To watch this week’s message go here.

Jeremiah 6:16, John 20:21, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

We have been looking at being messengers… 

It would seem as if Paul suddenly switches gears, goes off on a tangent, or is chasing a squirrel, but on further study we can see that some outside influence some non-believer is causing the church to pull away from Paul and his teachings. That is what is being addressed here. 

A clear distinction is made here between believers and those that are not. 

More often than not unbelieving peopel draw believers away from the family of God and the teaching, preaching and practicing of the one anothers that are necessary for Spiritual growth.

Vs. 14 This verse is often applied to dating and marriage, and while that is mentioned in 1 Cor 7:39 where a widow is free to marry anyone she wants, but only in the Lord. But we are also told in that same chapter that if we happen to be married to an unbeliever to stay with that spouse. 

Vs. 16 How can you be of the world when you are to be the very Temple of the living God, the holy Spirit, the Spirt of God, the Spirit of Christ lives within the believer (see Romans 8:9). 

The answer to Paul’s questions are that there is no relationship between believers and unbelievers we are not to be yoked with them. In partnership…

Whatever your motivation to stay yoked with unbelievers must be examined, we are to make a clean break with that partnership, and the influences it may be having on our walk with the Lord. 

7:1 Sanctification is the process of being made holy. People who are holy are born again and therefore part of God’s family (see Heb 2:11). They are reserved for God’s use. Believers experience the sanctifying work of the Spirit. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 1 Pt 1:2. 

Under the Old Testament Law, the blood of a sacrifice was required to set things apart unto God: According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness Heb 9:22

We are called to live as a holy people.

It is by grace you have been saved, and it is by grace that you are being sanctified-Made Holy, and it is our relationship with God in Christ that makes us holy. Holiness apart from God does not exist! Because the holiness of a believer comes from our relationship with a completely Holy God

Discussion Guide:

• Are you being sanctified?
• Are you holy?
• Is your life a message of holiness?

Further Reading: John 17:17, Leviticus 20:26, Hebrews 10:14 12:14, 1^st Peter 1:15-16, Romans 6:22 Colossians 3:1-32^nd Timothy 2:21. 

Of the world? See Matthew 6:24, Galatians 5:19–20, 1^st Timothy 4:1-2, James 1:14-15, 1^st John 2:15-17