Sharper Iron — A Letter of Comfort: Cleansed from Defilement by Christ

Because now is the day not to receive God’s grace in vain, now is also the day to flee from sin and defilement. Righteousness and lawlessness have no partnership. Light and darkness have no fellowship. Christ has no accord with the devil. Believers and unbelievers have a different inheritance. Christians are the temple of the living God, not of idols. For that reason, as Christians receive the grace of God in faith, at the same time we flee from sin and all defilement, seeking to live in the holiness that God has given us in Christ.

Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR, and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.

“A Letter of Comfort” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 2 Corinthians. St. Paul writes again to the Christians in Corinth to bring them the ongoing comfort of the Gospel in the midst of the attacks of false doctrine from so-called “super apostles.” He seeks to give confidence to the Corinthians—and to us—that the good news of Christ crucified and risen proclaimed by His called ministers will accomplish all that He intends.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵What accord has Christ with Belial?^[a] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
    and I will be their God,
    and they shall be my people.
¹⁷Therefore go out from their midst,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
    then I will welcome you,
¹⁸and I will be a father to you,
    and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”

7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body^[b] and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar
2 Corinthians 7:1 Greek flesh

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).