Someone once said, getting angry, holding a grudge, and harboring unforgiveness is like drinking the poison and hoping your enemy dies. It's like saying to yourself, I'm mad and I'm going to carry all the anger and bitterness I can, because I can. No one is going to have reconciliation with you until you are darn good and ready.
For there to be godly reconciliation we must first be in reconciliation with God. We must be in good standing with him. That comes first by purity, by separating ourselves from the world, by rejecting the unclean. This is repentance; it means 'changing your mind' and it leads to a change of heart.
At the end of chapter six Paul offers concluding instructions based on the previously established truths. We see the 'therefore' statements showing a logical response to the eternal truths. Paul encouraged them to separate from the world, this was the source of much of their problems. They were holding onto the old life while trying to walk in the newness of Christ. With the instruction to separate from the world, we receive the promise of reconciliation with God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Paul had detailed many promises from the scriptures:
- I have heard you (6:2).
- I have helped you (6:2).
- I will dwell in them (6:16)
- And walk among them (6:16)
- I will be their God (6:16)
- They shall be My people (6:16)
- I will receive you (6:17)
- I will be a Father to you (6:17)
- You shall be My sons and daughters (6:17)
In each of these passages, we see promises of God to His people. The original promises were for the children of Israel. Now, in Christ, we are God's people and the Lord extends the promises towards us. Paul isn't substituting Israel for the Church; he is applying the promises and principals of God toward his people.
Paul brings us to another conclusion, based on the promises. If the separation from the world is complete, we must continue on to the perfecting of holiness! Since we have these great promises of being able to have an eternal relationship with the Lord, we should respond to it. Therefore, let's pursue this holiness that we've been called to.
We are called to come out of the world, to cleanse ourselves of all the filth of the world. When there is separation, we take action to cleans ourselves. This cleansing means to turn from evil. Our tendency is to be involved in the cleansing of others. We need to be careful concerning this. This was s a particularly important principal, especially in a situation there was pain between folks. This is where Paul found himself.
God cleanses us in a special way; in a way we never could. Paul's instruction was to turn from evil, not just in the flesh but also in the spirit. We tend to cleanse what can be seen and leave dirty what can't! I can still hear my mom's instruction for me to scrub behind my ears. In a similar way, the flesh might be cleansed and spirit left filthy and unfit. Some of the false teachers and false religions taught that one could have a clean spirit and do what you desired with the flesh.
The people Paul wrote to at Corinth had received their salvation; we know this because Paul continually called them saints. But, they many refused to give up the things of the world. They were yoked to worldly things and didn't want to give them up. These Corinthians were playing a game, trying to hide and ignore the filth in their life. The fact is, though, they were corrupted by it. They could not hide the fact that they lacked purity. It was evident to everyone around them and it was evident to Paul.
We are called to separation. We should come out of the world, get cleaned up and pursue holiness. We often fool ourselves or justify ourselves in strange ways. It's personal, between you and God. We sometimes want to grade ourselves in our culture and grade ourselves on a curve. We figure as long as there is a congress there are people worse than us. We are personally called to separation, we are to cleanse ourselves and pursue holiness. Is that a goal in your life, pursuit of holiness?
How do we cleanse ourselves of the filthiness of the flesh and spirit? First of all we need to note that we are to cleanse ourselves. There is a cleansing that comes from the Lord when we believe. That is a cleansing from our sins. That's a supernatural work of God. This cleansing Paul is talking about now is a step we must take. It's a voluntary stepping away from the things of the world. But it's not enough to just cleanse ourselves; we must then become complete in holiness and fear. This is a step toward the Lord. We must step away from the world and step toward the Lord. This is to actively incline our life toward Him and away from the world.
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
(NKJV; Romans 13:11-14; 1982 Thomas Nelson)
2 Corinthians 7:2-3
If the separation is complete, and the restoration with God is then done; how can there not be restoration among God's people? Paul returns here to the thought he wrote of back in chapter 6 when he told them that he had opened his heart to them and they needed to do likewise. Paul's entire life and ministry was open to them. He held nothing back.
Isn't it ironic that the people of Corinth were open and welcoming to everything else but they wouldn't open their hearts to Paul? They unequally yoked to the things of the world. They were allowing false teachers and false apostles into their church. They had embraced some darkness or wickedness because they opened their hearts to the things of the world. Yet, they refused to open their hearts to the one who brought them the gospel message. The Lord had worked through Paul to establish this church in Corinth and prior to the repentance, they were willing to cut Paul off.
Paul encouraged them to get over their bruised pride. He hadn't done anything to wrong anyone. Perhaps we can see he had been accused of wronging someone, of corrupting someone or cheating folks. Paul assured them none of this was true. There was no reason to carry this bitterness any further. He had simply confronted them regarding their faith. This was done because he loved them.
Paul wasn't writing this letter to bloody their nose. He wasn't condemning them. He was writing them that they might be reconciled together but the reconciliation would have to be one that honored the Lord. Paul wasn't interested in reconciliation by compromising his beliefs. He wanted the reconciliation to be one that was God honoring, Christ centered and with a foundation of Truth.
Paul had confronted the Corinthians and he did so out of love for them. These people were on Paul's heart. He was eternally linked to them. They were part of Paul's ministry whether they liked it or not. They couldn't just cast him away and he couldn't just walk away and leave them.
2 Corinthians 7:4a
Paul didn't beat around the bush when he went to visit them. He said some bold things. There were serious problems that needed corrected before they got out of hand. On the other hand, Paul also wanted them to know that he boasted about them. There might be problems, yea, but they were still his brothers and sisters in Christ. They were family to Paul and we're hardest on family and on those we love. But we are also their greatest defenders.
The church of Corinth heard Paul talk tough to them, not just in letters but also when he was present with them. What they didn't know was that when Paul spoke to others about them, he boasted on their behalf. They were his brothers and sisters in the Lord.
2 Corinthians 7:4b
If you remember clear back to when we started this book we talked about what had happened between Paul and the Corinthians. Paul had visited them and the visit hadn't gone well. Someone seemed to be itching for a fight. Someone, probably one of these false apostles openly made accusations against Paul. The others apparently followed suite or at least made no effort to discipline and correct this false teacher.
After this painful visit, Paul went back to Ephesus and wrote what is called the severe letter. We don't really know what it said since the letter was lost. After Paul wrote the severe letter he went to Macedonia but his heart was in Corinth. You can imagine his anxiety. He needed to know how the letter was received in Corinth. Would they wad it up and say, "Forget you Paul, we don't need you." Or, would they listen and be corrected by the apostle?
We know Paul couldn't even focus on ministry until he knew. He finally caught up with Titus who brought the news that Corinth had received Paul's letter and that there had been repentance. That's what was going on when Paul wrote this letter. That's why Paul was filled with comfort. All the tribulation and stuff they went through was worth it if there was repentance and a correction.
2 Corinthians 7:5-7
All the strife and contention Paul had been talking about in the last several chapters are residual thoughts after his visit with them. He started out the letter saying he was happy with the outcome. Then he gave us a little bit of insight into what was happening by talking about these false teachers, false apostles and being unequally yoked and so forth. All of those things he was referencing were from the visit and not necessarily going on after the repentance reported by Titus.
In Macedonia, Paul's life of ministry had continued. It was the same no matter where he went. There was trouble everywhere he went. There was no rest. While there were conflicts on the outside, on the inside there were fears. We don't often remember Paul was just human. In the middle of conflict he felt the fears well up in him. Paul was downcast, Probably not so much because of Macedonia but because of what had happened in Corinth.
He was likely discouraged because the Corinthians had veered off in the ditch. Then along came Titus and once again God comforted the downcast as He always does. Paul was not comforted just because of Titus's presence there but also because he brought an encouraging message as if he was a messenger from God. Titus brought the good news, the saints of Corinth had earnestly repented. There was mourning and there was a zeal for Paul. The Corinthians had not run off in some theological or doctrinal ditch away from the Lord. They had received the correction Paul offered in the letter and were seeking after Lord and anxious to hear from Paul.
2 Corinthians 7:8
Paul is still talking about the severe letter he had written them. He knew he had made them sorry by writing the letter. Being is sorry was a start. But 'sorry' is what happens when you get caught. Sorry is when you can no longer ignore that you are wrong. Sorry by itself doesn't accomplish anything because the only motivation to be sorry was brought on by confrontation.
Judas was sorry that he betrayed Christ. Judas was confronted by the 30 pieces of silver. They were the price of a common slave. Peter was sorry he denied Christ. He was confronted by the Lords prophecy that he would do that very thing. Peter was also confronted by his own words, Oh no Lord, not I….."Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!"
The people of Corinth were sorry. Being sorry by itself is nothing. What is the motivation for being sorry? What will the sorrow result in? Paul regretted having to send this kind of letter to them. Confronting someone like this is not easy to do. No one enjoys doing something like that or at least they shouldn't enjoy it. But Paul knew it was the right thing, there were eternal consequences to what was going on and he wasn't confronting them for any selfish reason. He was confronting them for their own good and to the glory of God.
After Paul wrote the letter and Titus was in route to deliver it, he had all that time to wonder if he was too harsh. Was he fair, was there a better way? He had plenty of time for regret, all the while wondering if he had done the wrong thing. He probably did a lot of soul searching to make sure his motives and thoughts were pure in what he wrote them. In the end, the sorrow of the Corinthians turned to repentance. The letter served the desired purpose with a good outcome. A good outcome will always cure any regret. Paul didn't regret sending it, because it made them sorry.
Sorry was a good first step. There was an alternative and I imagine that was Paul's greatest fear. They could have totally disregarded what Paul wrote. They could have been totally indifferent.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
The letter served as a confrontation. After the initial sorrow passed, there were two ways it could have gone. They could have said, Paul take a hike. Or they could come to the knowledge of their error and then been led to repentance. We really don't know exactly what Paul said or how it was said. That makes this situation general enough we can apply it to about anything. Whatever this situation was, it wasn't corrected by the visit Paul made. That may well have been because of their own pride.
When Paul followed up with this 'tough love' approach in his letter, there was less opportunity for bickering or pridefully justifying sin or maybe just a chance for hurt feelings to heal and anger to subside. Whatever it was, they were made sorry in a godly manner and that led to repentance.
The sorrow of the world leads to death. That kind of sorrow is one that leads to revenge, denial, lies, deceit and so on. The sorrow of the world becomes baggage that many people carry around all their life. It gets heavy and it zaps the joy out of life. Worldly sorrow leads to death. As we said, Peter was sorry when he was confronted by the memory of the Lord telling him about his denial. He was confronted with his own words saying it would never happen. The confrontation led to sorrow. His sorrow was godly because it led to repentance. And because there was repentance, he was restored in the lord. Judas was also brought to sorrow. He was confronted by the 30 pieces of silver. He had betrayed the Lord. His sorrow was mixed with deceit, denial, vengeance, guilt and condemnation. His burden quickly became more than he could bear. His sorrow led him to kill himself. There was never any repentance from the sorrow. His sorrow led to death. Godly sorrow leads to repentance and then reconciliation will naturally follow. Worldly sorrow leads to death.
One commentator put it this way; "in sin, the pleasure passes and the sorrow remains; but in repentance, the sorrow passes and the pleasure abides forever." The confrontation was the catalyst for this to be sorted out. If you are going to embrace your sin, the pleasure of it will pass and the sorrow will linger forever. If you let go of your sin, cleanse yourself, and separate yourself from the things of the world, then the sorrow passes and the pleasure abides forever. In this case part of the pleasure is reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 7:11
Paul was proud of them for responding with repentance. It showed their diligence and desire to be clear of this sin. With indignation toward the offense, fear of the Lord, and with vehemence and zeal they sought vindication. They didn't just casually turn from this thing, they turned and ran.
Isn't it interesting that such a change took place. When Paul was among them they were holding tight to whatever sin or false teaching was among them. In just a short time they had completely changed their mind and they repented and were ready to embrace Paul once again.
2 Corinthians 7:12
Paul wasn't picking sides. He didn't write the letter to determine who was right. He wrote it so they would see that he cared deeply for them. We don't know who did what. There is speculation that Paul was the one who suffered the wrong at the hands of the false teachers. He wrote this verse 12 like it was someone else who had been wronged. This may have just been a way to say it wouldn't matter who it was that was wronged, what happened was sinful and should be repented of.
2 Corinthians 7:13
The words "comforted" and "comfort" are not the same. The comfort of the Corinthians is what Paul & Titus delivered to them. It was the act of bringing relief to them; by way of the severe letter. It was in this comfort, they found comfort. Paul & Titus's comfort was a relief from distress and affliction. This came to them by way of the news of repentance from Corinth.
Titus may have taken the letter to Corinth not expecting the best outcome. Paul was comforted by their comfort but he was rejoicing a lot more in the joy of Titus. Titus's confidence in the Corinthians was restored. He must have taken the letter to them, all the while thinking they were a lost cause. He may have been thinking the letter was a waste of ink. Titus must have been surprised at their repentance and found great comfort.
2 Corinthians 7:14
Paul had been boasting to Titus; and all he boasted about turned out to be true. Paul was telling the people of Corinth that he had said a hearty and good natured "I told you so" to Titus. Paul said to Titus, I told you they were Godly people, I knew they would repent.
2 Corinthians 7:15-16
In the end, Titus was received well by them. Who would have thought? With fear and trembling, they received the letter. They read it and were sorrowed. There was a realization of the seriousness of their error. Then they were repentance. In verse 16 Paul says he has confidence in them over everything. Isn't it amazing how such sorrow and bitterness can turn so quickly to joy and confidence. Paul offers them this encouragement, further strengthening them and building them up. His confidence in them might give them confidence to be a little more diligent in the future to avoid such things. Seek the Lord, test the spirit of what was going on. Test the spirit and purpose of those who were at odds. I think Paul would be thrilled if next time something happened, he knew they would be able to stand on their own.
So, the principals and promises Paul showed us in 2 Corinthians 6:16.
- We have a covenant of peace.
- It's everlasting
- We'll be established & multiplied by Him
- He will be set among us.
- We are His people, He is our God
- All the nations will know
We saw the Corinthians respond appropriately:
- They woke up: no longer lulled to spiritual sleep by the world.
- They were strengthened; showing diligence, claiming forgiveness, sorrow of their sin, fear of the Lord, eternal longing, zeal and just.
- Get dressed up; threw off the filth of the world & flesh and put on the Lord Jesus.
- Get off the ground and rise up; get out of the mire of pride and selfshness and rise up to life abundant in Christ.
- Come out and be separate; this is "perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord" as verse 1 said.
The principals and promises above are ours also. We can grasp these and make them; if we are truly redeemed by Christ its who and what we are. Therefore, we can likewise respond:
- To wake up
- Be strengthened
- Put on Christ
- Rise up
- Be Holy!
Amen
©2006, 2010, 2016, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
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