Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you:Godly sorrow refers to a deep, heartfelt repentance that aligns with God's will, contrasting with worldly sorrow that leads to death ( 2 Corinthians 7:10). This sorrow is transformative, producing spiritual fruit and leading to salvation. It reflects the work of the Holy Spirit in convicting believers of sin and prompting genuine repentance, as seen in the repentance of Nineveh ( Jonah 3:5-10). What earnestness:
Earnestness here indicates a sincere and diligent effort to correct wrongs and pursue righteousness. This mirrors the attitude of the Bereans who eagerly examined the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). It reflects a commitment to live according to God's standards, demonstrating a change in priorities and actions. What eagerness to clear yourselves:
This phrase suggests a desire to be free from guilt and to restore one's reputation before God and others. It involves confession and making amends, similar to Zacchaeus' restitution (Luke 19:8). It underscores the importance of integrity and accountability in the Christian life. What indignation:
Indignation refers to a righteous anger towards sin and its consequences. This mirrors Jesus' cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-17), where He displayed zeal for God's house. It highlights a renewed sensitivity to sin and a commitment to holiness. What alarm:
Alarm indicates a fear of offending God and a recognition of the seriousness of sin. This is akin to the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). It reflects a reverence for God and a desire to avoid His displeasure. What longing:
Longing suggests a deep desire for reconciliation and restoration with God and others. It echoes the psalmist's yearning for God (Psalm 42:1-2). This longing is a sign of a heart transformed by grace, seeking communion with the divine. What zeal:
Zeal denotes passionate commitment and enthusiasm for God's purposes. It is reminiscent of Paul's own zeal for the gospel (Philippians 3:6). This fervor is a mark of true repentance, driving believers to serve God wholeheartedly. What vindication:
Vindication involves being cleared of wrongdoing and restored to a right standing. It parallels the justification believers receive through faith in Christ (Romans 5:1). This vindication is both a personal and communal restoration, affirming the sincerity of repentance. In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter:
This statement affirms the Corinthians' genuine repentance and transformation. It reflects the biblical principle that true repentance results in a changed life, as seen in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Their innocence is a testimony to the power of God's grace to renew and restore. Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of the letter, addressing the church in Corinth with pastoral concern and guidance. 2. The Corinthian ChurchThe recipients of the letter, a diverse and often troubled congregation in the city of Corinth. 3. Godly SorrowA key theme in this passage, referring to the sorrow that leads to repentance and spiritual growth. 4. RepentanceThe act of turning away from sin and returning to God, which is a central focus of Paul's message. 5. The Previous LetterAn earlier letter from Paul that caused sorrow but led to repentance and change in the Corinthian church. Teaching Points Understanding Godly SorrowGodly sorrow is not merely feeling bad about sin; it is a transformative sorrow that leads to repentance and change. The Fruits of RepentanceTrue repentance produces visible fruits such as earnestness, eagerness, and zeal, as seen in the Corinthian church. The Role of Indignation and AlarmIndignation and alarm are appropriate responses to sin, prompting believers to take sin seriously and seek God's forgiveness. Longing and Zeal for RighteousnessA repentant heart develops a longing and zeal for righteousness, striving to live in a way that pleases God. Vindication and InnocenceThrough repentance, believers can experience vindication and prove themselves innocent, restoring their relationship with God and others. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the concept of godly sorrow differ from worldly sorrow, and what are the implications for our spiritual growth? 2. In what ways can we cultivate the fruits of repentance, such as earnestness and zeal, in our daily lives? 3. How can we ensure that our indignation and alarm about sin lead to positive change rather than despair or guilt? 4. What practical steps can we take to maintain a longing and zeal for righteousness in a world that often promotes the opposite? 5. How can we support one another in the church community to experience and express true repentance and vindication? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 51David's psalm of repentance, illustrating godly sorrow and the desire for a clean heart. James 4:8-10Encourages believers to draw near to God with sincere repentance, similar to the earnestness described by Paul. Acts 26:20Paul's teaching on repentance and turning to God, performing deeds in keeping with repentance. Hebrews 12:11Discusses the discipline of the Lord, which produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those trained by it. Matthew 5:4Jesus' teaching on those who mourn, promising comfort, which aligns with the concept of godly sorrow leading to joy. People Corinthians, Paul, TitusPlaces Achaia, Corinth, MacedoniaTopics Affection, Alarm, Approve, Approved, Ardent, Avenging, Behold, Business, Care, Carefulness, Clear, Clearing, Completely, Concern, Defence, Defense, Demonstrated, Desire, Diligence, Displeasure, Eagerness, Earnest, Earnestness, Effects, Excusing, Fear, Forth, Free, Godly, Grief, Grieved, Guiltless, Indignation, Innocent, Jealousy, Justice, Longing, Mark, Matter, Meting, Point, Produced, Proved, Punishment, Pure, Purpose, Readiness, Reproach, Revenge, Selfsame, Serious, Sin, Sorrow, Sorrowed, Sorry, Sort, Vehement, Vengeance, Vindication, Wiped, Worked, Wrath, Wrong, Wrought, Yea, Yes, Yours, Yourselves, ZealDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Corinthians 7:11 5781 affection
5840 eagerness 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 5970 unhappiness 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 5947 shame 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 8265 godliness Library Hope and Holiness
Having therefore these promises . . . let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'--2 COR. vii. 1. It is often made a charge against professing Christians that their religion has very little to do with common morality. The taunt has sharpened multitudes of gibes and been echoed in all sorts of tones: it is very often too true and perfectly just, but if ever it is, let it be distinctly understood that it is not so because of Christian …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureSorrow According to God
'Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.'--2 COR. vii. 10. Very near the close of his missionary career the Apostle Paul summed up his preaching as being all directed to enforcing two points, 'Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.' These two, repentance and faith, ought never to be separated in thought, as they are inseparable in fact. True repentance is impossible without faith, true faith cannot exist …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Twenty-Fourth Day. Holiness and Cleansing.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'--2 Cor. vii. 1. That holiness is more than cleansing, and must be preceded by it, is taught us in more than one passage of the New Testament. 'Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word.' 'If a man cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ The Power of Sorrow.
Preached June 30, 1850. THE POWER OF SORROW. "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. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."--2 Corinthians vii. 9, 10. That which is chiefly insisted on in this verse, is the distinction between sorrow and repentance. To grieve over sin is one thing, to repent …
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton Sanctification is a Mystery.
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of. God." --2 Cor. vii. 1. Sanctification belongs to the mysteries of faith; hence it can not be confessed but as a dogma. By this statement we intend to cut off at once every representation which makes "sanctification" to consist of the human effort to make oneself holy or holier. To become more holy is undoubtedly the duty which rests upon every man. God has condemned all unholiness, as an accursed …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Implanted Dispositions.
"Perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."--2 Cor. vii. 1. To deny that the Holy Spirit creates new dispositions in the will is equivalent to a return to Romish error; even tho Rome argues the matter in a different way. Rome denies the total corruption of the will by sin; that its disposition is wholly evil. Hence, the will of the sinner not being wholly useless, it follows: (1) that the regenerate does not need the implanting of a new disposition; (2) that in this respect there is no difference …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Brief Memoir of Thomas Watson
Compiled by C. H. Spurgeon Thomas Watson's Body of Practical Divinity is one of the most precious of the peerless works of the Puritans; and those best acquainted with it prize it most. Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Letter xxiv (Circa A. D. 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
To Oger, Regular Canon [34] Bernard blames him for his resignation of his pastoral charge, although made from the love of a calm and pious life. None the less, he instructs him how, after becoming a private person, he ought to live in community. To Brother Oger, the Canon, Brother Bernard, monk but sinner, wishes that he may walk worthily of God even to the end, and embraces him with the fullest affection. 1. If I seem to have been too slow in replying to your letter, ascribe it to my not having …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Nineteenth Day. Holiness and Resurrection.
The Son of God, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead.'--Rom. i. 4. These words speak of a twofold birth of Christ. According to the flesh, He was born of the seed of David. According to the Spirit, He was the first begotten from the dead. As He was a Son of David in virtue of His birth through the flesh, so He was declared to be the Son of God with power, …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ A Glorious vision.
THE Epistle to the Hebrews, this profound and blessed portion of the Holy Scriptures, unfolds a most wonderful vision of the Person, the Glory and the great Redemption work of our adorable Lord. The portion of the Epistle which is the richest in this respect is the Second Chapter. Here is a vista for the eyes of faith which is sublime. Our Lord in His Person, in His humiliation and exaltation, in His suffering and glory, stands out in a way which makes the believing heart rejoice with joy unspeakable …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory Sanctification.
In the last chapter we showed that the doctrine of justification deals with the sinner's change of relation, or change of state. We also learned that faith is the instrumental or applying cause of justification. In another place we showed that true faith presupposes penitence, and this again presupposes a sense and knowledge of sin. Again we showed that penitence and faith are the two essential elements of conversion; that where these elements are found there is a change of heart, and the beginning …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church "My Little Children, These Things Write I unto You, that Ye Sin Not. And if any Man Sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,"
1 John ii. 1.--"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father," &c. The gospel is an entire uniform piece, all the parts of it are interwoven through other, and interchangeably knit together, so that there can be no dividing of it any more than of Christ's coat that was without seam. If you have it not altogether by the divine lot, you cannot truly have any part of it, for they are so knit together, that if you disjoin …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Blessed are they that Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn. Matthew 5:4 Here are eight steps leading to true blessedness. They may be compared to Jacob's Ladder, the top whereof reached to heaven. We have already gone over one step, and now let us proceed to the second: Blessed are they that mourn'. We must go through the valley of tears to paradise. Mourning were a sad and unpleasant subject to treat on, were it not that it has blessedness going before, and comfort coming after. Mourning is put here for repentance. It implies …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 The Work of God in Our Work.
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ."--1 Thess. v. 23. The difference between sanctification and good works should be well understood. Many confound the two, and believe that sanctification means to lead an honorable and virtuous life; and, since this is equal to good works, sanctification, without which no man shall see God, is made to consist in the earnest and diligent …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit The Comforts Belonging to Mourners
Having already presented to your view the dark side of the text, I shall now show you the light side, They shall be comforted'. Where observe: 1 Mourning goes before comfort as the lancing of a wound precedes the cure. The Antinomian talks of comfort, but cries down mourning for sin. He is like a foolish patient who, having a pill prescribed him, licks the sugar but throws away the pill. The libertine is all for joy and comfort. He licks the sugar but throws away the bitter pill of repentance. If …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 How Christ is to be Made Use Of, in Reference to Growing in Grace.
I come now to speak a little to the other part of sanctification, which concerneth the change of our nature and frame, and is called vivification, or quickening of the new man of grace; which is called the new man, as having all its several members and parts, as well as the old man; and called new, because posterior to the other; and after regeneration is upon the growing hand, this duty of growing in grace, as it is called, 2 Pet. iii. &c. is variously expressed and held forth to us in Scripture; …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Its Effects.
Among the effects and benefits which in this life accompany and flow from being filled with the Holy Ghost, may be mentioned the following:-- 1. Courage. "Oh, I could not do so and so--I have not the courage," is a reply frequently made by Christian people when asked to undertake some piece of service or other for the Master. The first point to be settled is, "Is that the Master's will for me?" If so, lack of courage is a confession to the lack of the "Fullness of the Holy Ghost." The Spirit-filled …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life Getting Ready to Enter Canaan
GETTING READY TO ENTER CANAAN Can you tell me, please, the first step to take in obtaining the experience of entire sanctification? I have heard much about it, have heard many sermons on it, too; but the way to proceed is not yet plain to me, not so plain as I wish it were. Can't you tell me the first step, the second, third, and all the rest? My heart feels a hunger that seems unappeased, I have a longing that is unsatisfied; surely it is a deeper work I need! And so I plead, "Tell me the way." …
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan The Acceptable Sacrifice;
OR, THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART: SHOWING THE NATURE, SIGNS, AND PROPER EFFECTS OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT. BEING THE LAST WORKS OF THAT EMINENT PREACHER AND FAITHFUL MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST, MR. JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. WITH A PREFACE PREFIXED THEREUNTO BY AN EMINENT MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN LONDON. London: Sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgates, 1692. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The very excellent preface to this treatise, written by George Cokayn, will inform the reader of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Sanctification.
I. I will remind you of some points that have been settled in this course of study. 1. The true intent and meaning of the law of God has been, as I trust, ascertained in the lectures on moral government. Let this point if need be, be examined by reference to those lectures. 2. We have also seen, in those lectures, what is not, and what is implied in entire obedience to the moral law. 3. In those lectures, and also in the lectures on justification and repentance, it has been shown that nothing is …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology The Christian's Peace and the Christian's Consistency
PHILIPPIANS i. 21-30 He will be spared to them--Spiritual wealth of the paragraph--Adolphe Monod's exposition--Charles Simeon's testimony--The equilibrium and its secret--The intermediate bliss--He longs for their full consistency--The "gift" of suffering Ver. 21. +For to me, to live is Christ+; the consciousness and experiences of living, in the body, are so full of Christ, my supreme Interest, that CHRIST sums them all up; +and to die+, the act of dying,[1] +is gain+, for it will usher me in …
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies Links 2 Corinthians 7:11 NIV2 Corinthians 7:11 NLT2 Corinthians 7:11 ESV2 Corinthians 7:11 NASB2 Corinthians 7:11 KJV
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