PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD

2 Cor. 7:1

Morning Meditation 10/9/14

Verse 1 says, “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.”

The first statement of this verse connects us to the last issue discussed in the former chapter. It is the doctrine of separation that is described in verses 14-18. Verse one cannot be practiced apart from separation from the world. Biblical separation is not necessary to salvation or else a person could not be saved in a liberal church. And those of us who believe in salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, know that salvation is free to all, no matter where they are. However, an acceptable walk before God involves obedience and obedience involves separation.

Just to introduce what Paul is saying in our text, let’s look briefly at chapter 6:14-18. Paul commands the Christians in Corinth, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers . . .” The words “be ye” translated “ginomai” and means “to become, i.e., to come into existence, begin to be.” It is a present middle imperative verb. The word means “do not become.” He is addressing something that has not happened and is preparing them with doctrine to stay separated. The present tense means that he is addressing them in the present tense of their lives. This suggests they may be considering the possibility of yoking up with unbelievers. The imperative mood means that it is a command that expresses urgency. It is an urgent thing that one does not yoke himself to an unbeliever in marriage or in business. The middle voice means that they must make the decision for themselves and they will be helped by the choice. The urgency of the imperative mood is seen in the many who have yoked themselves to unbelievers in business and marriage and discovered too late the mistake. I have had women say to me, “Well, I married my husband when he was lost and then he was saved. I believe God led in our marriage.” This would be an unusual circumstance. Most don’t turn out like this. But regardless, it is never right to violate the Scripture. It was wrong for the marriage in the first place because it was in violation of the Word of God.

Someone may say, “I did this in violation of the Word of God. Now I am married to an unsaved man. My marriage cannot be of God. I will divorce him.” No, you won’t with God’s endorsement. You will just be violating the Word of God again. The suffering that you are enduring could have been avoided had you listened to God. Divorce is never the way of correcting an unequal yoke. You must now live in the situation and be the Christian you became when you were saved by grace. You must trust the Lord to be a testimony to your unsaved husband and pray for his salvation.

The unequal yoke is not just marriage, but I use it to illustrate. There must be separation from the world for the Christian to be right with God. One of Paul’s arguments is the matter of fellowship, communion, concord and the part (something in common) one has with unbelievers. This is in verses 14-18. There is a word in verse 15, “Belial” and then again is verse 16, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols,” that has to do with the spiritual world of Satan. So Paul speaks of both fleshly and spiritual separation. Then in verse 17 he asks them to take action. Our separation is a choice. The Lord’s family is a family of volunteers. We must make the choice to separate. But there is a promise to those who will. Paul says God says, “I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” You see, a father can be a biological father to his children, without being a father to his children. This is also true with God. God is always willing to be the Father He became when He saved us, but He cannot be a loving Father in the sense He is talking about it here, without obedient sons and daughters.

This brings us to our text. “Having therefore these promises . . .” The verb form “Having” is a present active participle. This means that the promises that God has made to be a Father to His children, and walk with them, is their present possession. Someone might ask, “Which of the promises of the Bible actually apply to us?” That is a good question because not all of them do. God made some promises to Abraham and others that do not apply to us. He told Noah that He was going to destroy the world with water. That promise is not to us. But this promise is to us and to every Christian alive today. We all have these promises and they are there for the believing Child.

The word “promises,” and the importance of them, is illustrated in 2 Peter 1:4: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The word “promises” is described as “exceeding great and precious.” The reason is set forth in the words, “that by these (promises) ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” I’ll go into this verse in a future meditation, but for now, I simply say that the promises of God link us to the divine nature. The word “partakers” means “in partnership with.” The believer and God are joined in fellowship and purpose in the promises. These promises are entered by faith just as the high priest entered the holy of holies on the day of atonement. The difference is that the high priest entered once a year and we can enter daily (Heb. 10:19-22).

Paul addresses himself to whom he calls “dearly beloved,” and exhorts with the words, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit . . .” How does a believer cleanse himself? By confessing his sins according to First John 1:9. You can’t be more right with God than the blood makes you. The filthiness of the flesh refers to the flesh type sins mentioned, and the spirit refers to the cleansing of the human spirit’s involvement in compromise with false religion. This also refers to inward and outward. We go wrong within before we go wrong without. When Jesus said that if a man looks on a woman to lust after her, he has committed adultery with her already in his heart, He is saying that you do it within before you do it without. How you think always results in how you act.

Then Paul says, “ . . . perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” The word “perfecting” translates “epiteleo” meaning “to bring to an end, accomplish, execute” It is a present active participle. This means that perfecting holiness is an on going process in the present tense. The goal of the Christian is to be holy and it is a process. It is an accomplishment in two ways. First, the blood of Christ must cleanse us upon the confession of our sins (1 John 1:9). Then we must separate ourselves from the sins of the flesh and spirit so that our experiential walk before Him is a life of separation unto the Lord. Can a person maintain unbroken holiness? Well, let me say, “You won’t. You will need daily cleansing. Just remember this. The thing that makes you right when you are wrong, is the blood of Jesus. You will have no strength to recover from the fall until you have first been forgiven for the fall.

The words, “ . . . in the fear of God” is not referring to a fear that contradicts First John 4:18. It is the fear that the Psalmist talks about: “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psa. 19:9). Fear, in this verse motivates God’s child to purity.

Every believer needs to perfect holiness in the fear of God. May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White