August 11, 2021 CLEANSE OURSELVES
2 Timothy 2:20-21 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but of wood and earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the M aster, prepared for every good work.”
Some have the view and the belief that ‘it is all up to God,’ and have more or less neglected the fact that believers have a responsibility to fulfill when it comes to our spiritual health and living out the gospel. Misunderstanding grace can lead one to such a belief. I have even heard it said that “It does not matter what we do because we are under the grace of God.” That perception is contrary to God’s word and it opens the door to choices that are detrimental to our well-being. Don’t misunderstand; if it was not for the grace of God, we would be lost, without hope, and we would not be forgiven of our sins. It is by God’s grace that we are able to act on and follow the teachings and the commands we find in God’s word. As I have often said, we must work with God as He works in us, and we must ‘work out’ our salvation. As you read 2 Timothy, and many other scriptures, you will discover what we are to cleanse ourselves of; we are to cleanse ourselves of any thoughts, actions and beliefs that are contrary to the ways of God. It is critical for us to know that we have the power-because of the grace of God and His presence in us-to cleanse ourselves. It sounds rather simple, but it is freeing and awesome to know that we can stop doing whatever we need to stop doing and we can start doing what we should be doing. The motive for cleansing ourselves is that we now belong to Him, have been joined to Him, and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Also, if we know experientially the love God has for us, it is only natural to want to do the things that please Him. We can make the choice to walk by the Spirit, and as we do, we will not fulfill the desires of the the flesh-the things we need to cleanse ourselves from. Some excuse wrong actions and thoughts by claiming that ‘that is just the way they are’ or that ‘we all sin, therefore, it’s not a big deal.’ The good news is that in Christ, we are overcomers, we are new creations, and the Holy Spirit lives in us. Cleansing ourselves is a continual action on our part; we daily put off the old man and put on the new man we are in Christ; we lay aside anything that is not pleasing to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Hebrews 12:1b “let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Blessings, Buddy
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