ESOCS Devotional 25 September 2023 – Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God
MEMORY VERSE: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or, what fellowship can light have with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV
TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-END; 7:1 (KJV)
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,
18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
Therefore, since these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
When a child of God has made real progress in his relationship with the Lord: his character, deeds and manner of life, speech and association show obviously to those around that he had been with Jesus. When a man is born-again, he is a new creation in Christ; he has all the potentials of divine nature living within, but undeveloped and immature.
Holiness only results from a right relationship with God, by believing in Jesus Christ as the Saviour (accepting His gift of eternal life). If we have not placed our faith in God’s son alone, to save us from our sins, then our pursuit of holiness is in vain.
Having a relationship with God and believing in Christ; automatically sets us apart from the world. (1 Peter 2:9). If God is our father and we are his son and daughters (2 Cor. 6:18), then we need to keep to the condition of His promise to us (2 Cor. 6:14-17) and these include:
- Not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-16)
- Come out from among them (2 Cor. 6:17)
- Be separate from them (2 Cor. 6:17)
- Touch not the unclean thing (2 Cor. 6:17)
- Cleanse yourself of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (Rom. 1:32, Gal. 5:19-21)
- Perfect holiness in the fear of God (Eph. 1:4)
If we must perfect holiness, we must always remember that light have no communication with darkness. Christ and Belial cannot be of one accord, a believer cannot have part with an unbeliever, righteousness cannot be mixed with lawlessness, and there can be no agreement of the temple of God with idols.
- As you go out this morning, it is the desire of God that you perfect your holiness by staying clear of things that are not of God and cannot be traced back to Jesus.
- Lord, help me to be perfect in holiness, fearing God and associating with the children of God.
FURTHER READING: Proverbs 28:12-end Ecclesiastes 1:1-end; Luke 22:14-23
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ESOCS Devotional 25 September 2023
