Freedom and holiness (being set apart for God) are certainly not incompatible, but sometimes we may find ourselves in difficult conversations about these two powerful concepts. We know “Christ has truly set us free” (Galatians 5:1), but how do we steward this gift, especially knowing that we serve a holy God who calls us to live differently than those who don’t know Him? (2 Corinthians 6:17).
Having dealt with inappropriate behavior within the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul offers guidelines that still apply today. The foundation of our pursuit of holiness must be the remembrance of what first brought us to intimacy with Christ: God’s kindness (2 Corinthians 6:1). Only by His grace are we able to have freedom. This truth should both challenge us to set aside compromise and humble us in response to others’ choices (2 Corinthians 6:3,6).
As we mature, we come to understand how our lives preach the gospel (2 Corinthians 6:4-5); and what we allow to enter our minds can shape what comes out (2 Corinthians 6:7). As we value God’s presence, may we seek His wisdom to be a dwelling place for His Spirit instead of following popular opinion—even that of other believers (2 Corinthians 6:16). In all our responses, though, love must resonate in any correction offered (2 Corinthians 6:11), for it was Love that first drew us.