September 28, 2010

A Holy Walk

2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1

“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
2 Corinthians 6:16

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Paul knew the Scriptures well, and in his writings he often quoted from them. One of the quotations in our reading for today is from Leviticus 26, and it is also found in Jeremiah 32 and Ezekiel 37. Paul uses this quotation in the context of showing what it means for us to be temples of the living God.

A temple of God is a remarkable place—it’s where God lives. By Christ’s Spirit, we as Christians are the places where God lives today in this world.

Moreover, a temple is a holy place. We often think of holiness as another way to speak of moral purity.

But from the Old Testament we learn that even the pots and pans in the temple were to be holy (Zechariah 14:20-21). That’s because the basic meaning of holy is “set apart.” You and I, as holy people, are “set apart for God.” What does that mean for the way you live your life today?

Are there things in your life that keep you from being holy? If there are, it’s time to do some housecleaning.

Get rid of anything in your life that can corrupt you or distract you from living as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Let the light of Jesus shine into the dark crannies of your life and expose whatever is there. Then ask God’s Spirit to do a thorough cleansing!

Holy God, cleanse me of every impurity, whether in thought, word, or deed. I want to have fellowship with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

About the author — Adrian A. Helleman

Dr. Adrian Helleman served as a pastor in British Columbia before being called to serve as a missionary-teacher in the Philippines. He and his wife, Wendy, later taught philosophy at Moscow State University in Russia, and then philosophy and theology at the University of Jos in Nigeria. They have also lectured in Canada, the United States, South Africa, and Tanzania. They have three children and three grandchildren.

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