Daily Devotional

-August 16, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Cleansing Ourselves From The Filth Of This World-

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

(1 Corinthians 7:1).

There has been no change in the heart of man or in this world since the fall to the present days. There is moral defilement everywhere. We saw it in the days of Noah, in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the days of the Roman Empire, and everywhere in between.

As believers saved by the grace of God, we are called to a life of personal holiness. There are two aspects we must be concerned about: being separated from the world and being set apart for the Lord. These two things go together as one. The Greek word hagios is translated as holy, separated, sanctified, and holiness.

When Paul writes of “having these promises,” he is referring back to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. God has promised us that He is our Father, we are His children, and He dwells with us and is with us.

It is our responsibility to cleanse ourselves from the spiritual, moral, and physical filthiness of the world. We are constantly being bombarded with evil on TV, radio, the internet, movies, magazines, and other worldly things around us. We as believers have two natures, the old sinful nature with a propensity to sin, and a new nature with a propensity to righteousness and holiness. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides us, convicts us, and helps us to be victorious.

There are things we must do to avoid the filth of the flesh and spirit. We must be wise in what we are involved with and who we are involved with. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness.”

Paul then tells us what we are to do: “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” This is the aspect of being set apart for the Lord. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:14-16, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” The Holy Spirit uses the Holy Scriptures, to make us His holy vessels.

Being holy covers our thoughts, words, and actions. It starts in the inside and affects us on the outside. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their obsessive concern for the outward appearance without the inward reality. It is not easy being holy in an unholy world. We must say no to the world and yes to Christ. It will not make us popular but we will be pleasing to God.

May the Lord help us to be in prayer and in the Word daily, making good choices, associating with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and witnessing and testifying to the unsaved. People are watching our lives and listening to our words. They need to see a difference in how we live.

Have a blessed day walking in holiness with the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean