2 Corinthians 6 (6)

Pray Psalm 132-8-10.
Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.

Sing Psalm 132.8-10.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Arise, O LORD, come to Your resting place;
Your holy Presence meet with us in might.
Clothe us with righteousness in Jesus’ grace,
and we will shout to Your divine delight!
For David’s sake, turn not away Your face,
but look upon us in Your holy light.

Read 2 Corinthians 6.1-18; meditate on verses 16b-18.

Prepare
1. How did Paul describe us?

2. As such, what must we do?

Meditation
Peter explained the implications of what it means to be the dwelling place of God: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1 Pet. 2.9).

We are the dwelling place of God (v. 16b), and it should be visible in all our demeanor that His Presence is in us and flowing out from us. Our great possession and privilege is that God is our God and we are His people. Because of this, we must no longer continue in the ways of the world. We have been separated unto the Lord (v. 17). We are saints, His holy ones. We can know His Presence with us as we forsake all that is sinful and unclean and cling to God Almighty as our Father and Lord.

What more could we want? None of the vain idols of our secular age can satisfy the deep longing of our soul. No ongoing indulgence in sinful thoughts and behaviors will do anything other than enslave us to guilt and misery. God promises to receive us into His Presence, but we can only know this great privilege as we come out of the world, out of all sinful ways, out from every wicked influence and into the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Knowing the Fatherly love and care of God depends on our truly wanting it. And we show that we want it by coming to Him on His terms (v. 18).

You are a dwelling place of God. Do you want to know the Presence of God with you today? Then come out, and come in. Your Father waits to receive you.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Most parents would prefer not to step on stray Lego pieces in their bare feet.

We like to walk amongst clean bedrooms.
Most would prefer not needing to update a tetanus booster to kiss their children good night.

If that is true for us, most assuredly, the same is true for God.
His intention is to dwell in us and walk among us; to be our God and we to be His people.
His desire is to do this amongst and in the hearts of those cleansed by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He does not wish to step on landmines of sin and transgression whilst doing so. Therefore, He has made a way for us to be clean and hospitable to Him and His Spirit.

God says:
Come out from among the world and be separate from it.
Don’t even contemplate touching what is unclean. Just don’t.
Make yourself a pleasant place for Me to dwell.
I want to receive you and embrace you.
I will be a Father to you.
You will be My sons and daughters.
It will be great—you just need to do what I have said. (2 Cor. 6.17, 18).

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth…because the LORD loves you…Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut. 7.6, 8, 9).

God pleads with us: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good…” (Is. 1.16, 17). “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Ps. 119.9). Be a pleasant dwelling place for the LORD.

As we used to say to our children:
“It’s Saturday morning, just clean this mess up, before you go out and play!”

For reflection
1. What does it mean for you to “come out” from your old way of life?

2. How would you explain to a new believer what it means to “come out” and “come in” to the Presence of the Lord?

3. How can we as believers encourage one another to be a true dwelling place of the Lord?

Come out from the workers of iniquity, and separate from their vain and sinful pleasures and pursuits; from all conformity to the corruptions of this present evil world. If it be an envied privilege to be the son or daughter of an earthly prince, who can express the dignity and happiness of being sons and daughters of the Almighty? Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 2 Corinthians 6.11-18

Pray Psalm 132.11-18.
Pray to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ more and more each day. Repent of any sinful thoughts or practices and be clothed with Jesus as you go into your Personal Mission Field today.

Sing Psalm 132.11-18
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Remember, LORD, the oath You swore to David;
do not turn back, do not deny Your Word:
“One of your sons, with your throne I will favor,
if he shall keep My cov’nant evermore,
and walk within My testimonies ever,
thus he shall ever rule by Israel’s LORD.”

God dwells among us, and He will forever,
to meet our needs and clothe us with His grace.
He has to us sent Jesus Christ, our Savior—
Beloved, eternal light and resting place.
His foes are banished from His Presence ever,
but we shall reign with Him before His face.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help you see both the greatness and the smallness of God’s salvation. Such a Great Salvation and Small Stuff will show you how to think small, live big, and know the salvation and glory of God in all your daily life. You can learn more about these books and order your copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.