What promises? (2 Corinthians 7:1) (Part 2)
Yesterday we looked at some of the promises of God which Paul uses to issue his bold command in 2 Corinthians 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.
Some of the promises Paul quotes from are found in Leviticus 26:12 and some in Isaiah 52:11. The promises of Leviticus 26 concern themselves with who God is, what he has done, and what he promises he will do based on the faithful, or unfaithfulness of his people. Isaiah has a focus on the people of God in the midst of what God has already accomplished.
Paul's brilliance in writing cannot be lost as a writer, a lawyer, a preacher, and a friend.
Paul writes with eloquence in his citations (Old Testament Promises of God).
Paul writes with righteous concern for his "clients" (the Corinthians)
Paul's eloquence in citing Leviticus 26 and Isaiah 52 is found in both the immediate quote, and the surrounding context of the quote. In Leviticus 26 it was the blessings and potential consequences of faithful obedience or disobedience to God's Word. Isaiah's life and ministry was during a time at which enemies of God and his people had come into the promised land. Isaiah 52 speaks about a time in which there will be no more defilement (52:1), a time in which God himself will hear his people's plight (52:6), a time when God will rectify all ruins (52:7-9).
Corinth wasn't a ruined city, but the church in Corinth was experiencing all the ruination that can come to God's people when they are invaded by false teachers. Paul's literary usage of Isaiah 52 would have demanded in Corinth a reading that answered "Who is Paul referring to as the Daughters of Zion, and who are the Defilers of Zion?" Paul doesn't cite outsides are the problem, but rather personalizes the defilement of God's temple by his usage of the personal pronoun "us" in 7:1. This isn't a problem with "them" - those outside, this is a problem with "us" - those inside the church of Corinth. The wording of Paul leaves very little to the imagination in relationship to the context of Isaiah 52. In other words - Paul equates the ruination of Zion, with the ruination of the Corinthian church, and the sanctification of Zion, with the sanctification of the Corinthian church.
Paul's righteous concern for his clients is found in his exactness in dealing with God's law. God's law in Leviticus 26 clearly states there are joyous abundant blessings for faithful obedience, and terribly abundant consequences for rebellious disobedience. Paul states that since this is the reality of the present world, since God is a promise keeping person, since God's promises offer reward, or curse, since God's faithfulness is wholly distinct and separate from unrighteous defilement, Paul urges his clients (the Corinthian church) to live in such a manner that puts as much distance between themselves and unholy rebelliousness as possible. In 7:1 Paul states that a cleansing is needed from EVERY defilement - not just some, not a specialized, localized iteration of defilement. Rather a whole sale, all encompassing scale separation from every defilement.
Paul in this passage isn't sugar coating or lifting the weight of the situation. He wants to make extremely clear, beyond all possible doubt, that righteousness and wickedness cannot co-exist, and that a choice by his client (the Corinthian church) to stay close to wickedness is the action of rejection of righteousness. Imagine a restraining order is placed upon you, and you are no longer allowed within 10 miles of your favorite restaurant. Paul, if he were your lawyer in this regard then advises you not only to stay 10 miles away, but also says "Don't order delivery from that restaurant, don't eat leftovers from your friends from that restaurant, don't go to a local deli that also does business with that restaurant, and move towns immediately if a franchise of that restaurant opens in near you!". In other words - Paul leaves no room for "sitting on the fence" or indication by the Corinthian church, the promises of God demand action, inaction is tantamount with embracing the status quo of defilement.
The command of 7:1 to "cleanse ourselves" is one which demands change among the author and the audience. Paul includes himself with the the Corinthians. It's not a harsh demand from an unknown entity, but rather an inclusive command in light of the reality of who God is, and who the Corinthian church is. Because the Corinthian church is holy (In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul states "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God") they must actively choose to reject that which defiles their holiness.
This call to holiness ends with the goal of finding completion in the fear of God. Many of us have fears in life, and those fears impact our decisions, our lives, and our activities. Paul here calls God's people - the church of Corinth, to separate from each and every thing that defiles (ruins) the reality of their status as God's holy temple. In the midst of separating from all which defiles, the byproduct of obedience to Paul's call to action results in a fear. What a strange thing to have fear as the goal of a command! Yet this fear isn't a fear of the many things we may regularly fear, it's the fear of God.
Contemporary society is so often afraid to talk about the fear of God. Fear is so often seen as a negative thing in itself. Yet a proper fear of heights keeps a child safe from climbing too high, and a proper fear of the road keeps a driver alert and calm. Fear can be the most healthy thing of all to have, and as Proverbs states - the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Paul's hope in issuing this reminder and command is that the result of our daily lives would bring holiness to completion in the fear of God.
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.
Some of the promises Paul quotes from are found in Leviticus 26:12 and some in Isaiah 52:11. The promises of Leviticus 26 concern themselves with who God is, what he has done, and what he promises he will do based on the faithful, or unfaithfulness of his people. Isaiah has a focus on the people of God in the midst of what God has already accomplished.
Paul's brilliance in writing cannot be lost as a writer, a lawyer, a preacher, and a friend.
Paul writes with eloquence in his citations (Old Testament Promises of God).
Paul writes with righteous concern for his "clients" (the Corinthians)
Paul's eloquence in citing Leviticus 26 and Isaiah 52 is found in both the immediate quote, and the surrounding context of the quote. In Leviticus 26 it was the blessings and potential consequences of faithful obedience or disobedience to God's Word. Isaiah's life and ministry was during a time at which enemies of God and his people had come into the promised land. Isaiah 52 speaks about a time in which there will be no more defilement (52:1), a time in which God himself will hear his people's plight (52:6), a time when God will rectify all ruins (52:7-9).
Corinth wasn't a ruined city, but the church in Corinth was experiencing all the ruination that can come to God's people when they are invaded by false teachers. Paul's literary usage of Isaiah 52 would have demanded in Corinth a reading that answered "Who is Paul referring to as the Daughters of Zion, and who are the Defilers of Zion?" Paul doesn't cite outsides are the problem, but rather personalizes the defilement of God's temple by his usage of the personal pronoun "us" in 7:1. This isn't a problem with "them" - those outside, this is a problem with "us" - those inside the church of Corinth. The wording of Paul leaves very little to the imagination in relationship to the context of Isaiah 52. In other words - Paul equates the ruination of Zion, with the ruination of the Corinthian church, and the sanctification of Zion, with the sanctification of the Corinthian church.
Paul's righteous concern for his clients is found in his exactness in dealing with God's law. God's law in Leviticus 26 clearly states there are joyous abundant blessings for faithful obedience, and terribly abundant consequences for rebellious disobedience. Paul states that since this is the reality of the present world, since God is a promise keeping person, since God's promises offer reward, or curse, since God's faithfulness is wholly distinct and separate from unrighteous defilement, Paul urges his clients (the Corinthian church) to live in such a manner that puts as much distance between themselves and unholy rebelliousness as possible. In 7:1 Paul states that a cleansing is needed from EVERY defilement - not just some, not a specialized, localized iteration of defilement. Rather a whole sale, all encompassing scale separation from every defilement.
Paul in this passage isn't sugar coating or lifting the weight of the situation. He wants to make extremely clear, beyond all possible doubt, that righteousness and wickedness cannot co-exist, and that a choice by his client (the Corinthian church) to stay close to wickedness is the action of rejection of righteousness. Imagine a restraining order is placed upon you, and you are no longer allowed within 10 miles of your favorite restaurant. Paul, if he were your lawyer in this regard then advises you not only to stay 10 miles away, but also says "Don't order delivery from that restaurant, don't eat leftovers from your friends from that restaurant, don't go to a local deli that also does business with that restaurant, and move towns immediately if a franchise of that restaurant opens in near you!". In other words - Paul leaves no room for "sitting on the fence" or indication by the Corinthian church, the promises of God demand action, inaction is tantamount with embracing the status quo of defilement.
The command of 7:1 to "cleanse ourselves" is one which demands change among the author and the audience. Paul includes himself with the the Corinthians. It's not a harsh demand from an unknown entity, but rather an inclusive command in light of the reality of who God is, and who the Corinthian church is. Because the Corinthian church is holy (In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul states "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God") they must actively choose to reject that which defiles their holiness.
This call to holiness ends with the goal of finding completion in the fear of God. Many of us have fears in life, and those fears impact our decisions, our lives, and our activities. Paul here calls God's people - the church of Corinth, to separate from each and every thing that defiles (ruins) the reality of their status as God's holy temple. In the midst of separating from all which defiles, the byproduct of obedience to Paul's call to action results in a fear. What a strange thing to have fear as the goal of a command! Yet this fear isn't a fear of the many things we may regularly fear, it's the fear of God.
Contemporary society is so often afraid to talk about the fear of God. Fear is so often seen as a negative thing in itself. Yet a proper fear of heights keeps a child safe from climbing too high, and a proper fear of the road keeps a driver alert and calm. Fear can be the most healthy thing of all to have, and as Proverbs states - the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Paul's hope in issuing this reminder and command is that the result of our daily lives would bring holiness to completion in the fear of God.
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