

 2 Timothy 3:1-7

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
 

We live in an ever decaying society, which is one more reason why we should…and absolutely must live a holy life. The world has been creeping into the church, most noticeably since the 60’s and 70’s. We must be holy as He is holy and in so doing keep this church holy and free from the contamination of the world.

                 In 2 Corinthians 7:1, we are given a blueprint for living a holy life.

 First: We are to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh.

                As children of God, saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to put to death all areas of sin in our lives.

 

Colossians 3:4-8

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify (put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication (all manner of forbidden sexual activity), uncleanness (immoral lifestyle), inordinate affection (depraved passions), evil concupiscence (desire for what is forbidden, lust), and covetousness (greedy desire to have more), which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

                We are to put these sinful behaviors to death in our lives, but there are times we don’t. There are sins, according to Hebrews 12, that easily beset us. What about one we consider to be trivial…so trivial that we do not consider it a sin…speeding. Is speeding a sin? Willfully disregarding the law…

Romans 13:1-5
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

               Why is it when a police car pulls up behind us, we automatically get nervous…even when we are not speeding? It is because we have gotten so used to breaking the speed limit that we feel guilty when we see an officer even when we are not speeding? We quickly look at the speedometer to make sure that this time we are not speeding.

                We live in a culture that excuses sin…in many instances renames sin to ease the conscience. There is a good book by John McArthur entitled, “Vanishing Conscience.” He correctly shows that our culture is working to remove the guilt of sin by renaming it. No longer is it the sin of drunkeness…now it is the sickness of alcoholism. No longer is it the sin of sodomy…it is an alternate lifestyle equal to marriage as God intended it between one man and one woman. No longer is sin called sin, it is called a mistake, an indiscretion.

                 We live in this culture and if we are not careful, we will fall prey to this line of thinking. It will invade our personal lives, then our families, then our church. We must not let this happen. If we are to live a holy life, when sin comes and we allow ourselves to engage in it, we must call it what God calls it…sin against The Holy God. We must cleanse ourselves, might I say, IMMEDIATELY!  How do we cleanse ourselves? The answer is in the Word of God…

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

                 We cleanse ourselves by paying attention to what the word of God says. The Bible tells us to repent of our sin and confess it to the Lord.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all

                 unrighteousness.

                   By doing this, we will keep our flesh clean from our own sin…

 James 4:7-10

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

                    Here, James is telling us the same things Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 7:1. He wrote, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners.” That is referring to cleansing yourself from all filthiness of the flesh. Then he went on to write, “purify your hearts, ye double minded.” This is the same as cleansing yourself from all filthiness of the spirit.

Second: We are to cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the spirit. The actual carrying out the act of a sin is the filthiness of the flesh. Entertaining the thought of sin is the filthiness of the spirit. Jesus clearly showed us that the thought of sin is considered by God to be the same as the actual physical carrying out of that sin.

                    We have to guard our minds and our thoughts and when a sinful thought comes our way, we must immediately confess it, resist the devil, the world and our flesh and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. We cannot allow ourselves to justify sin, even in our minds, though we would never actually do it. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…who can know it? We don’t know what sin we are capable of…

                    Were it not for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives, we could carry out any sinful thought we allow in our minds.  We must guard our hearts and minds and not follow our culture and allow ourselves to think sin in the mind is ok as long as we don’t act on it.

                    When sin comes to the mind, seek the help of the Holy Spirit to remove it and not let it build and nest there, so to speak. If we find ourselves thinking on sin, really entertaining it, repent of that sin and confess it.

Ephesians 4:22-24 put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, put on the new man.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

                      Cleansing the filthiness of the spirit comes by renewing your mind with the word of God.

 Finally:  If we are vigilant to keep our flesh and spirit cleansed, as Paul writes, we will be able to perfect (accomplish, execute) holiness in the fear of God. In this passage of Scripture, the word “fear” is translated from the Greek word, “phobos” from which we get the word phobia… which means being afraid of something.

                       Based on God’s just treatment of sin on the Cross of Calvary, and knowing His hatred for sin and His immeasurable holiness and power, we should be afraid when we make little of sin. Yes, our sins were judged and paid for on Calvary and we will not pay for them again, but we should still have fear of God’s strong, swift chastening hand. The Bible even mentions a sin unto death…

 1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life

                   for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

                        Because we have been saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and are kept in Him and no one can take us out of the Father’s hand, that does not give us a license to sin.

Hebrew 12:6-7

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

                          As our loving Heavenly Father, He will not allow us to continue on in sin unchastened. We are called by His name and He will correct us for His name’s sake.

Recap:

“Having these promises of God in mind:

1. He comforts us in our tribulations (2 Corinthians 1:4)
2. He delivered us from spiritual death (2 Corinthians 1:10)
3. We are sealed in Christ with Holy Spirit as down payment (2 Corinthians 1:22)
4. God causes us to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14)
5. God shined His light in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6) Psalm 119:130 the entrance of thy words giveth light.
6. Our afflictions are light when compared to the glory we will receive
     and momentary when compared to eternity. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
7. We will be given a new body and will be forever with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
8. God is our Father and we are His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
 

Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh… put to death the sins of the flesh, but when you fall, confess, seek forgiveness, repent.

Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the spirit… do not entertain the thoughts of sin. When you fall, confess, seek forgiveness, repent.

Doing these things will help you to accomplish your goal of living a holy life in the fear of God!