These small group study notes on the book of 2nd Corinthians contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications. Feel free to print them, copy them, or share them. I only ask that you remember these are are personal study notes and are only meant as a supplement to your own study, not a replacement. May God be glorified! Visit our inductive Bible study main page for more studies on this and other books of the Bible. See the bottom of the page for the rest of the study on 2 Corinthians chapter 7.
2 Corinthians Chapter 7:1-8 Inductive Bible Study - Outline, Key Words, Cross References, and Discussion Questions
Comfort From God
Chapter 7:1-8
2 Cor 7:1-8
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. 3 I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. 4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it — for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while —
Key Words
· Comfort 5
· Afflicted 2
· Hearts 2
· Flesh 2
· No One 3
· You/your 11
· I 9
· Regret 2
· Sorrow 2
· Letter 2
· Rejoice
Titles
Mutual Encouragement
Joy in Affliction
Comfort from God
Outline
I. Cleansed from defilement 1
II. Make room for us 2-4
III. Titus’ report 5-8
Cross References, Questions, Observations
1. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Peter 1:4
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Ps 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
Matt 23:25-26
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
James 4:8
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
1 Peter 2:11
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Isa 55:7
7 Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
1 Cor 6:20
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
a) To what promises is he referring and how are they connected with the cleansing?
b) Why do you think it says to “cleanse ourselves” and how do we do that?
1)
2. Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.
Matt 10:40
"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
Philem 15-17
15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
2 John 10
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
1 Sam 12:3-4
3 "Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you." 4 They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand."
2 Cor 1:12
For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
2 Cor 6:3-7
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
2 Cor 11:9
9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.
1 Thess 2:10
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;
a) Why does Paul make these statements?
1)
3. I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.
2 Cor 3:2-3
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Cor 11:11
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
2 Cor 12:15
15 I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Phil 1:8
8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Ruth 1:17
17 "Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me."
1 Thess 2:8
8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
a) What does he mean by “to die together and to live together”?
1)
4. Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
2 Cor 3:12
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,
Eph 6:19-20
19 andpray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Phil 1:20
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
1 Thess 2:2
2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.
2 Cor 1:14
14 just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
2 Cor 9:2-3
2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, as I was saying, you may be prepared;
1 Thess 2:19
19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
Phil 1:6
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philem 7
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
2 Cor 1:4
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
1 Thess 3:7
7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;
a) Compare this to Jer 17:5 Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
1)
5. For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within.
2 Cor 4:7-10
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
2 Cor 11:27
27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
a) Compare this with Matt 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
b) What’s the difference in rest for the flesh and rest for the soul. Can you have one without the other?
1)
6. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
Isa 51:12
12 "I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies
And of the son of man who is made like grass,
Matt 5:4
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
2 Cor 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Thess 2:16-17
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
a) What are some ways that God comforts us?
1)
7. and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more
Phil 2:25-27
25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
Acts 11:23
23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;
Rom 1:12
12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.
2 Cor 2:3
3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.
1 Thess 3:6
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,
a)
1)
8. For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it — for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while —
2 Cor 2:2-4
2 For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? 3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.
2 Cor 7:11
11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
Eccl 7:3
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
Heb 12:9-11
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Rev 3:19
19' Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
a)
1)
Key Verse
4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
Central Teaching
God uses relationships within the body to comfort His children.
Application - Make Your Own!
Offer encouragement and comfort to a Christian brother who’s going through a difficult time right now.
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