2 Corinthians 7:1
1 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.
Purity should be viewed holistically, meaning that it is not just about avoiding a single sin, but is something that affects all areas of our life. In verse 1 Paul commands us to "cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit". The list of things that is covered by this command is quite large, but purity and "holiness" is a lifestyle rather than a checklist of a handful of items. If I stop viewing pornography but instead am filled with anger, have I really improved? If I stop lusting and now am filled with pride, have I grown in holiness? We need to examine our whole life in the light of purity to see what needs to be improved. Our goal should not just be to stop a particular troubling behavior, but to bring "holiness to completion", to become more like Christ.
Lord, it is tempting to only focus on certain areas of improvement, but I want my whole life to be pleasing to You. Show me where I need to grow.
1 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.
Purity should be viewed holistically, meaning that it is not just about avoiding a single sin, but is something that affects all areas of our life. In verse 1 Paul commands us to "cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit". The list of things that is covered by this command is quite large, but purity and "holiness" is a lifestyle rather than a checklist of a handful of items. If I stop viewing pornography but instead am filled with anger, have I really improved? If I stop lusting and now am filled with pride, have I grown in holiness? We need to examine our whole life in the light of purity to see what needs to be improved. Our goal should not just be to stop a particular troubling behavior, but to bring "holiness to completion", to become more like Christ.
Lord, it is tempting to only focus on certain areas of improvement, but I want my whole life to be pleasing to You. Show me where I need to grow.