2 Corinthians, 7:2-16

Okay, Jim took us through chapter 6 in glory, actually. So, Jim, I really enjoyed your teaching. Thank you very much. He left off at verse 1. Let's look at chapter 7, then, in verse 1. It concludes kind of to the appeal to separation and cleansing that Paul took us through in terms of having a candid and open heart the whole issue of being unequally versus equally yoked.

And Jim, I think, so importantly pointed out that we tend to relate that to marriage, but has a lot more connotations to that. In fact, in context, it really probably relates more to idols than it does to the marital union, although it certainly can apply to that too. So in concluding last week's lesson, having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Okay, now the text for the next two weeks, the kind of the title of the lessons that we're going to be dealing with is His Life and Ministry is Care and Concern for the Spiritual Needs of All Believers. Big task. But that's really what Paul will be addressing. And that will be addressed not only in chapter 7, but continue into chapter 8. So let's begin. Actually, before we do anything else, let's just read the entire text. Why don't I lead us in that? Verse 2, receive us, we have wronged no man. We have corrupted no man. We have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die and live with you.

Great is my boldness of speech towards you. Great is my glorifying of you. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. But we were troubled on every side, without were fighting, within were fears.

Nevertheless, God, who comforted those who are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me, so that I rejoiced the more.

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent. For I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorried to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us and nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this very same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you. Yea, what clearing of yourselves? Yea, what indignation? Yea, what fear? Yea, what vehement desire? Yea, what zeal? Yea, what full punishment?

In all things you've proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done this wrong, not for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort. Yea, and exceedingly, the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. For if I have boasted anything to him of you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found to be true. And his inward affection is more abundant towards you while he remembered the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling he received him. I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things."

In my version in the King James, there's a lot of italicized stuff going on here. And I'm not sure what versions you're reading out of. But what I've gone back to here is the interlinear Greek. Because I think the original text really probably clarifies a little bit you know, the intent of some of these verses, but to some extent also makes it a little bit unclear because all these italicized words that help us understand it in the English are not there. But it does allow us to really get back into the original to try to best understand what it says.

So, verse 2, make room for us. No one we wronged, no one we injured, no one we defrauded. Kind of a bold statement of Paul here. So let's go back just to kind of set the stage back to something that Jim covered before. Verse 11 in chapter 6. O ye Corinthians, our speech to you is candid, our heart is wide open. On our part there is no constraint, but there is constraint in your affections. In fair exchange I speak as unto my children, open wide your hearts to us.

I think what Paul's trying to do here is open doors widely, have a transparency, have a willingness for communication. And basically, he wants them to understand that the purpose of what had occurred previously was not in any way meant to wrong or to injure or to defraud. So we have the stage set here about a very open dialogue between Paul and the body of Christ in Corinth. Paul says, open your hearts to us. It's an old verb in the Greek and it means to leave a space, to make room in your hearts for us. Now, who's us and we? Just make room for us.

Who's the plural here? Does the text give us any clarity as to who this other person or persons might be? You think it's Timothy? Verse 1 in chapter 1, okay? And that verse says, Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother under the church of God, which is at Corinth, could be Timothy. Who else, maybe? Actually, I'm leaning towards Titus here more than Timothy. It could be Timothy, really, Doris. I'm not quite convinced. I'm sure we have the answer. I looked at a lot of commentaries for this to try to get a definition of who we was, and nobody was willing to state who this other person was.

Titus is brought up repeatedly in this section, and I think as I read through, you see him referenced directly or indirectly several times. So it's obvious that Titus and Paul were communicating about what was going on in the Church of Corinth, and Paul is thrilled by what Titus has told him. So I got a feeling that we is maybe Titus, but it still could be Timothy because of the introduction to the second epistle at the Church of Corinth.

So the idea that Paul wishes no further tightness of heart or constraint in them means that there must have one time been. What are your thoughts there about this kind of constraint in their relationship to Paul? Okay, can we think of something maybe more specific? question is, why might Paul have perceived that there could have been some constraint on the behalf of the church at Corinth? All right, what was Paul's first letter all about? I'm sorry?

Yes, it was somewhat condemning, wasn't it? It certainly was pointing out all the the ways in which the Church of Corinth was elementary in their faith and a lot of the problems that existed within the church. And as we'll get to here shortly, there was this one issue of incest that took place within the church that really Paul came down hard on. And I think we see that specific incidence referenced as we proceed through the chapter. So I think all of the above, the first letter, the feeling of potential guilt and condemnation, although Paul claims that this was for their benefit and he stands firm on that position. But think about yourself as you're reprimanded by your parents or your, in days gone by, most of us, or by your boss or other circumstances in which we're put in a position of feeling defensive.

The flesh can only respond by constraining a relationship, by closing doors, by shutting ourself off. And Paul is encouraging them. This is not the type of relationship that really is one that I would have for you. Now Paul says, we wrong no man, and I think this is, I think, a thing that every preacher ought to be able to say. And I just put a couple of references here. We can turn back simply to 4.2 since it's in proximity.

Paul said in chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians, that therefore, seeing we have this ministry as we've received mercy, we faint not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." The person who, in fact, each one of us are ministers of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is a position that we have. in the Lord Jesus Christ, this idea of being able to carry ourselves confidently that our goal is not to wrong any man. We bring truth. We bring his truth by grace to those that are around us.

Corrupted, probably more accurately translated, we ruin no one. This ruining someone could imply a variety of circumstances. It could imply financial ruin. It could apply to morality. It could apply to doctrine. This is a broad sweeping term that in context probably relates more to doctrinal truth. It would certainly not be evident that Paul had a desire to financially ruin anybody. Certainly he lifted them up in morality.

But doctrine, as we see in chapter 4 verse 2, is probably very relevantly part of the interpretation of this text. In a part way, he's answering the Judaizers. If we go to 1 Thessalonians 4.6, and you can turn there if you'd like with me. Let's start in verse 3 there. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess this vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of sensuality, even as the Gentiles who know not God, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. I think in terms of the emphasis on fornication in that text, it probably is very applicable to what we're seeing Paul say here to the Corinthian church.

And the idea here is that really defrauding is a term that I think is somewhat difficult to define, but I kind of reworded it here. He got the best of no one in any evil way. I mean, defrauding has nothing good about it. And there's no evidence whatsoever that Paul was in the position of really defrauding the church at Corinth through the strong letters and ultimate advice that he brought on to the church.

Okay, so the verse 2 is kind of just an introductory part of this text. So verse 3 in the Interlinear Greek says, For condemnation I say not, I have previously said, for that in the hearts of us ye are to die and to live with. And back into the King James, I speak not this to condemn you, for I have said before that ye are in our hearts to die and to live with you.

The idea here is that Paul is bonding to the church. As they live, he lives. by prayer, by communication, by fellowship, and as they died, meaning we all die daily, as they died and all the circumstances that surrounded their walk in faith, Paul in fact identified with that. He doesn't accuse them of making these charges against him, yet he knew well that they had been made by Judaizers and others at Corinth in terms of saying that Paul was not a good guy, but really a bad guy.

And I think this, again, reflects nothing but his constant love for these believers. And I think that's really a very important part of this text that we're looking at today. So the concept here is that he's in their hearts to share both their death and life experiences. And I think other verses that appropriately reflect this aspect of the life of a believer.

Philippians 1.20, according to my earnest expectation, my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death." And 2 Corinthians 12, 15, and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. So this is sacrificial. And this isn't some act of the flesh.

This is really an exemplification of the walk of a believer the new nature. Verse 4 then, I have much boldness towards you, much boasting on behalf of you, and I've been with comfort and I overflow with joy on all the affliction of us. And it reminds me of kind of 2nd Corinthians 4.17, which we spent a lot of time on, for this light affliction is but for a moment. which worketh for a far more exceeding and eternal way to glory, while we look not at the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." And in fact, that kind of sentiment is really what Paul brings out here. I overflow with joy on all of the affliction of us, this light affliction.

I think it's important here to conceptualize the confidence and enthusiasm that surrounds Paul in this statement. Is this something that we feel as believers towards our fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ? It's something you don't work up. This is something you work on. This is really part of the new life and how it's exemplified. Again, as I alluded to before, this verse declares he's overflowing with joyful feeling, and what's going to follow really kind of sets clear as to what the reason for this is.

This, in the Greek, it's appalling sentiment that really is an incredibly overzealous term. It means to overflow, and in fact, the literal translation is to have a regular flood. So this term in the English really doesn't do justice to kind of what the Greek term is. Vulgate, or supero abundo, this is not a penultimate statement, this is the ultimate statement of what it means to express a deeply founded feeling towards the body of Christ.

Absolutely, Jim, please interrupt. Go ahead. that he's making these statements in verse 4, that great is my confidence in you, and great is my boasting on your behalf, in light of the kind of gentle rebuke that he had given to them previously about being unequally yoked, and that their affections are, or they're narrow because of their own misplaced affections. So I kind of see where he came into, he gave some comments to them about some area where they needed to work on, and now he's coming in with great confidence that he has towards them. I just found that to be interesting that he was able to kind of nurture his church here in Corinth, pointing out some things where he needed some work, and then coming in and being confident in them because of the Lord. I just found that interesting.

You know, when you think about the Church of Corinth, what comes to your mind first? Is it the second chapter, or is a second book, or is it the first? The first epistle is what surfaces, doesn't it? But boy, that's why we're studying here right now, I think. I mean, I remember how when we were talking about what should be the text here, this is one thing that we really wanted to seriously consider, because the message in 2 Corinthians is very different than the first. boy, he's lifting this church up in a very special way, but that's not what we think about when we think about the Church at Corinth. That's why I read the whole chapter first, Jim, today, because I think it reflects what's going to follow.

The verses at the beginning here really are kind of taken out of context unless you know what's coming, so good point. Welcome to our class this morning. Good. Does everybody know you? Okay, tell us who you are. Steve and Cindy. From where? Wisconsin. Well, welcome to our class. Good, good to have you this morning. We're in 2 Corinthians chapter 7. Okay, good. All right. All right, so in verse five now, and I think there is a lot of meat for discussion that's upcoming here. We're kind of going through the kind of, if you will, the appetizer to the real deep text.

And I think it really reflects the fact that Paul now has a very different opinion about what's going on in Corinth than in the first epistle. Verse five, for when we were coming to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were trebled on every side and describes the fact that that trouble came from without in the form of fighting and came from within in the form of fear. So this is second-erest active principle, and Paul now returns to the incident that really sets the stage for the specifics about this chapter in context as to what he now is pleased about that he once was less pleased. Let's turn back to 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and look at just a couple of selected verses there. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia." So, as we look back at chapter 7, this, in verse 5, really is the trip into Macedonia that Paul made after, in fact, Troas was not where Paul had expected him to be. And at that time in Macedonia, there were fightings, perhaps pagan adversaries that are alluded to in 1 Corinthians 15, 32.

And then there were fears. And Paul really was potentially in fear much of the time simply because of his circumstances. And when we get to chapter 11, we're going to see some of these fears that were probably well-based. I don't have any trouble identifying with the emotion of fear as we think about enduring often perils of water and perils of robbers. of his own countrymen, of the Gentiles in the cities and the wildness or wilderness and in the sea, in weariness and painfulness and watchings and hunger and thirst and fastings and cold and nakedness. I mean, all of these certainly could be responded to by fear, and I think Paul's fear is really that of each and every one of us as we would be put into these very difficult circumstances. And I guess the question I might ask you today, what is our peril? Fightings? Is this really our experience today so much? And what about our fears?

Deception, I think, of the world. Deception? Tell us more. Well, the world says this is politically correct. Sometimes politically correct. And the deception comes from you not being separated from the world. There's just always that whole tendency to be resistant. The things of the world look good to the flesh.

An atmosphere of compromising, perhaps, right? Yeah, you know, compromise is the big hooker, you know. If they could just get you to compromise just a little bit, you know, then the next time it's a little bit more and pretty soon you're out of that field. So what's the basis of our fear? Well, think about that a little bit. When we're fearful, what is the basis of that response? Do we just know what the source is? The source is a fine question, too.

I'm just thinking, like, where it says that God has not given us this third fear, but of love and of power and of sound mind. So, which fear is Paul talking about here? Yeah, and of course we walk in fear and trembling too, so that's not in context what we're talking about here. The fears Paul's talking about really relate to what? Very practically, what are our fears related to? It's not the preservation of the self, the flesh? I mean, in God there is no fear, is there? I mean, and so our fears are really very externalized.

They relate to the environment around us and how they may threaten the existence of the flesh. Is that appropriate? Is it appropriate to fear those things that we can do bodily injury or those things that can in fact cause emotional strife and distress?

Jim, you say no. Okay, take me down the path. I'll give you an example. I have a co-worker at work, kind of a supervisor type guy. He just really blew his stack at me a couple weeks ago. It really was a conflict externally. You know, that was externally blew up at me. I took a personal and so what that can do is that can create an internal fear. I've still got to work with this guy. I can't just say, okay, I'll never talk to you anymore. So that can create an internal fear.

But if I'm walking in the Spirit, I don't think that I have to have that fear there. In the Spirit, there is not this fear. As I'm walking in the Spirit, there's not fear. So as I'm engaging the same guy, I'm walking in the Spirit, I don't think there will be fear. There will be rest and peace and patience and love through to the Spirit.

That's why I say, to that question. Does that make sense? Other thoughts on that? I think there's a healthy fear in terms of fearing not pleasing the Lord in each and every one of our circumstances. So that's why I'm looking at this and saying, you know, what fear is Paul speaking of? Is it fear sources out of the flesh? Well, in verse 6, or verse 5, he talks about without were fightings, and again we can think about the potential circumstances that were present there, and within fears. The fears The fears, as I tried to point out, I think, as a point of conversation, is the fears are of the flesh.

But you know, in chapter 4, verse 8 says, we're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We're perplexed, but not despaired. So, you know, Paul said it best in Philippians, I think, for me to live is Christ and die is gain, correct? So in our new nature, there's no fear, is there?

There's a fear for our earthly existence, our fear for physical and potentially emotional harm. But the true fear really represents entirely a flesh-motivated response, huh? Yeah, no, I was thinking, you know, the flesh, that response to the flesh is a temptation. or is this a temptation as a result of the external things that happen? I think more the latter. But in every way he's been afflicted, without fightings within fears, reflects the environment that he exists in, right? So there's a lot of temptation going on. Temptation is not sin, right? It's giving in to it. as we think about it in terms of our peril. I'm just trying to extend this to our own environment. How much of our response relates to what Paul was doing in his response to all these conflicts?

And I think that we, in fact, let's just turn to Matthew 11, take back to the gospel account that is so comforting and so familiar. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For his yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I would suggest to you that that's what Paul put on here. That Paul's response to these external afflictions, the environment that was tempting to him around him, related to Christ's yoke. and his burden in terms of his response. I think so. I mean, I think that could be applied to that specific circumstance for sure. Any other thoughts here in terms of the fact that Paul was surrounded by earthly afflictions, but yet in fact was encouraging them to know that he understood what they were going through and that the response is not one which is engendered in the flesh in terms of victory.

It's really putting on personal Lord Jesus Christ. We're spiritualizing that text a bit there, but that has to be in context what Paul's alluding to. Verse 6, but the one comforting the humble comforted us, and that's God in terms of the presence of Titus. Comfort really applies to the lowly. And I picked out a couple of verses here that relates the comfort.

As you know, the first chapter of 2 Corinthians really deals with that term repeatedly. But I thought the text in Ezekiel was really kind of interesting here. And it says there, And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, and have exalted the low tree, and have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it.

It's the beautiful Christian principle of life coming out of death. And in a sense, that's what walk we're all about, is it not? As we grow in grace, we see more flourish as death is more apparent to us in terms of the strength we have in ourselves. And then back to 2 Corinthians 1, blessed be God, da da da da, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted. Paul is really taking this to the task in chapter 7 now. I mean, this stage he set in chapter 1 now, he is really coming to bear on now in terms of the response of the Church to his great concern.

Note in the interlinear Greek above that it implies that those that are of a high spirit are not susceptible of such comfort. So in other words, so God's in the business of comforting the humble. There's no promise to the arrogant or the proud. And that's really what we ourselves present to the judge is to some extent, our worthiness and our arrogance and our expectation. But no, those that are high spirited are not those that receive that comfort.

And specifically in this verse, we're looking at Paul's comment that it's Titus that brought to him the joyful news of repentance and reformation in Corinth. And the fact that Titus bearing that news made Paul overflowing in joy. And again, the underlying theme of the text today and next week is his life and ministry is care and concern for the spiritual needs of all believers. Titus is concerned, Paul is concerned, and together they overflow with joy about the response at the Church of Corinth. And keep in mind, we still haven't seen specifically what this response was. It's upcoming. but we know by reading ahead what we're dealing with.

Verse 7, and not only by the presence of him, meaning Titus, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, reporting to us the eager longing of you, the mourning of you, the zeal you on behalf of me so that I rejoice more." So Paul now goes into the specific things about the response of the Church of Corinth that has uplifted him.

All these things really are things that made Paul extremely content and happy. I think the manner, I looked at a text here that really exemplified the manner in which Paul speaks really fondles this word comfort and makes it seem even more relevant in the original text. He's comforted over them. He's comforted upon them. It's his longing to really exemplify to them how much he cares about what's been going on in Corinth.

It's really, I think, very difficult the English to translate that adequately. This yearning or eager longing that the Church of Corinth is portraying is the only New Testament use of this Greek term. And I'm just going to raise the question for you all, can you believe this love for the brethren and their response to admonition? Is this something that that we've experienced? in terms of our concern for our fellow body of believers. I'm not saying that in a condemning sense.

It's just that it's hard to really, I think, identify with Paul in terms of the thrills that he had. Maybe that is possible. It's certainly in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit within possible. The superlative nature of his love for the body at Corinth is just unbelievable when you read it in the text. We've read this already in chapter 2. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you in many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. And to the church of Colossae, for though I be absent of flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joining and beholding your order, the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

I mean, this is really an example of what the Christ's life looks like in a believer. I mean, this is not Paul working up out of the flesh a desire for somebody to do well. This isn't wanting the Broncos to win today. I mean, this goes a lot further than just coming up with a desire that you like to see be fulfilled. This is clearly the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in a believer to make him so bonded to the needs of a particular body. You know, Bob, when you're going through this, the thought I had is you said, could we identify with this love And it brought me back thinking about the prodigal son, and the father, and the prodigal son, and the love that he had for that son. And when the son returned, that reminds me of this love that Paul has for his spiritual children here.

You've looked ahead a little bit because I think... I'm just teasing you. This concept of repenting and regretting is something we're going to get into, and I'm not sure today, but for sure next week. And this is so relevant because the atmosphere of repentance is a whole different ballgame than regretting. And the Prodigal Son is a perfect example of true repentance.

Although Paul rejoiced to again meet a well-beloved fellow laborer in Titus, he rejoiced still more over the news which he brought. So here Paul had been separated from Titus and he was distressed about this and that's why I took you back to chapter 2. So he went on to Macedonia because Titus kind of didn't show up for us and he loves Titus. I mean Titus, I think, I mean as you look through Paul and all his associates and the fellow believers that he worked with, Titus perhaps was as close as anyone. I mean, he had relationships with many others, Timothy in particular, but Titus was a special guy and Paul really missed being in his presence.

The Proverbs 9.8 verse is interesting in this context. Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee, but rebuke a wise man and he'll love thee.

Boy, and his parents, don't we see that? I mean, yesterday, my youngest boy, he and I were sitting down to deal with an issue that's come up, and I thought maybe it's time to quit parenting here. He's going to be 21 next week, and that's it. That's my last. But I don't think it ends at that point, particularly when he still lives in the home, right?

But anyway, I think this is kind of a good principle that plays out in this relationship Paul has with Corinth, reprove not a scorner. lest he hate thee. But rebuke a wise man, and he'll love you." And boys, parents, that's something, Jim, you're kind of getting going at it. This is something that really plays out. We've got plenty of people around here we can turn to in terms of experience, and I'm still getting it. You know, that's an example, I think.

I pulled verses out of Ezekiel and Proverbs, not because they're necessarily about us, but they're for us. And, you know, I think that the Old Testament is very special when we see the principles of God played out from Genesis to Revelation. And we can selectively pull, and not out of context, because those verses, in principle, really reflect God and His glory. And as we pull those verses out like out of Proverbs, they fit perfectly with the circumstance that Corinth and Paul were dealing with in their interaction. So it's always fun to go back and be rewarded by the fact that God's principles never change.

I'm going to set the stage for next week, and I think if there's a true message in this text that we need to chew on a little bit and really jaw about, it relates to the next several verses. And let's just set the stage here today, because if I indeed grieved you by the epistle, I don't regret that. If indeed I regret it, I see that that, meaning the epistle, that if indeed for an hour grieved you, now I do rejoice that you were grieved, but that you were grieved into repentance and you were grieved for according to God in order that nothing you might suffer loss by us. I mean, the interlinearity of the Greek is complicated, but I If you read verses 8 and 9, for instance, in the King James, it says, for though I made you sorry with a letter, I don't repent.

Though I did repent. I think we're going to come back next week to show that that term is probably not truly repent. It's regret. And regret and repent are very different interpretations. We'll come back to that, back to the prodigal son. For I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice that you were made sorry, that you sorrowed to repentance, different Greek word, for ye were made sorry about a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing.

So, in 2 Corinthians 2.3, you don't need to go back there, but In 2 Corinthians 2.3 it says, I wrote this same, meaning letter, until you lust, when I came I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. So this is the letter that Paul had written that really dealt with some of the issues at Corinth. And here I think we can probably just get a touch of this here. Now this verb really means repent, or to be sorry again, which meaning we've transferred to change one's mind, not to be sorry at all.

In a sense, the best representation of this is really Judas in Matthew 27.3. Let's look at that passage just a second. This is this term that Paul uses here.

And when the morning, verse 1, was come, all of the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Verse 3, then Judas, who had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned, repented and brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. Repented?

Now, not repent in terms of what we understand repentance to be. The term is best translated to make sorry, to have regret. And that's really the better translation for this term as it's used in the initial part of this text where Paul doesn't regret writing them the letter. He's not repenting over the letter he wrote. He's not sorry he wrote it. And that's very different from the response that ultimately the church at Corinth would give Titus and then Paul indirectly in terms of their dealing with this first letter in terms of its meaning to their truth and their faith as it was played out at the time. I'm not sure we shouldn't just stop there. Yeah, maybe we'll just go ahead and finish verse 9.

Note the sharp difference here between sorrow, which is merely another form of the Greek term which means regret or remorse, and repentance, which is a different Greek term or a change of mind and life. And I'm quoting someone here to say it's a linguistic and theological tragedy that repentance is translated from this original Greek term, this term here, exemplifies this term for repentance.

But the sorrow has led to repentance, which was not itself the repentance after a godly sort. These are different terms in the Greek. It's not merely sorrow that true repentance is, but it's a change in attitude that really counted. So we have plenty of things we regret in life, but they're not things we clearly have repented about. It's not a change in heart, a change in mind, a change in the exemplification of God's truth.

And I bolded, godly sorrow works repentance, or alternatively, repentance results from godly sorrow, or sorrowing in a way that's pleasing to God. And we'll get to that next time in verse 10. And sorrow was really worked out in a way that their souls were not damaged, but in fact profited from it. And in terms of their church state, they had not lost one member by it, but the offender himself was recovered and restored by the means that really represent the true response of repentance, not being regretful. And next time, we're going to look at some examples in scripture that relate to true repentance versus regret in terms of the consequences of our behavior.

I mean, day in and day out, we regret things. But keep in mind, when you're disappointed with yourself, what's the source? Yeah, to be disappointed with yourself is to have trusted yourself, right? I mean, how many times day in and day out are we disappointed with ourself? And in a sense, that's regret, and it has the impotency of being regretful over our sin when in fact it's repentance that God calls us to.

And that's the outworking of his truth in our hearts as we face the many trials and afflictions that we go through day in and day out. So again, today we've kind of set the stage for a further discussion next time about this whole comparison between regret and repentance.

And I think we've seen very clearly Paul's great love for this church. And his love was unconditional. So you got to believe from what he articulated in the first epistle to the Church of Corinth that his love for them was not based on their response. And that's what God's love is all about, right? I mean, he admonished the church, but now he's overflowing with joy, not because his love is made more full, but because his love was received in a way that their repentance was exemplary of how God was beginning to work in their lives at the level of the church body.

Any thoughts or comments about what we've covered here today? Okay, let's close in prayer. Father, there's much truth you have for us here and we're thankful for the example that Paul gives about how the The nature of the Lord Jesus Christ works out through an individual, a member of the body, to so demonstrate your unequivocal love for those around us. Lord, this isn't something we work harder at, but something that reflects the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ within. And by your great grace and the faith that you give us to respond to that grace, we want to continue to be vehicles of this great truth, which you exemplify through Paul in chapter 7 of 2 Corinthians. And we pray that as we consider this, that we again rest and trust in the risen one and position ourselves where this truth is overflowing. Thank you for our time today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.