Holiness

In today’s passage, Paul offers a word of caution regarding yesterday’s call to be ambassadors.


2 Corinthians 6
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 7
1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.


Holiness. Paul isn’t asking us to avoid people that don’t consider themselves Jesus followers. In yesterday’s passage, he encouraged the followers in Corinth to be ambassadors to those that weren’t followers. It would be pretty hard to be ambassadors to people you never interact with. Paul was more concerned about the influence those relationships would have on their spiritual journey. As Jesus followers, we are called to be different ... to live lives of truth and purity and graciousness and sincerity and generosity. The word Paul uses is holy which actually means ‘separate’ or ‘a cut above’. Remember, holiness isn’t an external competition. It is an internal revolution ... a desire to honor God, with every aspect of our lives, born out of an overwhelming sense of gratitude for His grace.