Every once in a while my wife will decide it’s time for me to do a cleanse. She desires to get out all of the toxins that are freely roaming in my body. The cleanse usually has gross juice that has kale in it, some vitamins, and of course essentials oils. While I may complain about the process, it usually works. As Christians, we need to set aside a time for a cleanse in our hearts and souls before God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
The Goal is Holiness
The letters to the Corinthians are incredible in that they address so many issues we encounter in our daily walk with Jesus. Paul tells us here that since we have these promises we need to cleanse ourselves from every impurity in both the flesh and the spirit. The goal is to bring us into holiness and instill of a fear of God. Impurities are those outward and inward sins that can trip us up in our walk.
Claim those Promises
What are these promises Paul mentions? In the previous chapter, he talks about separating ourselves from the world. We aren’t to be yoked with unbelievers. The promise is that if we separate God will receive us and make us his son and daughters. Think about that for just a second. God is willing to make us one of his children. That means he will treat us like them and we will benefit from all that is afforded a child of a parent. To make it happen, we have to separate from those sins. God isn’t satisfied with a divided child.
Time for a Cleanse
It’s time for a cleanse. What do you need to separate from so that you can be holy before the Lord? Is it an addictive habit that you can’t shake? Maybe it is something like jealousy or bitterness. If that is the case, then ask for forgiveness of those sins and start on the path of repentance. Get rid of those triggers that make you fall into those sins, change your patterns or paths so you won’t encounter them, and finally find a brother or sister in Christ that can bear your burden with you in prayer and accountability. As you journey this path, you will feel the separation happening and your closeness to Jesus increasing.