Episode 2871 - Lesson 10 - Wednesday September 02 - Call to Holiness

Call to HolinessIn 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, Paul keeps encouraging the Corinthians to be reconciled to God. He presents a long list of hardships and triumphs to show what it means to be a follower of Christ and a minister of God. In short, he lists difficult situations (2 Cor. 6:4-5), virtues of character (2 Cor. 6:6), equipment for ministry (2 Cor. 6:7), and vicissitudes of ministry (2 Cor. 6:8-10). After instructing the members in Corinth to be reconciled to God, Paul appeals for them to live a holy life, and to do so by separating themselves from the harmful influence of unbelievers and from unclean things (2 Cor. 6:14-17).Read 2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1. According to this passage, what does a holy life look like?Paul emphasizes in this passage the importance of affection and love within the church (1 Cor. 6:11-13). The evidence that people have been reconciled to God is that they seek reconciliation with one another. Indeed, they become, as it were, agents of horizontal reconciliation.Next, the call to holiness is given by means of six appeals, namely, (1) "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. 6:14, NKJV); (2) " 'Come out from among them' " (2 Cor. 6:17, NKJV); (3) " 'Be separate' " (2 Cor. 6:17, NKJV); (4)" 'Do not touch what is unclean' " (2 Cor. 6:17, NKJV); (5) "Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit" (2 Cor. 7:1, ESV); (6) "Make holiness perfect in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1, RSV; emphasis supplied). These exhortations show that a holy God requires a holy life and separation from idolatry.On the other hand, the passage also brings seven promises that highlight the role of the Christian church as a holy temple: (1) " 'I will dwell in them' "; (2) " '[I will] walk among them' "; (3) " 'I will be their God' "; (4) " 'They shall be My people' "; (5) " 'I will receive you' "; (6) " 'I will be a Father to you' "; (7) " 'You shall be My sons and daughters' " (2 Cor. 6:16-17, 18, NKJV).Notice that the four promises in 2 Corinthians 6:16 are the basis for the three imperatives in 2 Corinthians 6:17 (see the word "therefore" at the beginning of 2 Corinthians 6:17). This demonstrates that holiness is not the result of one's efforts but the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Although holiness results from God, believers must do their part and reject idolatry and every impure practice.What do God's promises in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 tell us about what holiness is?