I knew a mother, a contemporary of mine, who used to tell her children as she left them in the morning, "Make good choices!" She knew that, during their day, they would be faced with many alternatives. She was reminding them to opt for the best rather than for the easy, the comfortable, the seductive. All that is shiny is not gold. This memory reminds me of 2 Corinthians 7:1, today's scripture:
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.
Another title for today's post could have been, "Choose Holiness". That is what Paul was asking the Corinthians to do. You see, they were faced with a big choice. As I've mentioned earlier in our study they were being seduced by false teachers whose teachings were contradictory to Paul's. The Corinthians could not live holy lives, pleasing to God, by following false doctrine. Paul was certain of this and accordingly asked them to choose well.
But, beyond that, Paul was asking them to choose well in the everyday decisions of their lives, just as my acquaintance years ago did each morning with her kids. In so doing, Paul described the process of a holy walk with God. Let's break it down.
First, holiness begins with remembering the promises of God (vs. 1). What are those promises? God's promises are many, but I believe Paul was referring in 7:1 to those he had just written about in 2 Cor. 6:16-18
- that God lives in us because our bodies are His temple
- that we are His people and He walks among us
- that He is and will be our Father
- that we are His sons and daughters
- that He welcomes us when we come to Him
- that He is the Supreme, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
So, before choosing, we must remember these precious oaths God makes to us. Humans sometimes break their promises, but God's promises are more like oaths. He never breaks His.
When I read this verse, I had to think a bit about our role versus the role of the Holy Spirit in our cleansing. We go to Him for cleansing, and per the promise, He welcomes us. It is not our "good works" which achieve holiness in us. But, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have ordained that we have a role in it, and that role is to choose holiness. Our Sovereign Father never negates our free will. He allows us to choose Jesus as Savior when our relationship begins, although He knows what we will choose, due to His omniscience, His all-knowingness. Furthermore, He allows us to choose whether or not we walk in holy living moment to moment, day to day.
That mother knew that her children had the freedom to choose, multiple times a day. She wanted them to choose well, but knew that their choices were ultimately theirs alone. God certainly wants us to choose His way, in every circumstance, and His heart is grieved when we do not. But, He does not, even in His perfect sovereignty, take our choices away from us.
When we choose His way, He perfects His holiness within us to a greater and greater degree. He molds us more and more into the image of His Son. Praise Him! Even when we choose poorly, He can and does turn those choices around to His glory and to our "good" because He loves us. That is why the Scripture says, "All work together for good to those who love Him, to those called according to His purpose."
I used to believe that it would be easier for me to walk through this life successfully if I "made good choices." To some extent I believe that this is a scriptural promise. For example, if you brush your teeth regularly (and floss!), you will usually get to keep your teeth healthy until your death. It's easier to keep your teeth, so I'm told. So, I brush and floss regularly. But, walking in holiness does not in every aspect make life easier, as I believed when a youth. Often, it makes you Satan's target.
The thing is, wanting life to be "easy" is not the proper motivation for walking in holiness, walking resplendent. The proper motivations are three-fold:
- to show God our reverence, our worship (vs. 1)
- the glorification of God and
- the furtherance of His kingdom here on earth (Matt. 6:9-10)
The last passage I mentioned, the one from Matthew 6, is from the Lord's Prayer. Part of that prayer Jesus taught us to pray was that the Lord God would deliver us from evil. As we are faced with tough choices, it is very important to stop and take a moment to go before God's throne and pray that prayer. Depending on our own strength in times of temptation is foolish, because we have no strength in and of ourselves. Our strength comes from the Lord, from His Holy Spirit living within us.
Father, may your Spirit, Who lives within us, flame up to consume all in our hearts that is unholy. May we confess and repent, to rid our souls of any barnacles which may have attached themselves there. And then, as we walk today, may we walk resplendent, reflecting Your glory. May we make good choices, choices which bring you honor and point others to Jesus Christ, the only One in whom grace, help and salvation are found. In His name I pray, amen.
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