2 Coríntios 7

2 Coríntios 7

Ironside - Except Ye Repent (88 page pdf) Great Articles on repentance primarily from Puritan writers Quotes on Repentance - Puritans What is repentance and is it necessary for salvation? What does the Bible say about repentance? What does it mean to repent? Is repentance a change of mind or a turning from sin? What does it mean that God is not willing for any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)? (See also commentary) What is cheap grace? (Excerpt - "The idea of carnal Christianity essentially teaches that as long as one makes a profession of faith in Christ, he or she is saved (Romans 10:9), even if there is no immediate obedience to the commands of Jesus and the apostles to live a life of holiness." What is free grace? What is Free Grace Theology? (Excerpt - Many Reformed theologians are appalled by the assertions of Free Grace theologians, accusing them of “easy believism” or even antinomianism.) When You Say, "I'm Sorry" Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted. — 2 Corinthians 7:10 Today's Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6 With tears in his eyes a man said to me, “I told my wife I was sorry, but she says she won’t continue to live with me. First John 1:9 says that God forgives us when we confess our sins. Please talk to her and tell her that if God forgives, she should too.” I knew this man had “repented” several times before, only to revert to his abusive behavior. So I said, “No, I’m not going to tell her that. In your case, saying ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t enough.” His wife insisted that he receive counseling and give evidence of a genuine change before returning home. She was right. Just saying “I’m sorry” is not enough for God either. The leaders of Israel, in the face of trouble brought on by their sin, thought that merely returning to prescribed sacrificial offerings would solve their problems. But God rejected that kind of “repentance.” It was as fleeting as “a morning cloud” and “the early dew” that fades away with the first rays of sunlight (Hosea 6:4). Repentance is to leave the sin That we had loved before, And showing we are grieved by it By doing it no more. —Anon. Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it. Two Kinds of Repentance Two kinds of repentance are possible in human experience. One is ‘the sorrow of the world,” a feeling induced by the fear of getting caught. Many people recognize the unpleasant consequences of their sin and are persuaded that they are guilty. This results in a superficial sorrow that may lead to a temporary reformation but not to a genuine turning to Christ for forgiveness. Godly sorrow, on the other hand, is accompanied by conviction of sin, the work of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:37). This stems from the realization of offending a holy God. It leads to genuine repentance. Stool of Repentance (See Picture; See Wikipedia Description) was an elevated seat in a Scottish Church, on which persons were formerly compelled to sit as a punishment for having committed certain of the deadly sins. ED: This seems a bit harsh and also strikes me as man originated, not Spirit initiated. I suppose one might not agree to take the stool of repentance unless the Spirit had granted repentance, but that is not an absolute certainty for some may have been coerced by others aware of their sin. This seems a far cry from James 5:16+! ILLUSTRATION OF NEED FOR REPENTANCE - Those of us who grew up in the fifties are quite familiar with the name Mickey Cohen because he was the most flamboyant criminal of the day. Perhaps some have even heard of Cohen's becoming a "Christian." The story goes like this: At the height of his career, Cohen was persuaded to attend an evangelistic service at which he showed a surprising interest in Christianity. Hearing of this, and realizing what a great influence a converted Mickey Cohen could have for the Lord, some prominent Christian leaders began visiting him in an effort to convince him to accept Christ. Late one night, after repeatedly being encouraged to open the door of his life on the basis of Revelation 3:20+ ("I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me"), Cohen prayed. Hopes ran high among his believing acquaintances. But with the passing of time no one could detect any change in Cohen's life. Finally they confronted him with the reality that being a Christian meant he would have to give up his friends and his profession. Cohen demurred. His logic? There are "Christian football players, Christian cowboys, Christian politicians; why not a Christian gangster?" “The fact is,” said evangelist J Edwin Orr (one of the leaders who had spoken with Cohen) “repentance is the missing note in much modern evangelism.” The absurdity of what happened to Mickey Cohen dramatically underscores what is happening to untold numbers today. Though many ostensibly have "accepted Christ," they continue life as they always have. There is no repentance. They remain self-sufficient, even puffed up. Indeed, they are nowhere near the kingdom because they have not experienced the poverty of spirit that the first Beatitude insists is the initial ground of the kingdom of heaven. (Hughes, R. K. Sermon on the Mount) (Bolding added) All sins! By Spurgeon The truly repentant person hates all of his sins, not just certain ones. He says, "Cover yourself with the finest gold, O sin, I will still hate you! Yes, cover yourself with pleasure, make yourself flashy, like the snake with its turquoise scales- I still hate you, for I know your venom, and I run from you, even when you come to me in the most illusive clothing." All sin must be given up, or else you will never have Christ; all evil must be renounced, or else the gates of heaven must be locked to keep you out forever. Let us, remember, then, that for repentance to be sincere, it must be total repentance. True repentance is a turning of the heart, as well as of the life; it is the giving up of the whole soul to God, to be His forever and ever. It is a renunciation of the sins of the heart, as well as the corruptions of the life. Repentance & Faith Arthur Pink, "Salvation From the Penalty of Sin" Repentance is the hand releasing those filthy objects it had previously clung to so tenaciously. Faith is extending an empty hand to God to receive His gift of grace. Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. Faith is receiving a sinner's Savior. Repentance is a revulsion of the filth and pollution of sin. Faith is a seeking of cleansing therefrom. Repentance is the sinner covering his mouth and crying, "Unclean, unclean!" Faith is the leper coming to Christ and saying, "Lord, if You will, You can make me clean." Bill Elliff - Repentance The believer in Christ is a lifelong repenter. He begins with repentance, and ends with repentance. Repentance is a change of mind regarding sin and God--an inward turning from sin to God. Repentance is hating what you once loved, and loving what you once hated; exchanging irresistible sin for an irresistible Christ. The religious man often deceives himself in his repentance. The deceived repenter would be a worse sinner if he could, but society holds him back. He aspires to a 'Heaven' of light-hearted ease and recreation--and extended vacation; but a 'Heaven of holiness' would be Hell to such a man. Yet God is holy, and God is in Heaven. He cannot be blamed for sending the unholy man to Hell despite his most articulate profession. By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them The sure test of the quality of any supposed change of heart will be found in its permanent effects. ‘By their fruits you shall know them’ is as applicable to the right method of judging ourselves as of judging others. Whatever, therefore, may have been our inward experience, whatever joy or sorrow we may have felt, unless we bring forth fruits meet for repentance, our experience will profit us nothing. Repentance is incomplete unless it leads to confession and restitution in cases of injury; unless it causes us to forsake not merely outward sins, which others notice, but those which lie concealed in the heart; unless it makes us choose the service of God and live not for ourselves but for Him. There is no duty which is either more obvious in itself, or more frequently asserted in the Word of God, than that of repentance. - Charles Hodge I Will Leave You Alone God… If... People who want nothing to do with God make themselves candidates for His ultimate judgment. They spend their days alienated from Him, and will spend eternity banished from God's presence unless they repent. Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States, was reared in a godly home and admonished to accept Christ by his grand-father Jonathan Edwards. But he refused to listen. Instead, he de­clared that he wanted nothing to do with God and said he wished the Lord would leave him alone. He achieved a measure of political suc­cess in spite of repeated disappointments. But he was also involved in continuous strife. When he was forty-eight years old, he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. He lived for thirty-two more years, but was unhappy and unproductive. During this sad chapter in his life he declared to a group of friends,"Sixty years ago I told God that if He would let me alone, I would let Him alone, and God has not bothered about me since." Aaron Burr got what he wanted. Mark 1:15 The First Word Of Salvation Repent, and believe in the gospel. —Mark 1:15 Evangelist J. Edwin Orr said that “the first word of the gospel” is repentance. It’s a turning away from sin and toward the Lord. The prophet Zechariah cried out to the people of Israel to repent and return to the Lord: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds” (Zech. 1:4). Salvation begins with repentance. It involves a change of mind about sin, which leads to belief in Jesus Christ and brings us the forgiveness of God. Yet repentance is more than a once-for-all act that initiates salvation. It is an ongoing choice—a change of mind that sees sin as wrong, confesses it, and rejects it. Martin Luther put it this way in the first of the 95 theses he nailed to the door of the Wittenberg church: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘repent,’ He willed that the entire life of a believer be one of repentance.” It’s an ongoing mindset toward sin. I reached for His tender compassion Because I was sinful and weak, And oh, the sweet words of forgiveness I heard Him so willingly speak! —Simon Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it. True Repentance Two kinds of "repentance" are possible in human experience. One is ‘the sorrow of the world,” a feeling induced by the fear of getting caught. Many people recognize the unpleasant consequences of their sin and are persuaded that they are guilty. This results in a superficial sorrow that may lead to a temporary reformation but not to a genuine turning to Christ for forgiveness. Godly sorrow, on the other hand, is accompanied by conviction of sin, the work of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:37+). This stems from the realization of offending a holy God. It leads to genuine repentance. ILLUSTRATION - The "R" Word -Jimmy had trouble pronouncing the letter “R” so his teacher gave him a sentence to practice at home: “Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare.” Some days later the teacher asked him to say the sentence for her. Jimmy rattled it off like this: “Bob gave Dick a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough.” He had evaded the letter “R.” There are a lot of people today—including Christians—who go to great lengths to avoid the “R” word of “Repentance.” Complete About Face Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada, was completely isolated for some time. But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only on one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only way he or she could leave—-by turning around. Each of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out—a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around. That complete about face is what the Bible calls repentance, and without it, there’s no way out of town. - Brian Weatherdon An illustration from the Speaker's Quote Book A Sunday school teacher asked a class what the word “repentance” means. A little boy put up his hand and said, “It is being sorry for your sins.” A little girl also raised her hand and said, “It is being sorry enough to quit.” A schoolgirl was saved and someone asked her, “What were you before?” She said, “A sinner.” Then she was asked, “What are you now?” She answered, “A sinner.” They asked, “What’s the difference?” She answered, “I was a sinner running after sin. But now I’m a sinner running from sin.” (Zuck, R. B.. The Speaker's Quote Book. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications) It's never too soon to repent, but soon it may be too late. Oswald Chambers - Repentance For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2 Cor. 7:10. Conviction of sin is best portrayed in the words— ‘My sins, my sins, my Saviour. How sad on Thee they fall.’ Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses a man’s conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God—“against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight.” Conviction of sin, the marvel of forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven man who is the holy man, he proves he is forgiven by being the opposite to what he was, by God’s grace. Repentance always brings a man to this point: ‘I have sinned.’ The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says that and means it. Anything less than this is remorse for having made blunders, the reflex action of disgust at himself. The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man’s respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life. The new life will manifest itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness, never the other way about. The bedrock of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a man cannot repent when he chooses; repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for ‘the gift of tears.’ If ever you cease to know the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you have forgotten how to be sorry. Spurgeon's Sermon Notes - 2 Corinthians 7:10 Time was when inner experience was considered to be everything, and experimental preaching was the order of the day. Now it is apt to be too much slighted. Introspection was formerly pushed to the extreme of morbid self-searching; yet it ought not now to be utterly abandoned. A correct diagnosis of disease is not everything, but yet it is valuable. A sense of poverty cannot by itself enrich, but it may stimulate. Sinners were unwisely influenced by certain ministries to look to their own feelings, many began to seek comfort from their own misery. Now it is “only believe.” And rightly so: but we must discriminate. There must be sorrow for sin working repentance. Upon this point we must— I. REMOVE CERTAIN ERRONEOUS IDEAS WITH REGARD TO REPENTANCE AND SORROW FOR SIN. Among popular delusions we must mention the suppositions— 1. That mere sorrow of mind in reference to sin is repentance. 2. That there can be repentance without sorrow for sin. 3. That we must reach a certain point of wretchedness and horror, of else we are not truly penitent. 4. That repentance happens to us once, and is then over. 5. That repentance is a most unhappy feeling. 6. That repentance must be mixed with unbelief, and embittered by the fear that mercy will be unable to meet our wretched case. II. DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO SORROWS MENTIONED IN THE TEXT. 1. The godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation is— Sorrow for sin as committed against God. Sorrow for sin arising out of an entire change of mind. Sorrow for sin which joyfully accepts salvation by grace. Sorrow for sin leading to future obedience. Sorrow for sin which leads to perpetual perseverance in the ways of God. The ways of sin are forsaken because abhorred. This kind of repentance is never repented of. 2. The sorrow of the world is Caused by shame at being found out; Is attended by hard thoughts of God; Leads to vexation and sullenness; Incites to hardening of heart; Lands the soul in despair. Works death of the worst kind. This needs to be repented of, for it is in itself sinful and terribly prolific of more sin. III. INDULGE OURSELVES IN GODLY SORROW FOR SIN. Come, let us be filled with a wholesome grief that we 1. Have broken a law, pure and perfect. 2. Have disobeyed a gospel, divine and gracious. 3. Have grieved a God, good and glorious. 4. Have slighted Jesus, whose love is tender and boundless. 5. Have been ungrateful, though loved, elected, redeemed, forgiven, justified, and soon to be glorified. 6. Have been so foolish as to lose the joyous fellowship of the Spirit the raptures of communion with Jesus. Let us confess all this, lie low at Jesus’ feet, wash his feet with tears, and love, yea, love ourselves away. FOR DISCRIMINATION A cognate text in Rom. 2:2, 4, will help us here. These two allied but distinct intimations may be placed in parallel lines, and treated like an equation; thus— “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” “Godly sorrow worketh repentance.” We learn, as the result of the comparison, that the goodness of God leads to repentance by the way of godly sorrow. The series of cause and effect runs thus: goodness of God; godly sorrow; repentance. Do not mistake; a fear of hell is not sorrow for sin: it may be nothing more than a regret that God is holy. So hard is a heart long accustomed to evil, that nothing can melt it but goodness; and no goodness but God’s; and no goodness of his but the greatest. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. “Looking unto Jesus” is the grand specific for producing godly sorrow in a human heart. It was a hard heart that quivered under the beams of his loving eye on the threshold of Pilate’s judgment hall. When Jesus looked on Peter, Peter went out and wept. Emmanuel’s love has lost none of its melting power; the hardest hearts laid fairly open to it must ere long flow down. God’s goodness, embodied in Christ crucified, becomes, under the ministry of the Spirit, the cause of godly sorrow in believing men.—William Arnot. The mind that broods o’er guilty woes, Is like the scorpion girt by fire; In circle narrowing as it glows, The flames around their captive close, Till inly searched by thousand throes, And maddening in her ire, One sad and sole relief she knows, The sting she nourished for her foes, Whose venom never yet was vain, Gives but one pang and cures all pain, And darts into her desperate brain; So do the dark in soul expire, Or live like scorpion girt by fire. So writhes the mind Remorse has riven, Unfit for earth, undoomed for heaven, Darkness above, despair beneath, Around it flame, within it Death.—Byron. Once a mother told her pastor that she was troubled about her daughter, who was going to join the church. “She has not conviction enough,” was the complaint; “and yet I have talked to her about her sins over and over again, setting them all in order before her till both of us were in tears; oh, what can I do more?” Then he gave her in her own hands a Bible, and he read aloud to her slowly Isaiah 6:1–5. She saw, without any word of his, that the prophet became intelligent as the sight of God flashed upon him, and grew penitent at the moment when the seraphim cried “Holy.” Then he turned to Job 42:5, 6. She saw in silence that the patriarch repented, not when his exasperating friends pelted him with accusations, but when his eyes were opened to see God. She went away quietly to talk, with a wondering and awestruck heart, about the holiness of Jehovah; thus her child melted into contrition before the vision, and wept.—C. S. Robinson. Sin, repentance, and pardon are like to the three vernal months of the year, March, April, and May. Sin comes in like March, blustering, stormy, and full of bold violence. Repentance succeeds like April, showering, weeping, and full of tears. Pardon follows like May, springing, singing, full of joys and flowers. Our eyes must be full of April, with the sorrow of repentance; and then our hearts shall be full of May, with the true joy of forgiveness.—Thomas Adams. Genuine Repentance Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, . . . but the sorrow of the world produces death. — 2 Corinthians 7:10 Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:9-12 What is repentance? And how do we know when it is genuine? A man who came to see me said he felt so much guilt before he was saved that he couldn’t eat for days. Because he knew that I had not gone through such an intense period of grief, he said he didn’t think I had truly repented. Another man wept when he told me that his wife had left him because of his drinking and infidelity. He tearfully professed faith in Jesus and vowed to be done with his sinful lifestyle. But when his wife returned, he soon went back to his old ways. In a similar situation, a man confessed with little emotion what a terrible sinner he was. He admitted his need for grace and received Christ. That was the end of his old lifestyle. Which of these two men genuinely repented? True repentance leaves the sin That we had loved before, With firm resolve to turn from it And yield to it no more. —Anon. Repentance says, “I’m sorry,” but also shows, “I’m through.” Finding Forgiveness Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation. —2 Corinthians 7:10 Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:1-16 Today’s Bible reading is from Paul’s second letter to the Christians in Corinth. He begins the chapter by calling them “beloved” and finishes by rejoicing over his confidence in them. How could he honestly say those things, considering that the rest of the chapter is about their sins he had sternly confronted in his first letter? (1 Cor. 5). He could commend them because they had responded with godly sorrow. They had sincerely repented, and now their slate was completely clean! Many of us as Christians find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness for our sin and to feel forgiven. We tell others about the love and forgiveness that Jesus offers, yet the hardest thing for us to do, it seems, is to receive that same love and forgiveness. After we’ve done something wrong, it’s not unusual to feel sorry about it. But if we merely regret the consequences and don’t genuinely repent and accept God’s forgiveness, we have done nothing more than sorrow as the world does (2 Cor. 7:10). Dear Lord, be merciful to us; Our sin has grieved Your heart; And strengthen our resolve, O Lord, To make a fresh, new start. —DJD God makes us miserable through conviction to make us joyful through confession. 2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. KJV 2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold this selfsame 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 revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. NET 2 Corinthians 7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. BGT 2 Corinthians 7:11 ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ κατὰ θεὸν λυπηθῆναι πόσην κατειργάσατο ὑμῖν σπουδήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλὰ ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐπιπόθησιν, ἀλλὰ ζῆλον, ἀλλὰ ἐκδίκησιν. ἐν παντὶ συνεστήσατε ἑαυτοὺς ἁγνοὺς εἶναι τῷ πράγματι. NLT 2 Corinthians 7:11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. ESV 2 Corinthians 7:11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. NIV 2 Corinthians 7:11 See 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. YLT 2 Corinthians 7:11 for, lo, this same thing -- your being made sorry toward God -- how much diligence it doth work in you! but defence, but displeasure, but fear, but longing desire, but zeal, but revenge; in every thing ye did approve yourselves to be pure in the matter. ASV 2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter. CSB 2 Corinthians 7:11 For consider how much diligence this very thing-- this grieving as God wills-- has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter. MIT 2 Corinthians 7:11 See this same principle applied in connection with godly sorrow as to how much earnestness it produced in you. The stark antithesis to this kind of sorrow is: excuse-making, resentment, fear, obsession, agitation, revenge. You demonstrated yourselves to be pure of the practice of all of these. NKJ 2 Corinthians 7:11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. NRS 2 Corinthians 7:11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. NAB 2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold what earnestness this godly sorrow has produced for you, as well as readiness for a defense, and indignation, and fear, and yearning, and zeal, and punishment. In every way you have shown yourselves to be innocent in the matter. NJB 2 Corinthians 7:11 Just look at this present case: at what the result has been of your being made to feel distress in the way that God approves -- what concern, what defence, what indignation and what alarm; what yearning, and what enthusiasm, and what justice done. In every way you have cleared yourselves of blame in this matter. GWN 2 Corinthians 7:11 When you became distressed in a godly way, look at how much devotion it caused you to have. You were ready to clear yourselves of the charges against you. You were disgusted with the wrong that had been done. You were afraid. You wanted to see us. You wanted to show your concern for us. You were ready to punish the wrong that had been done. In every way you have demonstrated that you are people who are innocent in this matter. BBE 2 Corinthians 7:11 For you see what care was produced in you by this very sorrow of yours before God, what clearing of yourselves, what wrath against sin, what fear, what desire, what serious purpose, what punishment. In everything you have made it clear that you are free from sin in this business. this godly sorrow: 2Co 7:9 Isa 66:2 Zec 12:10-14 1Co 5:2 what earnestness: 2Co 7:7 1Co 12:25 Tit 3:8 what vindication of yourselves: Ge 44:6,7 1Co 5:13 Eph 5:11 1Ti 5:21,22 what indignation: 2Sa 12:5-7 Ne 5:6-13 13:25 Job 42:6 Jer 31:18-20 Da 6:14 Mk 3:5 Eph 4:26 what fear: 2Co 7:1 Ps 2:11 Pr 14:16 28:14 Ro 11:20 Php 2:12 Heb 4:1 12:15,16 1Pe 1:17 Jude 1:23 what longing: Ps 38:9 42:1 130:6 145:19 Song 8:6 Isa 26:8 1Pe 2:2 what zeal: 2Co 9:2 Ps 69:9 119:139 Joh 2:17 Ac 17:16 what avenging of wrong: Ps 35:13 Mt 5:29,30 Mk 9:43-48 Rev 3:19 In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent: 2Co 6:4 13:7 Ro 14:18 2Ti 2:15 2 Corinthians 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SEVEN FOLD FRUIT OF GODLY SORROW > REPENTANCE Seven "whats" of godly sorrow leading to repentance will give you "seven watts of power" (so to speak) to energize a holy walk empowered by the Spirit Who is now not grieved and/or quenched by unconfessed, unrepentant sin! Given that it is godly sorrow that leads to repentance, it is actually better to see these seven "fruits" are the product of godly sorrow, but either way they are intimately a part of genuine repentance. As Jim Bomkamp says now "Paul describes for the Corinthians what the ‘godly sorrow’ they experienced as a result of his ‘severe letter’ produced in them." The command "About Face" is describes the act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation (see diagram above). Another English definition says it is "a reversal of direction, of attitude, behavior, or point of view." This is a good picture of repentance This passage gives us an excellent Biblical list to assess whether a person who claims to have repented is being honest or whether they have mistaken ungodly sorrow, remorse and regret for repentance. One important point to remember is that true repentance can be easily recognized by others because it produces a complete reorientation of thoughts, attitudes, and actions, resulting in a turning from sin and a turning towards God (see this pattern in 1Th 1:9-10+). Paul Apple - Repentance and Faith always go hand in hand – like the two sides of the same coin. Just as Repentance is essential for initial conversion, it is also essential for continued spiritual growth (this is not emphasized enough). Cf. Colossians 2:6+ says “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) in Him.” Broomall has an interesting comment that "The energy of this verse is almost untranslatable." Paul arranges seven nouns in ascensive order to describe the explosive nature of their repentance. (Wycliffe Bible Commentary - online) NUMBER ONE Paul now begins the most complete list of the characteristics of repentance in Scripture, recording seven traits (if you count "earnestness") that characterized the repentance of the saints at Corinth. For (gar) is a term of explanation. Plummer says "He wants them to see how they themselves afford an example of the right kind of lupe (sorrow) and its fruits...He looks back to what was said in 2Co 7:7+, and in his desire to give them full credit for the excellent change in them he adds a great deal to what was said before; in 2Co 7:7+ we have three particulars ("your longing, your mourning, your zeal"), here we have seven. He is brimming over with affectionate delight" Behold (idou) what earnestness (spoude) this very thing, this godly sorrow (lupeo) , has produced (katergazomai) in you - Behold is used to focus their attention to what follows. Paul lists the seven-fold fruit produced by godly sorrow. (if you include earnestness). In effect this seven-fold list of fruits of repentance is the most complete summary statement of repentance in Scripture which may account for Paul's use of the attention arresting command Behold. Obviously each of these righteous "fruits" of godly sorrow/repentance were gleaned by Paul from what Titus reported (anaggello) to him. Earnestness refers to the quality of genuine commitment, with elements of enthusiasm and zeal. Earnestness characterizes true repentance for it deals with the sin immediately, without procrastination or delay. "NOW" (not later) is the watchword of genuine repentance! P E