“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/2co.7.1.NASB2020

God has always intended that people live like Him. God created us in His image to reveal His image in the world by our interactions with one another and even with the world itself. As we rebelled against Him separating ourselves from Him, His intent was for those who would follow Him, who desired to be reconciled with Him, to live as His people in the world, different from all the other peoples in the world. God calls His people a kingdom of priests. He called Israel to live as a kingdom of priests in Exodus upon bringing them to the mountain and He calls the church to live as a kingdom of priests when addressing them for the final time in revelation. From beginning to end God is the same and has desired for all time that His people live as He is. To live this way is to live holy lives, free from defilement of flesh and spirit. What defiles people are all the things we do that are not willed by God and are condemned by God. Whether these things are done physically, like homosexuality, or spiritually, like believing false things about God, all that is not done according to God’s will or is done in violation of God’s will, defile humanity and make us unfit priests of our holy God. Thus, we are to work out our salvation, perfecting holiness, ever striving to do more and more of that which pleases God and less and less of that which is condemned by God. All the while we seek Jesus, for forgiveness when we fail, for strength to persevere, for guidance to what is next and for His presence to participate with us in the building of His kingdom upon earth as it is in heaven. Jesus makes us holy now and always even as we follow Him doing what pleases Him showing the holiness of God that glorifies God Who is holy always.