Commentary - 2 Corinthians 7:1

Bird's-eye view

In this pivotal verse, Paul draws a necessary conclusion from the glorious promises he has just laid out in the previous chapter. This is not a chapter break that should cause us to take a breath; it is the application that flows directly from the indicatives of the gospel. God has promised to dwell with us, to be our Father, and to make us His sons and daughters. Therefore, Paul says, there is something for us to do. This verse is a concise summary of the entire Christian life: motivated by God's promises, we are to engage in a lifelong project of sanctification, a cleansing that is both internal and external, all of it conducted in the atmosphere of the fear of God.

The logic is simple and profound. Because God has given us everything, we are to respond by giving Him everything. The promises are the fuel; holiness is the destination. This is not legalism or an attempt to earn God's favor. It is the natural, grateful, and fitting response of a child to a gracious Father. Paul is calling the Corinthian believers, and us, to take God's promises seriously, and the only way to do that is to take our sin seriously and the pursuit of holiness just as seriously.

Outline

Context In 2 Corinthians

This verse serves as the capstone to the argument Paul began in 2 Corinthians 6:14. He had commanded the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, grounding his command in a series of rhetorical questions highlighting the absolute antithesis between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. He then buttressed this command with a string of Old Testament promises, showing that God's people are a called-out, separate people in whom God Himself dwells.

So, 7:1 is the "therefore" that connects the high theology of God's indwelling presence with the street-level duty of personal holiness. It is the hinge between the indicative (what God has done and promised) and the imperative (what we must do). Paul is not introducing a new topic but is driving home the practical implications of their identity as the temple of the living God. Their entire lives must be brought into conformity with the reality of who they now are in Christ.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Therefore, having these promises, beloved... Paul begins with a logical connector, "Therefore." This immediately ties what he is about to say to what he has just said. The promises he refers to are found at the end of chapter 6: that God will dwell with us, walk with us, be our God, and we will be His people; that He will receive us, be a Father to us, and we will be His sons and daughters. These are not paltry promises; they are world-altering, identity-defining realities. They are the bedrock of our salvation and the engine of our sanctification. Paul then addresses them as "beloved," which is not mere sentiment. It is a statement of their objective status before God. Because they are beloved, and because they are heirs of such promises, the following exhortation is not a burden but a glorious calling.

let us cleanse ourselves... Here is the imperative, the call to action. And notice the reflexive nature of it: "let us cleanse ourselves." This is a crucial point. Sanctification is not a passive affair where we sit back and wait for God to zap us with holiness. Nor is it a work of self-righteous striving done in our own strength. It is a cooperative work. God has given us His Spirit and His promises, and on that basis, we are called to the active, diligent, sweaty work of mortifying sin. God works in us, to will and to do for His good pleasure, and therefore we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The grace of God is not a hammock; it is a trampoline.

from all defilement of flesh and spirit... The cleansing is to be comprehensive. Paul uses a twofold description of our human nature: flesh and spirit. "Flesh" here refers to the body and its appetites. This would include sins like sexual immorality, gluttony, drunkenness, and laziness. These are the more obvious, external sins that defile the temple of God. But Paul does not stop there. We must also be cleansed from the defilement of the "spirit." This refers to the internal sins, the sins of the heart and mind: pride, envy, bitterness, malice, idolatrous thoughts, and selfish ambition. It is easy for Christians to get fastidious about avoiding sins of the flesh while cultivating a garden of respectable, spiritual sins. Paul will have none of it. The cleansing must be total, inside and out. Every corner of the temple must be swept clean for the glory of the God who dwells there.

perfecting holiness... This is the positive side of the coin. Sanctification is not just about stopping bad things; it is about starting good things. We are not just emptying the house of filth; we are furnishing it with beauty. To "perfect" holiness means to bring it to its intended goal or completion. It is a continuous process. We are pursuing a target, and that target is the very character of God Himself. "Be holy, for I am holy." This is a lifelong endeavor. We will not arrive at sinless perfection in this life, but we are to be constantly moving in that direction, growing in grace, and becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

in the fear of God. This is the atmosphere in which all of our cleansing and perfecting must take place. The fear of God is not a cowering, servile terror. Rather, it is a profound sense of awe, reverence, and filial respect for our holy Father. It is the joyful recognition of His transcendent majesty, His utter holiness, and His loving authority over our lives. It is the fear of displeasing the One who has loved us and given Himself for us. This reverential awe is what keeps our pursuit of holiness from becoming a self-righteous project. It reminds us that we are doing this before His face, for His glory, and by His grace. Without the fear of God, our efforts at holiness become either legalistic drudgery or licentious presumption. With it, our duty becomes our delight.

Application

The application of this verse is as broad as the Christian life itself. First, we must ground our obedience in the promises of God. If you are struggling with sin, do not begin by beating yourself up. Begin by reminding yourself of the gospel promises. You are a beloved child of God. He is your Father. He dwells in you. Let these truths sink in. Let them be the fuel for your fight.

Second, we must get to work. Grace is not an excuse for laziness. We are commanded to cleanse ourselves. This means we must be actively identifying and putting to death the sins of both flesh and spirit. What are the external habits that need to go? What are the internal attitudes of the heart that must be repented of? This requires honest self-examination and a ruthless attitude toward our own sin.

Third, we must remember that holiness is a positive pursuit. It is not enough to avoid evil; we must actively pursue righteousness, goodness, and love. We are to be "perfecting" holiness, which means we should be making demonstrable progress in becoming more like Christ.

Finally, all of this must be done "in the fear of God." We should cultivate a deep and abiding reverence for God in all that we do. We live our lives Coram Deo, before the face of God. This awareness of His presence, His majesty, and His love is what will keep us humble, joyful, and diligent in our pursuit of the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.