Commentary on Perfecting Holiness

“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.”

II Corinthians 7:1

Introduction:

1. Jesus Christ has appointed me to be your servant – to perfect you now and prepare you for His coming.

2. In a time like this – our nation suffering terrorist attacks by profane antichrists and a Bible consideration of Islam upon us – we must be sure the holiness of our own lives exceeds our passion and our rhetoric.

3. How do we read the Word of God? More fervently than Muslims read the Quran? As if every word of God is pure? As a message from the great and dreadful God more sure than His voice from heaven? With eager expectation for whatever God might command us? With great love to please Christ more?

 

I. The TEXT – should be analyzed word by word, for it contains a beautiful conclusion for us.

A. Having, by virtue of its present tense, teaches these promises are in our possession now.

B. Therefore indicates a conclusion is being made from the things just previously written.

C. These points out a specific plurality of items previously described for our consideration.

D. Promises are commitments made by God to us, and He cannot lie or repent! What glory it is for saints to have offers, commitments, and promises from the great God!

E. Dearly is an adjective explaining the degree of something in the immediate context.

F. Beloved is our position before God as the objects of His everlasting and powerful love.

G. Let states a choice and decision we should make in response to what has been offered.

H. Us is a pronoun for focus on ourselves rather than others within or outside our church.

I. Cleanse is the verb of our verse, which is to wash thoroughly to make completely clean. Cleansing requires examining everywhere, washing everywhere, and being thorough. Soul cleansing needs examination, repentance, repudiation, restitution, and reformation.

J. Ourselves is another pronoun requiring self-cleansing rather than other-condemning. It is our nature to seek cleansing of others’ motes while we are blinded with beams. Our passion and rhetoric can go ballistic about others’ failures, while we miss our own.

K. From is a preposition indicating that we are getting rid of things rather than obtaining things. Cleansing is getting rid of dirt, so we must deny ourselves and give up sins.

L. All is used here as an adjective – despised adjective – to condemn any partial cleansing to save our favorite sins. We cannot hold on to any idol in our heart and truly be clean.

M. Filthiness is a noun describing any sin that stains, blemishes, or soils our Christian life.

N. Of the are a preposition and article showing where filth may be found in our cleansing.

O. Flesh is a noun referring to our outer person – our bodies and their appetites, which have lusts and sins galore. Our bodies crave things, which our minds must overrule.

P. And will not let us escape by cleansing merely our outward conduct like the Pharisees.

Q. Spirit is a noun referring to our inner person, where we have thoughts, desires, and fantasies that are sinful. The Lord is looking for a poor, contrite, and pure spirit.

R. Perfecting further modifies our cleansing and sets the standard for the degree of holiness we must achieve. Measuring ourselves among ourselves is not clean enough.

S. Holiness is being without sin as measured by the Holy God, for He is holy and requires our holiness. Holiness is the absence of absolutely anything that displeases our Lord.

T. In the is another preposition-article combination giving further instruction as to our motivation in this cleansing effort. Paul began with promises, but now he uses fear.

U. Fear of is consciousness of God that dreads His displeasure and craves His approval.

V. God is to be the object of our fear and dread, rather than the fear of peers, loss, or pain.

This is an excerpt from the article "Perfecting Holiness" at www.letgodbetrue.com