For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. - Psalm 30:5
When 2 Corinthians began, Paul was explaining and defending his decision to alter his original travel plans. When charting the route for his third missionary journey, it appears as though he intended to visit Corinth twice, both before making his way into Macedonia and then again afterward. However, when his stay in Ephesus was prolonged far beyond what he’d expected, he changed his mind. He told the Corinthians that he’d skip the initial visit and come just once after going through Macedonia. This decision provided an opportunity for false teachers, who had risen up in the church, to question his reliability and even his love for the Corinthian believers.
It seems that, when Timothy brought news of the Corinthians’ wayward condition, Paul suspended his work in Ephesus and immediately went to see them after all. Sadly, they were unreceptive and even hostile toward him, so after a brief and ineffective encounter he returned to Ephesus in sorrow. Soon thereafter, he wrote a letter to the Corinthians in which he expressed his brokenness over their fallen state, rebuked them for their sin, and called them to repentance. He dispatched Titus to deliver this letter. After finishing up in Ephesus, Paul made his way to Troas and then went on to Macedonia as planned.
Paul described this series of events in the first few paragraphs of 2 Corinthians, but then shifted the focus of his letter to his ministry. From near the end of chapter 2 through chapter 6 he discussed the nature of his ministry, the purpose of his ministry, the challenges he faced in ministry, and the motivation for his ministry. As we move into chapter 7 this morning, Paul reverts back to his earlier presentation of events, picking up with what had happened to them most recently, since their arrival in Macedonia.
I. CAN WE BE FRIENDS AGAIN (2 Cor. 7:1-4)
In the opening chapter of this letter, Paul wrote that all of the promises of God are found in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). Several pages later, at the beginning of chapter 7, he added that all Christians, having accepted Jesus, are recipients of these promises. This being the case, Paul urged the Corinthians, himself, and all believers to cleanse themselves of sinful defilements and to seek holiness. Though we as believers have already been justified by God (positionally), we should strive to live pure and righteous lives (practically).
Paul asked the Corinthians to renew their love and affection for him and his coworkers. He had made this same request in the previous chapter ( 2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Their relationship had been badly damaged in prior months while the church was astray. Paul asserted that he and his team had done nothing wrong nor harmed anyone. He didn’t speak critically of them, but rather felt empathy on their behalf, as though his heart was bound to them in all circumstances.
Paul stated that, despite their missteps, he had great confidence in the Corinthians. He spoke well about them to others. They brought him joy even in the midst of his struggles. They were a source of comfort to him, as he’d discussed earlier in this letter (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). This comfort was amplified in light of their recent repentance.
II. WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID (2 Cor. 7:5-13a)
Paul described the tiredness, affliction, and trouble that he and his colleagues felt when they came to Macedonia (just a few months before this letter was written). Nevertheless, when Titus arrived from Corinth with a good report, they were all greatly comforted by the news. Furthermore, they were comforted by Titus’ upbeat demeanor as he told them about the Corinthians' renewed longing for God, sorrow over their sin, and enthusiasm for Paul.
In his previous letter, referred to as the “tearful letter” (2 Corinthians 2:4), Paul had confronted the Corinthians with their sin and had called them to repentance. He now explained that, though those words may have caused them sorrow, he did not regret saying them. Any sorrow they may have caused was only temporary. Instead, Paul rejoiced that the sorrow his words created had, by God’s will, led to the church’s repentance.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance, which in turn leads to salvation. Thus, it is not something that we should regret. On the other hand, worldly sorrow leads to misery, shame, and death. In this case, the Corinthians’ response to godly sorrow had resulted in a newfound affection for and fear of God, a bitter distaste of sin, and a desire for justice and impassioned Christian service. They were no longer guilty of apostasy, but now walked in innocence once again.
Apparently, in the aforementioned “tearful letter”, Paul had instructed the Corinthians to take disciplinary action against some who were causing offense in the church. Here, he clarified that this directive was not made for the sake of the offender or even those being offended. Rather, it was meant to challenge the church’s appreciation for Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired directions. By adhering to them, the Corinthians had reaffirmed their respect for him and, more importantly, their fear of God. Their obedience was comforting to Paul and his friends.
III. TITUS LOVES YOU (2 Cor. 7:13b-16)
Not only were Paul and his cohorts delighted to hear of the Corinthians’ renewed fervor for God, but they also rejoiced in seeing how it had impacted Titus. Remember, Titus had delivered Paul’s “tearful letter” which, among other things, called them to repentance. As such, he was there when they read it and likely urged them himself to comply. Titus was actually present with them when they fell under conviction, turned back to the Lord, and experienced a powerful revival. It had clearly refreshed his spirit also.
Before sending him with the letter, Paul had spoken quite positively to Titus about the Corinthians. He commented that Titus had not been disappointed when he’d met them in person, but rather they had lived up to all his expectations. The repentant Corinthian church had received Titus with fear and trembling. They’d responded to him in obedience, regarding him as a faithful man of God. Titus was deeply touched by their warmth and kind treatment. They had made an impression on him, and he was filled with affection for the Corinthian church.
Paul closed this portion of his letter by repeating his confidence in the Corinthians. He’d already said this back in verse 4. He believed that this church could accomplish great things for the LORD. He believed that its members could live upright, moral lives that were pleasing to God. It was a word of encouragement. Paul’s confidence in them was quite remarkable considering that they’d recently gone astray. That said, it was not based on their weakness or inability, but rather the strength and ability of Christ working in them.
CONCLUSION
In closing, I want to revisit the concept of godly sorrow. Have you ever told someone that you were sorry, but you really weren’t? Has anyone ever done this to you? Such apologies are hollow and meaningless - they are, frankly, lies. The same is true when they are spoken to God, and He knows the difference between what is real and what isn’t. Beloved, sin is hurtful to the Lord, to others, and even to ourselves. Its devastating effects should cause us deep sorrow and remorse. If a sinner doesn't feel sincere guilt and/or shame for their sin, can there be any real repentance? Genuine repentance is always preceded by godly sorrow. It is a critical component of true, Holy Spirit conviction. But when sorrow leads to salvation, it becomes a source of incredible joy!
When 2 Corinthians began, Paul was explaining and defending his decision to alter his original travel plans. When charting the route for his third missionary journey, it appears as though he intended to visit Corinth twice, both before making his way into Macedonia and then again afterward. However, when his stay in Ephesus was prolonged far beyond what he’d expected, he changed his mind. He told the Corinthians that he’d skip the initial visit and come just once after going through Macedonia. This decision provided an opportunity for false teachers, who had risen up in the church, to question his reliability and even his love for the Corinthian believers.
It seems that, when Timothy brought news of the Corinthians’ wayward condition, Paul suspended his work in Ephesus and immediately went to see them after all. Sadly, they were unreceptive and even hostile toward him, so after a brief and ineffective encounter he returned to Ephesus in sorrow. Soon thereafter, he wrote a letter to the Corinthians in which he expressed his brokenness over their fallen state, rebuked them for their sin, and called them to repentance. He dispatched Titus to deliver this letter. After finishing up in Ephesus, Paul made his way to Troas and then went on to Macedonia as planned.
Paul described this series of events in the first few paragraphs of 2 Corinthians, but then shifted the focus of his letter to his ministry. From near the end of chapter 2 through chapter 6 he discussed the nature of his ministry, the purpose of his ministry, the challenges he faced in ministry, and the motivation for his ministry. As we move into chapter 7 this morning, Paul reverts back to his earlier presentation of events, picking up with what had happened to them most recently, since their arrival in Macedonia.
I. CAN WE BE FRIENDS AGAIN (2 Cor. 7:1-4)
In the opening chapter of this letter, Paul wrote that all of the promises of God are found in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). Several pages later, at the beginning of chapter 7, he added that all Christians, having accepted Jesus, are recipients of these promises. This being the case, Paul urged the Corinthians, himself, and all believers to cleanse themselves of sinful defilements and to seek holiness. Though we as believers have already been justified by God (positionally), we should strive to live pure and righteous lives (practically).
Paul asked the Corinthians to renew their love and affection for him and his coworkers. He had made this same request in the previous chapter ( 2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Their relationship had been badly damaged in prior months while the church was astray. Paul asserted that he and his team had done nothing wrong nor harmed anyone. He didn’t speak critically of them, but rather felt empathy on their behalf, as though his heart was bound to them in all circumstances.
Paul stated that, despite their missteps, he had great confidence in the Corinthians. He spoke well about them to others. They brought him joy even in the midst of his struggles. They were a source of comfort to him, as he’d discussed earlier in this letter (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). This comfort was amplified in light of their recent repentance.
II. WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID (2 Cor. 7:5-13a)
Paul described the tiredness, affliction, and trouble that he and his colleagues felt when they came to Macedonia (just a few months before this letter was written). Nevertheless, when Titus arrived from Corinth with a good report, they were all greatly comforted by the news. Furthermore, they were comforted by Titus’ upbeat demeanor as he told them about the Corinthians' renewed longing for God, sorrow over their sin, and enthusiasm for Paul.
In his previous letter, referred to as the “tearful letter” (2 Corinthians 2:4), Paul had confronted the Corinthians with their sin and had called them to repentance. He now explained that, though those words may have caused them sorrow, he did not regret saying them. Any sorrow they may have caused was only temporary. Instead, Paul rejoiced that the sorrow his words created had, by God’s will, led to the church’s repentance.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance, which in turn leads to salvation. Thus, it is not something that we should regret. On the other hand, worldly sorrow leads to misery, shame, and death. In this case, the Corinthians’ response to godly sorrow had resulted in a newfound affection for and fear of God, a bitter distaste of sin, and a desire for justice and impassioned Christian service. They were no longer guilty of apostasy, but now walked in innocence once again.
Apparently, in the aforementioned “tearful letter”, Paul had instructed the Corinthians to take disciplinary action against some who were causing offense in the church. Here, he clarified that this directive was not made for the sake of the offender or even those being offended. Rather, it was meant to challenge the church’s appreciation for Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired directions. By adhering to them, the Corinthians had reaffirmed their respect for him and, more importantly, their fear of God. Their obedience was comforting to Paul and his friends.
III. TITUS LOVES YOU (2 Cor. 7:13b-16)
Not only were Paul and his cohorts delighted to hear of the Corinthians’ renewed fervor for God, but they also rejoiced in seeing how it had impacted Titus. Remember, Titus had delivered Paul’s “tearful letter” which, among other things, called them to repentance. As such, he was there when they read it and likely urged them himself to comply. Titus was actually present with them when they fell under conviction, turned back to the Lord, and experienced a powerful revival. It had clearly refreshed his spirit also.
Before sending him with the letter, Paul had spoken quite positively to Titus about the Corinthians. He commented that Titus had not been disappointed when he’d met them in person, but rather they had lived up to all his expectations. The repentant Corinthian church had received Titus with fear and trembling. They’d responded to him in obedience, regarding him as a faithful man of God. Titus was deeply touched by their warmth and kind treatment. They had made an impression on him, and he was filled with affection for the Corinthian church.
Paul closed this portion of his letter by repeating his confidence in the Corinthians. He’d already said this back in verse 4. He believed that this church could accomplish great things for the LORD. He believed that its members could live upright, moral lives that were pleasing to God. It was a word of encouragement. Paul’s confidence in them was quite remarkable considering that they’d recently gone astray. That said, it was not based on their weakness or inability, but rather the strength and ability of Christ working in them.
CONCLUSION
In closing, I want to revisit the concept of godly sorrow. Have you ever told someone that you were sorry, but you really weren’t? Has anyone ever done this to you? Such apologies are hollow and meaningless - they are, frankly, lies. The same is true when they are spoken to God, and He knows the difference between what is real and what isn’t. Beloved, sin is hurtful to the Lord, to others, and even to ourselves. Its devastating effects should cause us deep sorrow and remorse. If a sinner doesn't feel sincere guilt and/or shame for their sin, can there be any real repentance? Genuine repentance is always preceded by godly sorrow. It is a critical component of true, Holy Spirit conviction. But when sorrow leads to salvation, it becomes a source of incredible joy!