Second Corinthians 7:2–16 . . .

Of Sorrow and Joy

There’s no getting around it: We all need to repent. Whenever we hurt someone else, break a law, tell a lie, take something from someone else, gossip, smear another person’s reputation, and so on, we need to repent, to change our mind, attitude, and behavior. Today’s passage gives us marvelous insight on how to repent properly.

Apostle Paul’s opening paragraph (vv. 2–4, shown at the bottom of this page) shows the right approach and attitude for repentance. Please read those three verses now… Notice the positive, encouraging approach that he takes. The apostle doesn’t attack, condemn, or accuse these people. He’s very careful to do three essential things with the Corinthians believers.

* First, he clears his conscience, saying “We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one” (NIV). Obviously he doesn’t mean throughout their lifetime, because Paul himself had been a persecutor of the church, doing a lot of wrong things. Instead, he means, while an apostle in Corinth he hadn’t injured, corrupted, or taken advantage of anyone; he wants them to first understand that. As far as his conscience is concerned, he must start by admitting that he was wrong. This is where Jesus’ words (Matthew 7:5) come in. So, unless we start with a clear conscience, there’s no hope for repentance.

* Second, Paul says, “I do not say this to condemn you” (v. 3). Instead, and most importantly, he speaks very affirmatively.

* Third, after repentance is realized, he encourages them: “I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds“ (v. 4). What a marvelous note of encouragement! Paul’s approach at repentance of another starts by encouraging them and affirming that he loves them and is supporting him.

Paul shows the Corinthians how he shared their hurt with them (vv. 5–7). These three verses are a flashback to what we’ve already looked at in chapter 2. His reason for writing this letter was his distress over these people while he awaited Titus’ return with word as to what was happening in Corinth. For us believers today, the one thing that helps us bear our burdens and pressures is to remember that God knows about them; he knows better than us how much we can bear.

In vv. 8–11, we come to the heart of this matter of “repentance,” finding a wonderful analysis of the actual process of bringing someone to repentance. Notice that it starts with a very loving confrontation. Verse 8 refers to the “severe letter” (that Warren covered in our study of 1:14–2:4). In it the apostle said some very straightforward things to the Corinthians, knowing that he’d surely hurt them while writing them in distress. What a “loving admonition”! He gently confronts these people with what’s wrong, which is the start of repentance.

In vv. 9–10, Paul raises a new point leading up to repentance. Whenever somebody accuses you of not being right, whenever somebody tells you the truth about yourself, it hurts. It can produce one of two reactions, which Paul calls either “godly sorrow” or “worldly sorrow.” With sorrow we often feel hurt; we might wonder which of the two types of sorrow we feel?

But repentance isn’t a sorrowful feeling to have; instead, it’s an act that you take. Merely feeling sorry for what you’ve done definitely isn’t repenting. To “repent” means to change your behavior. Paul describes more fully in v. 11 what godly sorrow is like, and what effects it produces. Have you ever blamed and accused God, but later saw the truth and realized how foolish you’d been? You felt ’s godly sorrow. In contrast, there are those who suffer from worldly sorrow, with an unwillingness to face the matter, demanding you to “Drop it!” If you don’t forgive people immediately, their worldly sorrow causes them to become upset and angry.

Of Sorrow and Joy: Paul’s Four Main Points  Paul first describes the encouraging joy of “recovery” in vv. 12–13a; it’s what happens when godly sorrow leads to repentance. We discover in those verses a renewed awareness of who we are. In effect, Paul’s saying, The real reason I wrote wasn’t to straighten out this problem. You got into this condition because you forgot who you were: sons of God and children of light. You have understanding of life that others don’t; and you have power to act that others lack. I wrote to hopefully show you who you are so you’d want to change your behavior. That’s what’s happened, why I rejoice and why I’m encouraged and comforted.

In his second point, Paul writes in vv. 13b–14 about “vindication,” i.e., to clear people of blame. All that Paul had felt about them and said about them to Titus, while the trouble was still going on, was vindicated by their recent behavior. That’s one of the joyful things about repentance: It enables people to regain confidence in what they’d always felt.

When you treat repentance in this godly, scriptural way, it renews a sense of “confidence” — in Paul and in Titus. That’s the third point. It awakened the respect of others, as he writes in v. 15. Titus was impressed by the Corinthians’ repentance. Their change of heart and actions impressed him. When we handle truthful accusations in a godly way, that is, instead of fighting back and getting defensive and angry, we acknowledge the truth and change our behavior. Such change leads to increased respect on each side.

The fourth point Paul emphasizes is “the increased joy that repentance brings.” He closes his account in v. 16. The end result of all God’s dealings with us is that it increases ours and everyone’s joy, thanks to the powerful, loving, encouraging Spirit of God who’s actively at work in these kinds of matters. Hopefully, Paul’s “Of Sorrow and Joy” lesson today will have practical effects in your life, enabling you to learn how to handle those truthful accusations. Regarding untruthful accusations, we can, of course, quietly point out what’s wrong; there’s nothing wrong with that. However, when truth is behind an accusation, then godly sorrow and hurt lead to our repentance, which leads inevitably and thankfully to our liberty and freedom. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving us that valuable provision.

† Summary of 2 Corinthians 7:2–16

Focusing on Paul’s relationship with the Corinthian church, their repentance, and the resulting joy and reconciliation, this passage can be summarized in three main points:

1) Paul’s appeal for reconciliation: Our apostle urges the Corinthians to “Make room” in their hearts for him and his companions. He asserts that they’ve not wronged, corrupted, or taken advantage of anyone. He expresses his deep affection for the Corinthians, emphasizing their shared commitment to “live or die” with them (v. 3).

2) The Corinthians’ repentance and its effects: Paul describes how he was comforted by Titus’ report about the Corinthians’ response to his previous hurtful letter. Their repentance was characterized by:

1) Earnest desire to make things right

2) Mourning over their past actions

3) Zeal to obey Paul’s instruction

This godly sorrow led to genuine repentance, producing earnestness, eagerness to clear themselves, indignation, alarm, longing, zeal, and justice

3) Joy and restoration of relationships: Paul expresses his joy and comfort over the Corinthians’ repentance. He mentions feeling comfort with “greater joy than ever” despite his afflictions. The resolution of this conflict brought:

1) Renewed confidence in the Corinthians

2) Strengthened affection from Titus towards the church

3) Paul’s ability to “boast” (v. 14) about the Corinthians to others

This passage illustrates the power of genuine repentance in restoring relationships, both with spiritual leaders and with God. It also highlights the emotional journey of conflict, correction, repentance, and reconciliation within the early church.

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New International Version (NIV)
[You can view it in a different version by clicking here; you can also listen to chapter 7.]

Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

²Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. ³I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. ⁴I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

⁵For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn — conflicts on the outside, fears within. ⁶But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, ⁷and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

⁸Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it — I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while — ⁹yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹²So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. ¹⁴I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. ¹⁵And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.