The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 18 August 2022 – Perfecting Holiness
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TOPIC: Perfecting Holiness
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 7:1-7 (NKJV)
- Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Open [your hearts] to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one.
- I do not say [this] to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
- Great [is] my boldness of speech toward you, great [is] my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
- For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside [were] conflicts, inside [were] fears.
- Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
- and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
THE MESSAGE:
Our reading today speaks about what must be done before God’s promises to receive and adopt us as His sons and daughters in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, will be fulfilled. Paul here calls the Corinthian Christians to sincerely purify themselves of wrong attitudes and teachings that have been allowed among them. They were to clean themselves by walking in the light where the blood of Jesus continually cleanses the faithful. They were to perfect holiness in the complete fear of God. It means they were to pursue things that would make them holy, leading to a perfect and complete holiness in life. Presently, the world is full of dirt, both in flesh and in spirit, and Christians are not left out.
Though we Christians are in the world full of unholy acts, God still expects us as Church and individuals to be holy and even perfect that holiness through the grace bestowed upon us. We should all be conscious of things that defile both the body and mind. Our understanding should be that we are not of the world but we belong to a holy and pure father. Therefore, if God will be our father, we are to live up to the standards placed before us which is to perfect the holiness in us. Since complete and perfect holiness is embodied in Jesus Christ, we are then to thirst after him till He brings us to perfect completion before the father.
PRAYER: Father, give me Your power and grace to live a life of holiness to the glory of Your name through Jesus Christ our Lord.
