Cleansing of Our Spirit
We need God's constant cleansing of our spirits to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
Watchman Nee emphasizes the continual need for God's cleansing in our spirits, highlighting that as believers, we are often confronted with our imperfections through the cross of Christ. Each encounter reveals new defects that require painful yet necessary purification, reminding us that God does not reject us despite our flaws. Instead, He uses us while simultaneously calling us to recognize our impurities and submit to His cleansing work. This process of perfecting holiness in the fear of God is essential for our spiritual growth and effectiveness in His service.
Text
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1
We never cease to need God's cleansing of our spirits. As his children, we come often face to face with the cross of Christ and it never confronts us in vain. Each time some new defect in us is brought to light and dealt with, often painfully, and we are cleansed once again and our spirits are purified.
If the Spirit of the Lord were to reject every man who had some defect, things would be much simpler. It would be easy to draw a clear line between what is the work of the flesh and what of the Spirit. The problem is compounded, however, because God does not reject us outright, even though our spirit is not pure and our flesh may be active. Instead he uses us, and next time deals with us afresh by his cross. Although he uses us, let us be careful that we never lose sight of our own impurity. And the more he uses us, the more willingly let us subject ourselves again to his cleansing work.
Sermon Outline
- The Need for God's Cleansing
- God's Approach to Our Defects
- Our Response to God's Cleansing
- God does not reject us outright due to our impurity
- Instead, he uses us and deals with us through his cross
- We must be careful not to lose sight of our impurity
- We should subject ourselves willingly to God's cleansing work
Key Quotes
“We never cease to need God's cleansing of our spirits.” — Watchman Nee
“If the Spirit of the Lord were to reject every man who had some defect, things would be much simpler.” — Watchman Nee
Application Points
- We should be willing to submit to God's cleansing work in our lives.
- We must not lose sight of our own impurity and the need for God's cleansing.
- God uses us despite our defects, and we should respond by subjecting ourselves to his cleansing work.