Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 7
God has made the most wonderful promises to his people. He has even promised to be their Father, and to make them his sons and daughters*. It astonishes us to know that we can have such a close and loving relationship with God.
Nobody can earn that relationship. It is God’s free gift because of Christ’s death. When a person turns from sin (wrong and evil deeds) to invite Christ into their life, then their new life with God begins*.
Paul was writing to Christians who had already done that. He urged them to develop in their Christian lives. He told them to prepare for the great work that God was carrying out in their lives.
They needed to live as God’s holy people. To be holy means to be separate for God. Paul was not telling them to avoid other people or to live separately from other people. Rather, he was telling them to fear (that is, to respect) God. Wrong thoughts, attitudes, words and actions would spoil their relationship with God. Therefore, they must avoid these things. They should live in a manner that is right and true. They should desire only to do the things that please God*.
Paul had warned the Christians in Corinth previously about wrong and selfish desires*. We might think that these affect the body more than the spirit. Other wrong things might affect the human spirit rather than the body. However, they all affect a Christian’s relationship with God.
All God’s people must be holy. Paul did not just write this as a command for other people to follow. He knew that he, too, must allow God to work in his life. So, he included himself in this instruction; he uses the word ‘we’ in 2 Corinthians 7:1. He too must avoid anything that could spoil his relationship with God.
Next part: How Paul behaved at Corinth (7:2-3)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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© 2016, Keith Simons.