Showing posts with label "Christians and Purity". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "Christians and Purity". Show all posts

Monday 30 July 2018

Christians and Purity

Christians and Purity
The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians states,
“Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 
“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”2 Corinthians 6:17- 7:1.
In my previous blog post I noted that to be Christlike not only meant loving people but sitting down with sinners and others to present the message of Christ to them.
Here the apostle Paul is making it clear to believers in Christ that we need to keep ourselves clean from the contamination of the evil of the world.
However that does not mean refusing to associate with the people of this world. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians states,
“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.” 1 Corinthians 5:9,10,11.  
Paul make it clear we are not to associate with someone calling himself a brother in Christ who is doing immoral things.”
In 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1, Paul is saying that we personally need to keep our lives clean. Paul makes it clear stating,
“...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
The apostle Peter writes
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
As believers in Christ we should be living as good a moral life as we can. So much so that without us even saying a word those around us will realize it and even be attracted to Christ because of it.
Please think about it.