Why We Endure

having, therefore, these the promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Peter writes that through Jesus we have received honorable and effective promises of God and these will help us grow into the likeness of Jesus so that we escape corruption in the world through fleshly desires (desires that defile the soul and spirit) and we come into fullness partakers of God's divine nature.* Through God's mercy and lovingkindness we receive the promise to escape corruption and receive the Promised Holy Spirit that made us alive and raised us to be seated in heavenly places in Christ, God adopting us as his own.

For we exist the temple of the living God, just as God said 'I will dwell in them and in them walk and live and exist their God and they my people... and exist a Father to you and you exist sons and daughters to me says the Lord Almighty' (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)

God would predestine us as His own and bring this promise to fruition through the adoption of the promised Holy Spirit. This is the great testimony of the Spirit, the promise received and a testimony that we are his children and thus will receive all God has promised (Hebrews 8:9-13). Another promise is that God would forever forgive sin, this is the Great testimony of blood (Hebrews 8:12; 1 John 5:7-9).

therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves...  (2 Corinthians 7:1)

God's eternal purpose in Christ is to fulfill his promises, and that purpose's effects have tremendous meaning to the child of God. Because Christ has taken hold of us, we press on to somehow take hold of his life. We love God because he first loved us, and the effects of his grace and love founded on his promises will bring to completion the good work he has begun in us.* 

an antitype of baptism which also at present saves you, not the removal of dirt fleshly rather the answer of good conscience towards God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21)

For this purpose he chose us, to be holy, blameless in his presence, in love. So we see the testimony of water and the truth that Christ is our sanctification, a gift. So we endure, founded having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from the desires of the body of flesh, from all defilement, not like the washing of dirt from the body, but as a good conscience toward God. Through Christ, we have been given God's precious and splendid promises, and having these promises we can escape the corruption in the world. Both from death ubto eternal life, and from the corruption in fleshly desires that defile our soul, to being partakers of his divine nature.