II Corinthians 7:1:
7:1Therefore having these promises, loved-people1, let us clean ourselves from all soiling of flesh, and with spirit fully-completing holiness in (the) love1 of God.
Continuing from the end of chapter 6, Paul addresses all the holy-people of the church of God being in Corinth together with all the holy-people being in the whole of Achaia – as loved-people1 (this word comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love). He loved them with God's love and was manifesting it towards them as he was writing this letter (refer to II Corinthians 2:4). He also includes himself and those with him in the “us” – all of them had believed what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to Romans 10:8-13), and had received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of them had become God's children.
Paul writes: logically following-on from what I have just written, since it is true that we are having these promises (we are holding God's proclamations, the declarations of the message of His own intentions, see II Corinthians 6:16-18), loved-people…
‘The cleaning of ourselves from all soiling of flesh’ and ‘the fully-completing holiness with spirit in the love1 of God’ should not be separated from each other in our thinking as we live our everyday lives awaiting Christ's presence to gather us all together with him.
If someone were to separate them thinking that one built upon the other, then that person would be striving to "clean himself up" in the flesh category in order to make himself "good enough" to walk with the holy spirit which is within him! That can never happen because flesh is flesh and it cannot inherit the kingdom of God because it can never become "good enough" to be acceptable to God. In fact, Jesus Christ has already done the work of God's plan of redemption and salvation and he has received his new spiritual body from God when God raised him up from among the dead-people. The resurrected Christ is the second man, the last man. The Lord Jesus Christ’s accomplishments are what allowed the gift of holy spirit to be made available to mankind, and this is what makes all who receive it acceptable to God spiritually. In the future we too will receive our new spiritual bodies like the one Christ received from God (not the same flesh as the first man Adam had after his fall and which passed to all mankind from that time).
Now today we have God's promises, we are loved-people1, therefore let us clean ourselves from all soiling of flesh, and with spirit we are fully-completing holiness in the love1 of God. We ought to live our lives in accordance with our holy spirit-life evidencing God's love.
[Note: in the phrase “holiness in the love1 of God”, some Greek texts have word "fear" instead of the word translated "love." Refer to Romans 1:4, and 8:37-39; I Corinthians chapter 13; Galatians 5:16 and 17; I Thessalonians 3:13.]
Verses 2-4:
.2You must make-space-for us; we treated not-one-person unrighteously, we corrupted not-one-person, we covetously-claimed-more-than not-one-person; .3I do not say (this) towards condemnation, for I said-beforehand2 that you are in our hearts with-a-view to die-together and to live-together; .4(there is) much boldness with me towards you, much boasting with me on your behalf, I was filled2 with the encouragement, I am caused-to-super-exceed with the joy on all our pressure;
It is imperative that you Corinthian and Achaian holy-people make space for us (make a place, space, room in your hearts in order to receive, have, hold, contain what myself and those with me say and do to/with/for you all).
In explanation, Paul writes: I am not laying this out before you for the purpose of condemnation (judgment, a sentence or decision to be made against you, the action of-which would still be incomplete and in progress regarding the walk/behavior category).
In truth, previously I definitely communicated with words to you and what I foretold you has not changed regarding this matter – that you holy-people are in our hearts (within the center, core of our beings) for the purpose of (into the purposed objective of)…
I have a lot of boldness (freedom, frankness and openness of speech) towards you. I have a lot of reason to boast (a big justifiable claim) on behalf of you. I was made-full and I'm still filled with/by the encouragement (the exhortation I received from you, the calling beside as a concerned father or mother would call their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do that which is right). I am caused to super-exceed with joy (I am made to super-abound, to be extremely over and above the number or measure already attained relative to rejoicing) resting or based upon all our pressure (every compression or stress that afflicts us, whatever may be pressing-upon or squeezing us whether it be physical or mental or spiritual).
[Reference: Romans 6:8; II Corinthians 1:3-5, 2:11, 3:2, 12:17 and 18, 13:2; I Thessalonians 4:6; II Timothy 2:11.]
Verses 5-7:
.5for also (after) our having come into Macedonia our flesh had not-one relief but in every (manner we are) being pressured: fights from-outside, fear from-inside, .6but the (One) encouraging the humble-people, (Who is) God, encouraged us in the presence of Titus, .7but not only in his presence but also in the encouragement which he was encouraged on you announcing to us your earnest-longing, your wailing, your zeal on my behalf, so-as-for me rather to joy,
In truth also when we had come into Macedonia our flesh did not have any relief (no loosening, our flesh lacked relaxation in the physical category). Contrary to relief, we are being pressured in every way (being caused to be compressed, stressed, afflicted, pressed-upon, being squeezed whether it be physical or mental or spiritual, in all/every method), such as fights (battles, combats) coming from outside our flesh (external) and fear (fright) coming from inside our flesh (internal).
But contrary to being pressured, the One Who is presently and actively encouraging the humble-people is God…. God is exhorting the people who are lowly, humble with respect to Himself. He is calling them beside Him as a concerned father or mother would call their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do what is right.
…And God encouraged us (myself and those with me) within the sphere of action of the presence of Titus (the coming to be present, the arrival of Titus, his being present; this was after leaving Troas, see II Corinthians 2:12 and 13). Not alone that, but also within the encouragement which Titus had been encouraged resting or based upon you because he came announcing (messaging-up, reporting-back) to us…
…in my interests, with the consequence and result for me rather (more-so, more and more) to rejoice.
[Reference: Acts 20:1-3; II Corinthians 1:3-5, and 4:8; Titus 3:9.]
Verses 8-10:
.8because even since I caused you sorrow in the letter I do not repent, even since I used-to-repent (it) observing that that letter caused you sorrow even since (it was) towards an hour, .9now I joy not because you were caused-sorrow but because you were caused-sorrow into repentance, for you were caused-sorrow according to God in order that you may be caused-to-receive-loss from us in nothing, .10for the sorrow according to God works repentance into unrepentable salvation, but the sorrow of the world renders death to-work;
Paul explains why he more-so rejoiced now: even because of the fact that I caused you grief in my previous letter, I do not presently repent (I do not change my concern or purpose, I do not regret, my mind's purpose pertaining-to my letter does not change knowing the consequences of my action)…. Paul had written his previous letter/epistle of “First Corinthians” by revelation, not with the intention of hurting or punishing them for something they had or had-not done.
He continues: …even though the fact is that I used-to repent it before Titus came (I was in the process of changing my concern or purpose, regretting, changing my mind's purpose regarding it) when I was observing (looking-at and mentally-envisioning, being mentally-aware and able to contemplate, even though I did not physically see you with my physical eyes) that that letter caused you grief, though it only lasted for a short period of time.
But at the present time I actively rejoice, not that you were caused grief, but on the contrary, I joy that you were caused grief which led into repentance (it was directed to a change of mind from bad to good regarding God and the things of God). This word “repentance” is a different Greek word to what is written in verse 8 because here in verse 9 it emphasizes their minds’ change after re-thinking the matter having read what Paul wrote in his first letter to them.
In truth, you were caused grief in accordance with God (in proportion and conformity with/to the only true God’s will and purposes) for the purpose and result that you would be caused to receive loss from us in nothing (be inflicted loss, damage or detriment out-from myself and those with me within the sphere of action of not one thing).
Your being made-safe to/by God is unrepentable (without repentance). Your salvation will not change relative-to its concern, purpose, and consequences. This salvation is un-regrettable. God will not change His mind's purpose pertaining to the salvation, which was made available by Him by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not regret the consequences of His action, and it cannot be changed by any other.
You will not lose anything being caused sorrow according to God and changing your mind directed-to walking in accordance with the salvation, which you have already received spiritually and which cannot be taken-away from you. Plus, you will not lose anything when your future total salvation comes to pass when Christ comes to gather all holy-people together with him.
But the sorrow of the world (the grief pertaining-to and belonging-to the world, the ordered arrangement that God created – but in this context figuratively referring to the present condition of it still being under the influence of satan, the devil) renders death to-work (it causes to effect death, effectively brings down death). The sorrow of the world literally causes a person to die, firstly in-part becoming sick and then eventually ending his/her life.
As we read this letter, we must recognize that when Paul wrote his previous letter of First Corinthians by revelation to the Corinthian church, they were already holy-people (Christians). They already had the spirit of Christ within them. They were already saved from the present world (which will receive God’s wrath at a future time) because they had already repented (changed their minds) from not-believing what God says to believing what God says which resulted in their salvation. They had received the gift of holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in Second Corinthians, Paul is referring to his previous letter which was sent to help these holy-people to walk in accordance with God's will and purposes which is in accordance with their salvation.
Paul had written what God and the Lord Jesus Christ asked him to write to them. If Paul had written a letter to them containing his fleshly opinions, philosophies, and worldly wisdom regarding their situation, then they would have been caused sorrow according to the world.
[Reference: Romans 11:29; I Corinthians 3:10-15; II Corinthians 2:1-4, and 5:9, 10; I Peter 1:3-7; I John 1:9.]
Verse 11:
.11for look! – this same-thing: to be caused-sorrow according to God – how-much earnest-diligence it rendered-to-work for you, but defense, but vexation, but fear, but earnest-longing, but zeal, but vengeance; in every (manner) you commended yourselves to be pure with the matter,
With reference to this thing itself, I am referring to being caused grief according to God – look (behold, see, pay attention to) how-much earnest-diligence it caused to effect for you (how great in magnitude of speedy application or performance it effectively brought down for/to/with you)…
…but emphatically your being caused sorrow according to God also rendered to work:
…in every way/method you commended (you caused to stand in conjunction together, in the sense of favorably introducing) yourselves to be pure (in a pure-state, which is not-being contaminated by any bad-thing that may be near-by because you are living in Corinth and the surrounding region of Achaia where a lot of impurity is being manifested by other people)…. You commended yourselves to be pure with the matter (the business, action of being grieved in accordance with God).
Verses 12-15:
.12consequently even since I wrote to you (it was) not by-reason-of the (person) having treated (another) unrighteously nor by-reason-of the (person) having been treated-unrighteously, but by-reason-of your earnest-diligence, the (earnest-diligence) on our behalf, to be manifested towards you before God, .13because-of-this we were encouraged2, but on our encouragement more-exceedingly rather we joyed on the joy of Titus because his spirit was rested-up2 from all of you, .14because if I boasted2 something to him on behalf of you I was not brought-down-to-shame but as we uttered-forth to you all-things in truth thus also our boasting, the (boasting) on Titus, was caused-to-become truth, .15and his inner-parts more-exceedingly are into you remembering the obedience of all of you as-that you accepted him with fear and trembling.
Paul continues: in correspondence to that, since it is a fact that I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the person who had treated another person unjustly (wronged someone else), nor was it for the sake of the person who had been treated unjustly (been wronged) – but on the contrary, I wrote to you my previous letter for the sake of causing your earnest-diligence (the objective purpose was to cause your speedy application, performance, assiduity, as verse 11), which you have on behalf of us (in the interests of myself and those with me), to be manifested (evidenced, brought to light, shown-forth) towards you in the sight and presence of God.
The speaking and writing of God's Word is ultimately for the purpose of helping us to walk (behave, conduct ourselves) in accordance with God and the things of God, which becomes apparent to us as we do it.
On account of this we were encouraged and we are still encouraged (exhorted, see verses 4, 6, 7 above) while I am writing this letter to you, and based upon our encouragement more-abundantly (more than above the measure already attained) more-so we rejoiced upon Titus' joy because his spirit (referring figuratively to his whole being of holy spirit-life, soul-life and his fleshy body, not just the one part his being) was caused to rest-up and is still rested-up (as having been made to pause, temporarily stop or cease from extraneous labor, and so he became refreshed), the cause of his refreshment coming away-from all of you.
We (myself and those with me) more-exceedingly rather rejoiced on what happened to Titus because if I boasted something (spoke justifiable loudly and I have not withdrawn that boast) to him on your behalf, I was not put to shame (not made to feel shame before him) – but on the contrary, it was as we spoke to you all-things within truth in this manner also our boasting on Titus (the reason to boast, the action of speaking justifiably loudly in the presence of Titus regarding you) was caused to come to pass to be truth.
And, Titus' inward-parts (literally: his insides; figuratively referring to his inner-self, emphasizing his inner affections, feelings, emotions, attitudes, compassions) more abundantly (more than above the measure already attained by him) are directed to you while he is remembering (being reminded, bringing-up to his mind, calling-up to his remembrance) the obedience of all of you (your hearing, listening attentively to the truth and carrying it out, which includes believing what He says in order to do it correctly) in comparison to the way that you accepted him (you welcomed him, you willingly took him, you received to yourselves Titus who was presented to you) in company and association with fear (fright, being afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior, manifesting the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards him as you ought towards the things of God) and trembling (as a shaking or quaking, tremendous intensity).
[Reference: I Corinthians 16:18; Ephesians 6:5; Philippians 2:12.]
Verse 16:
.16I joy because in every (manner) I am courageous in you.
I rejoice because in all/every way I am courageous (warmly confident) in you. How wonderful it must have been for these holy-people (Christians) to read these words written to them by the Apostle Paul by revelation!
[Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
