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2 Corinthians 7 – Commentary

v.1 “Defilement ‘of body and spirit’ means that the entire person, externally and internally, is corrupted by idolatrous practices in much the same way that sexual relations with a prostitute corrupts both body and spirit (1 Cor 6:15–18). Paul still must convince some in Corinth that participation in anything publicly associated with idols endangers their spiritual lives.

“Therefore Paul calls them to perfect their ‘holiness.’ The verb ‘to perfect’ (epitelein) means ‘to bring to completion,’ ‘to bring to its intended goal’ and does not mean that they are to become perfect.   In the greetings of both letters to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes that they have been set apart (1 Cor 1:2) and called to be ‘holy ones’ (‘saints,’ ‘those who are set apart,’ 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1). Barnett comments, ‘The holiness that is to be perfected is covenantal rather than developmental or progressive in character.’ Holiness is ‘something that God gives to Christians (1 Cor 1:30; 2 Thess 2:13) but also something Christians strive to complete (1 Cor 7:34; 1 Thess 4:1–8; Rom 6:19), as well as something that God will ultimately complete (1 Thess 3:13).’”[1]

vv.8-9 “Paul’s sole object in giving rebuke was to enable people to be what they ought to be. By his rebuke he wished the Corinthians to see the real earnestness they possessed for him in spite of their disobedience and their trouble-making. Such a course might for the moment cause pain, but its ultimate object was not the pain; it was not to knock them down, but to lift them up; it was not to discourage them, but to encourage them; it was not simply to eradicate the evil, but to make the good grow.”^[2]

vv.10-11 “A godly sorrow produces a true repentance, and a true repentance is one which demonstrates its sorrow by its deeds. The Corinthians proved their repentance by doing everything they could to mend the wretched situation that their thoughtless conduct had produced. Now they hated the sin they had committed, and even hated themselves for committing it, and they laboured to atone for it.   A worldly sorrow is not really sorrow at all in one sense but it is not sorrow for its sin or for the hurt it may have caused others; it is only resentment that it has been found out. If it got the chance to do the same thing again and thought it could escape the consequences, it would do it. A godly sorrow is a sorrow which has come to see the wrongness of the thing it did. It is not just the consequences of the thing it regrets; it hates the thing itself. We must be very careful that our sorrow for sin is not merely sorrow that we have been found out, but sorrow which, seeing the evil of the sinful thing is determined never to do it again and has dedicated the rest of its life to atone, by God’s grace, for what it has done.”^[3]

[1] The letters to the Corinthians. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (2 Co 8:1). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

^[2]The letters to the Corinthians. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (2 Co 8:1). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

^[3]The letters to the Corinthians. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (2 Co 8:1). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

Bible Text:

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (ESV)

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 

¹⁵ What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

    and I will be their God,

    and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Therefore go out from their midst,

    and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

    then I will welcome you,

¹⁸ and I will be a father to you,

    and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”

7 ¹ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Reflection & Application 

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

• This passage has been understood to apply most directly to marriage.  Why does it make sense for the Bible to oppose a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever?
• What is the first implication of accepting our identity as “the temple of God”?
• What does the word “temple” suggest in terms of Christian engagement with the world?
• Reflect on the words “since we have these promises.” How does the promise, “you shall be sons and daughter to me” (v. 18), motivate me toward cleansing myself “from every defilement” and pursuing holiness?  To what extent am I focused on growing in my holiness?