2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Bad company

corrupts good character(1 Corinthians 15:33)

Overview

• The story so far

• Avoiding wrong associations

• Living temples

• Respond to God’s promises

• So what?

The story so far

• Opposition from within the church

• Paul’s love for the church

• The glory of the gospel

• The power of grace in action

• The insignificance of hardship

• Paul pleads with the Corinthians to open their hearts to him

Avoiding wrong associations

• This is not talking about marriage!– It is much broader – Compromising our faith

• Military term: keep in your own ranks?

• Old Testament law: Deuteronomy 22:9-11

• Paul seems to have 2 things in mind:– False apostles and teachers– Mixing pagan worship with faith

Avoiding wrong associations• Paul uses some very strong language– What do righteousness and wickedness

have in common?– What fellowship can light have with

darkness?– What harmony is there between Christ and

Belial?– What does the believer have in common

with the unbeliever?– What agreement is there between the

temple of God and idols

Living temples

• 1 Corinthians 6:18-20– Flee immorality– Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit– You were bought at a price

• Promises for “holy temples”– God will live and walk among us– Our God / His people– Leviticus 26:12– Matthew 28:18-20 – Great Commission

Living temples

• Come out from them and be separate– Holiness in the Old Testament– Touch no unclean thing and I will receive

you– Our Father: his sons and daughters

• It is the Lord Almighty who is speaking

• 1 Corinthians 5:9 - 13 & Matthew 5

• Since we have these promises– Purify yourself from all contamination– Perfecting holiness in reverence to God

So what?

• In which areas of faith are we compromising?• In which areas of our lives are we compromising

with the world?• Do we see this sin as Paul does?• Do we think of our bodies as God’s temples?• In what ways do we dishonour God’s temple?• Do we cling to the truth of these promises?• Are we being salt and light?