What Has Reverence Got to Do With It?

“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.”  II Corinthians 7:1

 

“These promises” referred to here are listed in the preceding chapter.  The list includes:  God will live with us; walk with us; be our God, and allow us to be His people.  It also says He will receive us, be a Father to us, and we will be His sons and daughters.  All of this will occur, according to Chapter 6, if we come out; be separate; and not touch unclean things.

If we do those things, it results in us purifying ourselves from these things that contaminate.  What things are there in your life that contaminates you?  Are there habits, thoughts, temper issues, lusts, gossip or other things that contaminate your spirit?  Come out from among these things and be separate!

I love the last part of this verse that talks about perfecting holiness. As long as we are alive- and saved- we are constantly in a place of perfecting holiness.  When we stand before Him one day whether it be through death or rapture, we will stand in perfected holiness.  But until then, we are credited as righteous in His sight because of Jesus’ sacrifice.  However, we must continue to work at walking in the holiness we are called to.  This means that I may mess up, I may fall short, but I keep working at it.

Holiness is hard.  Holiness is strange to others.  Why would we want to be holy?  Because of our reverence for God.   My Bible dictionary says that reverence is to adore, highly respect and worship.  Because I adore Him; because I highly respect Him; because I worship Him; I must walk in holiness. The things I give up, I give up because I love him.  The places I don’t go, I stay away because I adore Him.  The times I don’t get my way?  Because I highly respect Him.  When adoration, worship and high respect are in the heart, holiness follows.

As you go about your day today, look for ways you can reverence Him in your life.  Can you say a kind word rather than an angry one?  Can you spend money to help another even if you have to sacrifice something you want?  Reverence Him in what you and do and in what you do not do. Reverence Him when you do not watch sexually explicit comedy.  Reverence Him when you do not join in sexually perverted banter at lunch with your co-workers. Reverence Him when the clerk gives you too much change.  Out of adoration, worship and high respect; perfect holiness.  And then begin to enjoy all of the promises listed in chapter six!

Dear Lord, help me to walk closer to you today than I did yesterday.  Help me to be mindful that every decision I make today either shows reverence or irreverence toward You.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri