2 Corinthians 6-7
"Because 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." - 2 Corinthians 7:1
Paul is urging the Corinthians to holiness. They are tempted to spend time with those who do not love God. They are being influenced away from Christ. They are blending their Christianity with other things, and the purity of their walk with the Lord is not what it should be. Paul is like a parent urging his teenager to choose good friends and cleanse their lives. The result of this cleansing will be an experiential closeness with God and moral purity, which is a major goal of the Christian life.
Is there anything I need to be cleansed from, Lord? What do you think about the music I listen to, the movies I watch, or the social media I scroll through? Are these things pure for me, or do they defile? I think I need to be very careful about news media from all sources, but especially Facebook. It becomes gossip and conjecture so quickly. Is it really necessary for me to know who said what about whom, or what some megachurch pastor in some city said? Most likely, no.
Father, show us in what specific areas we need to actively cleanse ourselves from defilement so that we may proceed in holiness and experience closeness with you. In Yeshua's name, amen.
- Jeff Coleman