Bible Study 2 Corinthians 7: 1-16

 

A Commentary of the Book of 2 Corinthians

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: King James Version

Bible Study 2 Corinthians 7: 1-16

Text:

7 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. 4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith 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. 8 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. 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 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. 12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. 13 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. 14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. 15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. 16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

To what promises is the author referencing? He alludes to those mentioned at the conclusion of chapter 6. God has declared that if we adhere to His commands, He will serve as a true Father to us, and we will be His genuine sons and daughters, thereby enabling a relationship based on that bond. This does not imply a loss of salvation if we fail to separate ourselves; however, it does mean that if we do not maintain a clean life, God cannot relate to us as a Father desires to relate to His child. Paul instructs us, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves." How are we able to cleanse ourselves? We cannot absolve our own conscience from the guilt of sin. I am incapable of washing away the stain of a guilty conscience, yet God has accomplished this through the death of Christ and the shedding of His blood. Subsequent to being cleansed from our sins by the blood of Christ, our hearts still necessitate a daily cleansing from the contamination encountered each day. When I receive the Word in faith and act upon that Word, I am purified from all the defilement of the flesh and spirit. This is precisely what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

Paul states that we are to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit. All sin constitutes defilement in the sight of God. Therefore, what distinguishes the sins of the flesh from the sins of the spirit?

The defilement of the flesh encompasses those sins committed through the body. This includes unholy lusts, unrestrained appetites, drunkenness, gluttony, licentiousness, and inordinate affection. These are the sins of the flesh—the impure matters. It is imperative that we recognize that we are currently living in a world that is affording a semblance of respectability to the sins of the flesh.

Verse 2: “Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.”

Paul, defending himself against his accusers, again cites his blameless record in ministry.

Verse 3: “I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.”

Paul reveals how deeply he loves the church at Corinth; this is not deceitful speech, but an expression of his “love unfeigned” (2 Cor 6:6).

Verse 4: “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.”

Paul's love for the Corinthian believers is further evidenced by his confidence in God's continued work in their lives, as the word "boldness" can also be understood as "confidence." Because of this, Paul shares that he is now comforted and filled with joy, and he goes on to explain the reason for this positive change in his spirit.

Verse 5: “ For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.”

The text marks a return to the narrative interrupted at 2 Corinthians 2:13. It describes Paul's emotional distress over a beloved church's disobedience to the Lord. This distress occurred while he was in Macedonia, a Biblical region in Northern Greece, situated on the route to Corinth.

Verse 6: “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”

Upon Titus's long-awaited arrival in Macedonia, he brought encouraging news regarding the Corinthians' reaction to Paul's stern letter.

Verse 7: “and not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith 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.”

The Corinthians' reaction to Paul's harsh letter, and the comfort they subsequently gave Titus, greatly encouraged Paul. Their positive response to Paul was evident in three ways: they showed an "earnest desire," meaning they genuinely missed Paul and wanted to restore their relationship; they demonstrated "mourning," indicating they were sorrowful over their sin and the distance it had created between them and Paul; and they exhibited a "fervent mind," which signaled their strong affection for Paul made them ready to defend him against his detractors, particularly the false teachers.

Verse 8: “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.”

Paul's severe letter, which is no longer available, was a rebuke to the Corinthians for their behavior following his last visit. The core issue likely stemmed from the church's failure to stand up for Paul against the individual who had wronged him. This passage makes it clear that a caring pastor must, at times, cause pain or sorrow to those he loves when they have fallen into sin.

Verse 9: “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.”

The believers in Corinth experienced a profound sorrow due to the letter, which motivated them to repent of their wrongdoing. This "repentance" signifies a heartfelt decision to abandon sin and re-establish their connection with God.

Verse 10: “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Genuine repentance, as defined by God, is fundamentally a change of mind. For the unsaved, the sole repentance God requires is encapsulated in the word believe—believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! This act of belief brings about a change of mind, a turning away from something and toward Someone. Paul’s message to the Thessalonians illustrates this: they “turned to God from idols” (1 Thess. 1:9). This turning was a change of mind that followed their initial turning to Christ. Paul preached Christ, not against idolatry; consequently, those idolaters, by turning to Christ in faith, automatically turned away from their idols. This departure is the repentance that leads to salvation for the unsaved. While Christ should be emphasized to the unsaved, a turning from their former unbelief toward Christ will naturally occur when they respond to Him. For instance, in crusades I conducted in India, about 800 people renounced Hinduism and believed in Christ in one night—a change of mind that resulted in a costly change of action, as they lost all government benefits.

Conversely, God strongly emphasizes repentance for the believer who strays into sin. For such an individual, a specific turning, a repentance, is required. Simple remorse or tears may not signify authentic repentance; this "worldly sorrow" leads to spiritual death. True, "godly sorrow," however, "worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of"—meaning it is repentance without subsequent regret.

Verse 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.”

When Titus delivered Paul's letter of rebuke, the Corinthians' reaction was exactly what Paul had hoped for.

Verse 12: “Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.”

The Christian life is lived coram Deo—before the face of God—meaning we are to live knowing that God sees us. This principle applies to the individual responsible for the wrongdoing, which was leading the mutiny within the Corinthian church.

Verse 13: “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.”

The spiritual encouragement Titus received from his personal interaction with the Corinthians resulted in a clear change in him.

Verse 14: “ For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.”

Paul's deep affection and inner emotions are completely revealed; he is comforted and filled with joy and celebration.

Verse 15: “And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.”

It appears that even prior to the arrival of Titus with the letter of rebuke, the Holy Spirit had already worked repentance within the Corinthian congregation.

Verse 16: “I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.”

Paul's joy over the Corinthian believers' repentance is restored, as expressed in this verse and the preceding ones.