Chapter 7 brings them to the laver: “Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves;” cleanse yourself by the promises. “I will receive you” is the promise. These concords, &c., spring from filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
It has been a parenthesis from chapters 2:14 to verse 5. Now we get narrative again. Saints must be dealt with in the light of the grace, and according to what the grace has made them. It is the power to deliver, and deals not merely with the external—what a man puts on—but with what he is.
These two things are important—the laver, and the place where grace puts a man. If you find him between these, he must be melted. It is wretched work to extinguish a man, let him extinguish himself by all means.
How can you sin if you think of your body being the temple of the Holy Ghost? ‘But I have done it.’ Then separate yourself and cleanse yourself.’ If one is driven away, he has lost the fear of God and the sense of holiness. What a hold putting yourself in connection with grace gives you on others. These Corinthians extinguished themselves, and are fit to deal with others. “In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” The Apostle brings them out of the state of 1St Corinthians by the grace of 2nd Corinthians.
Chapter 6 is the power of life applied to the straitened state of the Corinthians; chapter. 7, the restoring of their state—to their restoring the one that did the wrong. It was only when they had been brought out of their straitened condition that they were fit to deal with others.