If you’re born again, God has made you holy because the blood of Christ cleanses you from all sin (Hebrews 10:10 NIV). However, some time ago, while reading 2 Corinthians 7:1, I came across the phrase “perfecting holiness” in that verse. I wondered, “should we perfect holiness if we are already made holy as God’s children?” This question bothered me for days until I decided to study that scripture. But before we dive into what I discovered after studying that Bible verse, let’s take a look at it.
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.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)
A brief exposition of the Corinthian church
It has to be noted that Paul was addressing the Corinthian church in that scripture. That church was already involved in all kinds of sins, including incest and adultery. They had received the gospel. However, they were living as enemies of the cross of Christ. They were sinning wilfully and unashamedly publicising it. So Paul, before telling them to perfect their holiness in 2 Corinthians 7:1, warned them to come out from among the evildoers and don’t touch their filth (2 Corinthians 6:17). That implies you can be a believer and still sin wilfully as if the Holy Spirit doesn’t live within you. For such people, scripture terms them as carnal (Romans 8:6-7, 1 Corinthians 3:1). Are you one? Check your life.
How God wants us to perfect holiness
Paul said that with God’s promise in focus, the Corinthian church could perfect holiness by doing two things. And these apply to us too.
1. Cleansing ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh
What does it mean to cleanse yourself from fleshly filthiness? It’s about disassociating yourself from people that cause you to do evil things or live opposite to what God’s word teaches. That includes friends who tell you to watch bad movies when it’s always time for church. That includes people who bombard you with unnecessary things to do anytime you want to fellowship with God.
You become wise in Christ when you walk with wise like-minded Christians (Proverbs 13:20). As a child of God, don’t leave your life to chance. The moment you start following Jesus passionately, you should begin denying some people access to your life at certain times, consciously or unconsciously.
What about other material things you have to get rid of? Such as a gamepad that drives you to play a game whenever you want to study the Bible. Think about unfollowing some celebrities that produce obscene media content. Worldly music in your music library? What about deleting websites’ visit history of porn sites from your browsers. Your diet is not only what you physically eat but whatever you consume – media and environment. Filter your content, child of God.
2. Cleansing ourselves from the filthiness of the spirit
Now hear lies a central problem in understanding. Some say your spirit is God’s child and can’t be filthy because the Holy Spirit lives in you. I beg to differ because that’s not what the Bible teaches. The word “spirit” in 2 Corinthians 7:1 doesn’t begin with a capital “S” but a small “s”. It’s about your human spirit, not the Holy Spirit. Your human spirit can become filthy when you sin to affect it.
For example, the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:16 that anyone who sleeps with a harlot (prostitute) is one flesh with her. You see, sex merges not just two bodies but two souls as one. So if a Christian indulges in adultery, he has contaminated his human spirit. And because of that, he’ll become demonised.
Therefore, to prevent your spirit from becoming filthy, consume godly content. Don’t watch porn. In fact, block it. Don’t listen to secular music. Don’t listen to whatever content that doesn’t end up edifying your spirit in Christ. Simply put, don’t be ignorant to discern what’s good to consume and evil to reject.
God has made you holy to live as such. Holiness isn’t just in you. Perfect it as you manifest it.
