Filthiness of flesh and spirit

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Once more. When the apostle urges believers to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Corinthians 7:1, he plainly teaches that those believers were not yet cleansed from it. Will you answer, The person who abstains from all appearance of evil does, by that very fact, cleanse himself from all filthiness? Not in any way. For instance, a man reviles me. I feel resentment, which is filthiness of spirit. Yet I do not say a word. Here I abstain from all appearance of evil. But this does not cleanse me from that filthiness of spirit, as I know to my sorrow.

1771 text

6. Once more. When the apostle exhorts believers, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, (2 Cor. vii. 1.) he plainly teaches, that those believers were not yet cleansed therefrom. Will you answer, “he that abstains from all appearance of evil, does ipso facto cleanse himself from all filthiness.” Not in any wise. For instance: a man reviles me. I feel resentment, which is filthiness of spirit. Yet I say not a word. Here I abstain from all appearance of evil. But this does not cleanse me from that filthiness of spirit, as I experience to my sorrow.

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On 2 Corinthians 5:17: does sin remain in those who are in Christ? Wesley answers that it remains, though it no longer reigns.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 13 in the 1771 Works. Second Corinthians 5:17.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

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