2 Cor. 7:2-16

Today’s passage is a bit longer than usual but it seems necessary to study it in its entirety.  Paul is continuing from Ch. 6 to encourage the Corinthians to open their hearts to him.  Yet some may still be questioning whether he had been so big-hearted to them.  It’s a picture we often see to this day.  As long as you are only positive with people they will respond to you.  But if you get in their face about something that needs to change they turn away from you, calling you judgmental or negative. 

This is Paul’s situation.  He had done nothing wrong (v2).  They were truly in his heart.  He bragged about them (v3).  Even though they were at times a trial to him he still rejoiced in their relationship (v4).  He illustrates this in the current situation in which Paul had reproved them over their seeming tolerance of sin in the fellowship (the strong words about the matter are in 1 Cor. 5).  Paul had in fact been quite concerned about their response and had been greatly comforted when Titus came with the news that they had well-received his reproof (v5-7).  Reproof is hard to give because we all want to be liked and we would rather not test our relationships.  Yet reproof is an indication of fatherly affection (1 Th. 2:11).  Failure to reprove is a lack of love.  Thus, in the end, Paul says that while he was concerned he did not regret what he had said (v8). 

Though they at first struggled with what he said, in the end they were changed by it.  Their sorrow led to repentance (v9).  Paul uses the moment to remind them of a powerful truth:  Godly sorrow produces repentance but the sorrow of the world produces death (v10).  In the case of the Corinthians their sorrow was godly as evidence by the tremendous zeal with which they eventually dealt with the matter (v11).  Thus Paul was comforted by the news Titus brought from his visit to Corinth (v12).  His bragging to Titus about the believers there proved to be well-founded.

Let us not miss what is said here for our benefit.  Note 3 important words:

o   Sorrow: sadness, a feeling of heaviness.  Jesus had sorrow in the garden of Gethsemane and it drove Him to prayer. 

o   Regret: to care afterwards, sorrow after an event.  Paul says he had it here at first but not long term.  Judas had this; he did not repent but only felt bad after his betrayal and so took his own life.  It is a sorrow, not about sin, but that one got caught or that one’s plans didn’t materialize.  This is the sorrow of the world.

o   Repentance: a change of mind that results in a change of life (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20).  This is the result of and evidence of godly sorrow.

We must remember: all feelings, including sorrow, serve a purpose.  They call us to think about our situation.  But we are not to do simply what we feel like doing.  Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler caused sorrow and he turned away from Christ (Luke 18:23).  His worldly sorrow left him dead in his sins.  How do you receive reproof?  Is it with godly sorrow or the sorrow of the world?