Cleanse Ourselves
2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
God has promised to receive you, if you come out from idolaters and be separated unto him. So we are to cleanse our flesh and spirit, Jesus has already cleansed our souls and forgiven us. Now we must desire to keep these clean, perfecting, being mature in holiness and the fear of God. The same God that hated sin in the Old Covenant hates it in the New. The only difference is the blood of Jesus protecting you and his grace. Yet this did not protect Ananias and Saphira from death to their flesh for lying.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Acts 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
2 Cor 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Paul does the things required to obey the Lord, he is not a liar or a hypocrite; receive him. Sin separates, if the Corinthians were not pure in the flesh and Spirit, they would separate from a godly person. The world will separate from a believer, when he starts living a righteous life.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
2 Cor 7:3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
It is their hearts that condemn them. Sometimes sin hides in robes of self righteousness, being judge and jury to another, when the problem is within their own hearts.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Keep pure, it is your responsibility and God will help you if you do not lie to yourself and him. He knows, you can't hide.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
God of Comfort and Joy
2 Cor 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2 Cor 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Great is Paul's confidence towards the Corinthians who lived in a very evil society. Great is his boasting, telling them of their good qualities. They had given him much happiness even with all his troubles and afflictions. For they will share in everlasting life, by the grace of Jesus and through God's grace we are overcomers. We can joy in tribulations!
1Th 2:19 For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2 Cor 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The body needs sleep and good food with excercise, and there are times when troubles seem to overcome us. We are to watch, be awake, and pray, for our strength in battle is not just the flesh but the Spirit of God. His grace is our salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psa 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Psa 42:6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me...
Psa 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psa 43:1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
Psa 43:2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
Psa 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
Psa 43:4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
Psa 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Now I Rejoice
2 Cor 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but
we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
2 Cor 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down,
comforted us by the coming of Titus;
Phil 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every
where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Phil 4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my
affliction.
2 Cor 7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he
was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning,
your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
2 Cor 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though
I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry,
though it were but for a season.
Paul cared for the church and was an instructor that they trusted. It is possible to be burdened with concern for others, yet we must remember it is the Lord's church. All are accountable to Him.
2 Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
If someone is doing wrong and you warn them, if they repent there is great joy. Satan is the thief who would steal our joy if possible. Joy can not be taken, it is from God and God is greater in us then the one who is in the world.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
Repentance
2 Cor 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation. Think of this, it is good to know and confess before God our failures. He will respond, first by giving us life through his Son Jesus. Again and again we repent but then not for salvation but for mercy and cleansing and forgiveness. Our God accepts the sacrifice of a broken repentant heart. He is a God of love and life.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What is the sorrow of the world? They are sorry they got caught. Even the new morality is excusing sin away. The world makes it's own way, it's own reality. This is false. Truth is in God's way. Though the world seeks tolerance, it is an excuse for ungodly behavior.
2 Cor 7:11 (NLT Bible) Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish the wrongdoer. You showed that you have done everything you could to make things right.
Repentance must show a change, they had changed. If no change? where is repentance? As John the Baptist proclaimed;
Mat 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Jesus spoke of fruit of the repentance. We produce evidence in our lives of what we believe.
Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
God loves and receives a repentant heart. The proud and the rebellious shall be judged. Seek to do the will of God in Jesus Christ and live, there is no other way to God but through believing in Jesus. Turn to him, trust and obey him, it is a life of joy and peace.
Titus Reports
2 Cor 7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
Where does concern and being as a father quit? Often when not much is heard, there is concern. What Paul had heard had concerned him, He wrote them, about his concern, a strong letter. Think how concerned your heavenly Father must be, if we are concerned, how much more is he concerned about everything we are concerned about?
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
2 Cor 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2 Cor 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
2 Cor 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
Titus had visited the Corinthians and had been received with hospitality. They had repented after receiving a strong letter from Paul. Titus was impressed by their behavior. They had truly repented.
Phil 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
2 Cor 7:16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
1 Cor 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Are you living a life that would be pleasing to your pastor or teacher. How about the Lord who knows all things? I am confident that you are loved in him.
Gary
2Corinthians Chapters
2Corinthians 8
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