The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
Commentary by Nick Boork
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September 4 – 2 Corinthians 7:8-16
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 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. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let’s compare true and false sorrow.
The first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians had the effect of making them sorrowful but this was a good thing. Although they had to confront a man living in incest with his mother yet still wanting to remain in fellowship at the church he refused to repent and was asked to depart the church due to his stubborn refusal to break off a horrible sexual relationship for his own sake and the reputation of the church. What was the result of this discipline? At first the man resisted any change. This was the sorrow of the world. He wasn’t ready to repent he was just sorry he got caught! The good news is that the man eventually did come to see the light of his error and truly repent. He longed to be restored to God and the fellowship of the church and did cease the incestuous relationship in true repentance. He was restored to Christ and the fellowship of the church. The whole ordeal caused the church to also sorrow and grieve over the situation. Paul said this kind of godly sorrow led to repentance and salvation, praise the Lord!
This is really important because godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation but the sorrow of the world leads to death! There is a huge difference. An Old Testament example of someone the had true sorrow for their sin was Kind David. Part of his prayer in Psalm 51:10-11 reads: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Someone with true godly sorrow will be moved to repent of their sin and seek to be renewed in their relationship with God. Let’s look at a couple of other examples of men that experienced both true and false sorrow.
Peter
Peter was called by Jesus personally to follow him.
He experienced the transfiguration of Christ along with James and John.
He was right there when Jesus multiplied the five fish and two loaves to feed a multitude.
I mean the guy literally walked on water at the invitation of Jesus.
Peter even boasted that he would never betray the Lord.
But under pressure, he denied three times that he ever knew Jesus.
The Bible records that Peter wept bitterly.
He was now shattered.
The deep sorrow he felt for his sin was sincere.
All his hyper faith was out the window.
He had publicly denied Jesus.
Now he was broken and consumed with his own sin.
He felt as if he could never be forgiven by Jesus after turning his back on him.
He decided to back to fishing, what he did before he met Jesus
Then Jesus found him after he arose from the dead.
Peter was totally humiliated in the presence of Jesus.
The Lord simply asked Peter if he loved him. To his question Peter answer “Yes Lord you know I love you.” Then Jesus said feed my sheep. We know that Peter was totally restored to his relationship with Jesus and completed the ministry he was called to as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. This was true restoration and it was rooted in the godly sorrow that Paul writes about.
Judas Iscariot
Judas was called by Jesus to be an apostle.
The Lord trusted him as the treasurer of the apostolic team.
Scriptures reveal to us that Judas was a thief and robbed the ministry of Jesus
Judas thought he was getting away with his sin but the Lord discerned his betrayal.
Judas was following Jesus for what he could get out of him.
When Jesus was near the end of his ministry Judas saw an opportunity to deliver him to the priests and make some money.
He agreed to be paid 30 pieces of silver for betraying the location of Christ to be captured.
He approached Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss.
The Roman soldiers took Jesus away to be tried and ultimately crucified.
When Judas realized what he did he returned the money to the priests.
You would think that Judas was sincerely trying to repent but it was the sorrow of the world that overcame Judas not godly sorrow that produced true repentance and salvation.
Judas never really repented but was totally consumed with guilt and to escape he committed suicide by hanging himself.
However, this was totally false sorrow it was just his way of dealing with his self-condemnation
He was never restored to his relationship with Jesus and he perished in his sin. This is as the apostle Paul writes, the sorrow of the world that produces death.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) There are two types of sorrow revealed in the Bible worldly and godly sorrow.
2) Godly sorrow means you’re really sorry that you sinned against God.
3) Worldly sorrow is only sorry that the person committing a sin has been exposed.
4) True godly sorrow over sin causes us to repent and call out to God for his touch and restoration.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 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. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let’s compare true and false sorrow.
The first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians had the effect of making them sorrowful but this was a good thing. Although they had to confront a man living in incest with his mother yet still wanting to remain in fellowship at the church he refused to repent and was asked to depart the church due to his stubborn refusal to break off a horrible sexual relationship for his own sake and the reputation of the church. What was the result of this discipline? At first the man resisted any change. This was the sorrow of the world. He wasn’t ready to repent he was just sorry he got caught! The good news is that the man eventually did come to see the light of his error and truly repent. He longed to be restored to God and the fellowship of the church and did cease the incestuous relationship in true repentance. He was restored to Christ and the fellowship of the church. The whole ordeal caused the church to also sorrow and grieve over the situation. Paul said this kind of godly sorrow led to repentance and salvation, praise the Lord!
This is really important because godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation but the sorrow of the world leads to death! There is a huge difference. An Old Testament example of someone the had true sorrow for their sin was Kind David. Part of his prayer in Psalm 51:10-11 reads: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Someone with true godly sorrow will be moved to repent of their sin and seek to be renewed in their relationship with God. Let’s look at a couple of other examples of men that experienced both true and false sorrow.
Peter
Peter was called by Jesus personally to follow him.
He experienced the transfiguration of Christ along with James and John.
He was right there when Jesus multiplied the five fish and two loaves to feed a multitude.
I mean the guy literally walked on water at the invitation of Jesus.
Peter even boasted that he would never betray the Lord.
But under pressure, he denied three times that he ever knew Jesus.
The Bible records that Peter wept bitterly.
He was now shattered.
The deep sorrow he felt for his sin was sincere.
All his hyper faith was out the window.
He had publicly denied Jesus.
Now he was broken and consumed with his own sin.
He felt as if he could never be forgiven by Jesus after turning his back on him.
He decided to back to fishing, what he did before he met Jesus
Then Jesus found him after he arose from the dead.
Peter was totally humiliated in the presence of Jesus.
The Lord simply asked Peter if he loved him. To his question Peter answer “Yes Lord you know I love you.” Then Jesus said feed my sheep. We know that Peter was totally restored to his relationship with Jesus and completed the ministry he was called to as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. This was true restoration and it was rooted in the godly sorrow that Paul writes about.
Judas Iscariot
Judas was called by Jesus to be an apostle.
The Lord trusted him as the treasurer of the apostolic team.
Scriptures reveal to us that Judas was a thief and robbed the ministry of Jesus
Judas thought he was getting away with his sin but the Lord discerned his betrayal.
Judas was following Jesus for what he could get out of him.
When Jesus was near the end of his ministry Judas saw an opportunity to deliver him to the priests and make some money.
He agreed to be paid 30 pieces of silver for betraying the location of Christ to be captured.
He approached Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss.
The Roman soldiers took Jesus away to be tried and ultimately crucified.
When Judas realized what he did he returned the money to the priests.
You would think that Judas was sincerely trying to repent but it was the sorrow of the world that overcame Judas not godly sorrow that produced true repentance and salvation.
Judas never really repented but was totally consumed with guilt and to escape he committed suicide by hanging himself.
However, this was totally false sorrow it was just his way of dealing with his self-condemnation
He was never restored to his relationship with Jesus and he perished in his sin. This is as the apostle Paul writes, the sorrow of the world that produces death.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) There are two types of sorrow revealed in the Bible worldly and godly sorrow.
2) Godly sorrow means you’re really sorry that you sinned against God.
3) Worldly sorrow is only sorry that the person committing a sin has been exposed.
4) True godly sorrow over sin causes us to repent and call out to God for his touch and restoration.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll