My daughter Beri in their new city of residence, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Grace or works?
2 Corinthians 7, part one 

Chapter 6 closes with Paul quoting some OT promises.  

“I will welcome you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.”  

These are words of grace, inheritance, intimacy, adoption and kinship. Then, immediately after these words, Paul writes,  

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” 7:1.  

This brings up an interesting question. Is the Christian life the receiving of grace or the pursuit of holiness?  

Yes and yes – Both not either 

The quick answer is yes. However, that answer does create some tension. Our human nature tends to seek one truth to cling to rather than live in a paradoxical balance. Over the last couple thousand years, religious movements have emerged that cling to grace only and relieve their followers of any responsibility to pursue practical holiness on earth. They say to emphasize the pursuit of good works, so they say, diminishes the full glory of grace. On the other hand, other movements have focused on the doing of good works, participating in rituals and strictly following customs, etc., as the means of pleasing God. They are not focused on grace but on living up to a certain standard of works that they are responsible to fulfill.  

Both extremes are wrong. But which is more important? Emphasizing grace or emphasizing holy living? I think our text today gives us guidance to the right perspective.  

First consider the verse at hand, “Therefore, having these promises (of grace and adoption), beloved, let us cleanse ourselves…”  

First things first, second things second 

The sequence gives us the balance of truth here. First comes the promises. First comes the grace. First comes His adoption of us as His son or daughter. First comes being His BELOVED. Soak in it; revel in it; receive it; dwell in it; accept it freely. Take your time. Let me know when you really get it……..take more time…… You can take all the time you want to grasp fully the grace of God; the free, unearned, unmerited adoption as His forever child. Put down the guilt that you must earn His favor and receive His grace.  

Paul now urges us to respond to these promises as beloved children. “Therefore, because of these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of a God.” Our pursuit of holiness is important.  

Our pursuit of holiness is not a requirement to be saved but a RESPONSE to our savior. Pursuing holiness does not generate God’s saving grace toward us. Grace comes first, pursuit of holiness naturally follows.  

All in on both 

We are “all in” on both but the sequence is critical. First receive His grace. Second, respond with a heart to pursue holiness, for His glory. When Paul says, “let us cleanse ourselves…” he is saying take responsibility; take action; prepare your mind to think more purely, with more joy, with more kindness, with more selflessness. Receive and respond.  

Lord, forever and ever we will be grateful for Your grace toward us. You saved us. We didn’t and couldn’t do anything to deserve it. But we accept it without guilt and without conditions. Lord, may we now, having received grace upon grace, respond with diligence, passion and commitment to live like Jesus. Help us, we pray. Amen.