2 Corinthians - Joyful Encouragement

Now in 2 Corinthians 7, Paul is finishing what he started to tell us about back in 2 Corinthians 2:12: "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia." Then Paul went into his discussion of his ministry and now he picks it up again to tell us what happened after he got to Macedonia.

Now all of this reads like a great deal of ancient history, I suppose to some people, but really, this is an important chapter because one of the key words in this chapter is the word "encouraged." The word "comfort" in our Authorized translation, which means encourage. Seven times Paul talks about encouragement.

Now you'll recall the background of all of this. There were problems at Corinth and Paul made a painful visit to the church. 2 Corinthians 2:1: "But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same who is made sorry by me?" He’d made a quick visit from Ephesus to Corinth to try to straighten out some of the problems. It had been such a painful experience.

Then he had written a severe letter to them and sent it with Titus. 2 Corinthians 2:4 and 2 Corinthians 2:9, and here in this chapter, 2 Corinthians 7, he talks about the letter that he had written to them. And after he’d sent the letter, he was almost sorry he’d written it, because he knew it would hurt the people to whom he had sent the letter.

Now he’s waiting for Titus to come, and Titus comes, and everything begins to work out. The sun begins to shine again, the clouds are dispelled, and what began as discouragement ends up with joyful encouragement.

Now what I'd like to do is to consider the stages in this experience that Paul went through. There were three stages in this experience that Paul had that ended up with joyful encouragement. And I'm going to take them in chronological order, not in the order we have them here in 2 Corinthians 7. I'm going to start at the end and work our way back to the beginning.

In 2 Corinthians 7:13-16, the church encouraged Titus. Titus showed up in Corinth and the church encouraged Titus. Then Titus encouraged Paul, 2 Corinthians 7:5-7. Paul finally met Titus in Macedonia. And so the church encouraged Titus, then Titus encouraged Paul, and then in 2 Corinthians 7:2-4, Paul encouraged the church. So we have here a spiritual chain reaction, don’t we?

Let's take stage one now, 2 Corinthians 7:13-16, the church encouraged Titus. If you had been Titus, carrying this rather severe letter, going to a church that was in rebellion against God and against God's servant, what would you do? "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 church encouraged Titus by refreshing him and by receiving him. Down in 2 Corinthians 7:15: "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."

So the church received Titus with fear and trembling. Up until now they'd been somewhat arrogant. By the way, that was the way Paul had originally come to Corinth, wasn't it? In 1 Corinthians 2:3 he said, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling." And I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Now it was time for the church to have fear and trembling. Why? They had disobeyed Paul. They had been arrogant. They were like little children who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. They were embarrassed. They were afraid because Titus was the ambassador from the Apostle. He had authority.

But they received Titus. Now there’d been a troublemaker in this church who had opposed Paul. We read about this in 2 Corinthians 2. Created a great deal of difficulty. You know there are in every church, almost every church I guess, those who like to have the preeminence. Those who have to be in charge of everything and making decisions about everything—sort of the local omniscience people. They know everything and they can do everything. And somebody at Corinth was acting this way saying, "We don’t need Paul." They were listening to these false teachers opposing Paul.

So when Titus showed up and they received him, oh, they encouraged Titus. Then they refreshed him. 2 Corinthians 7:13: "his spirit was refreshed by you all." You know some people are sand dunes. They don’t refresh you at all. When you're with them, you feel like time has stood still and you wonder—it's like being in the dentist's chair. Forgive me if you're a dentist, but it’s like being in the dentist's chair. When is this going to end?

There are other people who are not sand dunes; they are just flowing artesian wells. When you're with them, you are refreshed. And Titus was refreshed by these people, not only by their attitude, but by the fact that they obeyed the Word of God. They submitted in fear and trembling. And they rejoiced his heart.

The joy, he tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:13, the joy of Titus, which made of course joy for Paul. 2 Corinthians 7:16: "I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things." So the church encouraged Titus by receiving him, and by refreshing him, by rejoicing his heart and obeying the Word of God.

Well then Titus encouraged Paul. Paul was waiting at Troas and Titus didn't show up. You’ve got to remember they didn't have modern transportation such as we have today, although I’ve taken modern transportation and been delayed many times.

They finally met in Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 7:5: "For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings," from his enemies, "within were fears." This is the great Apostle Paul now. "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus."

Titus showed up. Oh, that was great. Titus could have been killed along the way. He could have been drowned. Anything could have happened, but Titus showed up.

You know, we Christians need to show up to encourage each other. There’s somebody in the hospital that you need to visit to encourage them. There’s somebody who’s shut-in who needs your contact, just to encourage them, just to be with people.

Well, Titus came; that encouraged Paul. Then Titus gave the report. "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," over their sin, "your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more."

Titus came and Titus told how they treated him, and Titus gave the report that they were sorry for their sin. Now in 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, we have the description of their repentance. That’s going to be our next lesson. I want to talk to you about repentance and what it really is. But Titus encouraged Paul.

Now, are you an encouragement to your pastor? Are you an encouragement to your missionaries? Are you an encouragement to your Sunday school teacher? To your parents? Are you an encouragement? Are you the kind of a person who by your coming and by your words brings joyful encouragement?

So the church encouraged Titus, and Titus encouraged Paul. Now Paul encourages the church, 2 Corinthians 7:2-4. "Receive us; open your hearts to us; we have wronged no man." That's a great thing to be able to say. Paul pastored that church for about eighteen months. Not a long time, but he was a missionary pastor, you see. He didn't stay in one place too long.

"We have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man." He said, "You can look at my record. You can look at the whole—it’s right there for you to read. Receive me. You received Titus, now receive me."

And then he says, "Trust me. Trust me. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you." He’d said this back in 2 Corinthians 6:11: "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged." 2 Corinthians 6:13: "be ye also enlarged." Back in 2 Corinthians 3:2: "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts." Oh, how Paul loved them.

He said, "Now you trust me. I haven't wronged you. These false teachers have come in and defrauded you. They’ve been robbing you." I suppose this is a reference to the missionary offering that Titus was collecting. Paul said, "I'm not out to defraud you, or corrupt you, or exploit you. Trust me. Receive me. Love me. I love you. You are in my heart. I would die with you if necessary."

And then he says in 2 Corinthians 7:4: "Rejoice with me. Great is my boldness of speech toward you." You know, the more people love each other, the more open they can be in their speech. When two people love each other, they don’t have to politic, beat around the bush, second-guess each other. They can just open up their hearts and share.

"Great is my glorying of you," I'm bragging about you. "I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation." How about that? It's possible to rejoice in tribulation, isn't it? And Paul is doing it. He says, "Receive me, and trust me, and love me, and rejoice with me." I'm rejoicing because of what God has done there in the church at Corinth.

Well, Paul was reconciled then to these dear people. Oh, he had some battles with these false teachers, but there was reconciliation. And Paul was able to end this section of his letter and then get down to business about ministry. And so I ask you, are you a part of the problem or are you a part of the answer? Are you an encouragement? Are you bringing joyful encouragement to those who minister to you?

Do you know the Apostle Paul was human? Now, we have the idea that these great Christians were sort of plaster saints who were feelingless and emotionless. Oh no. No, the Apostle Paul poured out his heart of love as he wrote 2 Corinthians. And fortunately, the Holy Spirit worked in mighty power and there was reconciliation between Paul and this church.

Well, in 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, Paul talks about the matter of repentance. You remember that he had made a painful visit to the church at Corinth. He’d gone from Ephesus to Corinth, 2 Corinthians 2:1. He said, "I don't want another visit like that one," because he had been confronted by some self-appointed leader in the church who had really created problems, defied Paul's authority and Paul's leadership.

Then Paul had written a rather severe letter to them and he gave it to Titus. And Titus went to Corinth. Paul waited for Titus to come back. Paul waited and waited. He went to Troas, then he went to Macedonia, and Paul and Titus got together, and Titus said, "Everything’s working out, Paul." Paul was comforted and encouraged because they had accepted Titus, they’d accepted the letter, and they had repented.

Well, in 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 he talks about repentance. And we're going to try to answer three questions, three very simple questions: What is repentance? Do Christians need to repent? And what are the evidences of repentance?

“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. 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,” that you might not be hurt by us or suffer loss by us. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of,” little play on words there, “but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

“For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,” there’s a godly sorrow and there’s a worldly sorrow, “what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear.” Paul is listing here their responses, “yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

"Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong,” this was the person who had opposed Paul, “nor for his cause that suffered wrong,” that was Paul and anybody else who was involved, “but that our care for you in the sight of God.” You'll notice many times in 2 Corinthians he talks about the sight of God. He said, "God’s watching. God knows my heart." “Our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.” He said, "I wrote this letter because I loved you. I loved you."

Now, what is repentance? Well, the word that is used in the New Testament simply means to change your mind. To change your mind. To change your mind about yourself. One time you say, "Well, I’m right," and then you repent and say, "No, I’m wrong." To change your mind about your sin. About God. About what God says in His Word.

Now you must distinguish between regret and repentance. In fact, Paul uses two different Greek words in this section that I read. In 2 Corinthians 7:8, the word "repent" is used twice, but it’s the word regret. It’s not the word that is translated repentance. It’s the word regret—to feel remorse about it, to be uncomfortable because I was caught or because, you know, I’m in trouble. So you could read 2 Corinthians 7:8: "For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it."

Now in 2 Corinthians 7:9 and 2 Corinthians 7:10, at least the first time in 2 Corinthians 7:10, it’s the word repentance—to change your mind. "Ye sorrowed to repentance." Now 2 Corinthians 7:10 is a little play on words: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be regretted." There’s that word regret again. You know, many people mistake their regret for true repentance. Regret just is an emotional thing that says, "Well, I’ve gotten caught or I’m in trouble."

Repentance says, "I'm going to do something about it." You see, regret can give you discomfort for a while, but then you kind of forget about it. Real repentance leads to your doing something. Paul calls it godly sorrow that works repentance.

Now the sorrow is not the repentance. The sorrow produces the repentance. So repentance means to change your mind, but it's a change of mind that is deep enough to make you want to change your life. Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now question number two: Do Christians need to repent? Paul was writing to saved people. I say this because I have read books written by well-meaning people who say that repentance is not for this age. Born-again Christians in the church do not need to repent. Well, they do! Jesus said that they do over in Luke 17:3. Our Lord talks about if a brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. So a brother needs to repent.

Here in 2 Corinthians 7, Paul talks about these believers in Corinth repenting. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 12:21, Paul says, "And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed."

Yes, Christians need to repent. Jesus said they do. Paul says they do. John says that they do. When he writes to the seven churches in Asia Minor, eight times he uses the word repent in Revelation 2 and Revelation 3. We need to feel repentance, sorrow for sin—a godly sorrow that leads to a changed life.

Which leads to our third question: What are the evidences of repentance? Well, the sorrow of the world, which is regret, leads to death. It did in Judas' case, and it has in the cases of many people. Many people have just been so covered with remorse and regret, but not repentance, that they’ve committed suicide. They've just ended it all.

Paul says, "Now that's not what I'm talking about. That kind of attitude will kill you." A godly sorrow that works repentance will bring changes in our lives. It leads to action. It leads to doing something to straighten things out.

Notice what happened to these Corinthians, what evidence did they give of sincere repentance? Well, 2 Corinthians 7:11: "ye sorrowed after a godly sort." The Holy Spirit of God brought discipline to them, brought conviction to them. "What carefulness," that means what concern, true concern. They were not flippant about this matter. "What clearing of yourselves," they were eager to make things right. To apologize. To make restitution. Now don't say you've repented if you haven't apologized and made restitution.

"What indignation," that means anger at sin. Hating sin. "Yea, what fear," alarm lest they should be judged. You see, he’d talked to them about the judgment seat of Christ.

Now our sins affect our works. And while I do not believe we're going to face our sins at the judgment seat of Christ, if I have sin in my life that don't repent of and ask forgiveness, it’s going to affect my works. And so I’m going to lose reward.

That's why Paul says to them in 2 Corinthians 7:9, "that ye might receive damage by us in nothing." That you might not suffer loss. Same word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 3:15: "he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire," but he’ll suffer loss, loss of reward.

"And so what fear"—do you have a fear of God today? "Yea, what vehement desire," for Paul to come. Their great desire now for Paul. Once they were against him, now they were anxious to see Paul. "What zeal," they immediately acted and disciplined this fellow who had caused the problem. "What revenge," or what punishment. Now revenge not in the sense of taking vengeance, but the desire to see justice done. To treat people the way they ought to be treated.

"In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter." They took care of the case, they disciplined the offender, and as a consequence, they cleared themselves and they cleared their testimony. Real repentance leads to making things right, because that's what God wants.

What are the evidences of repentance? A changed life, a willingness to make things right and to do what God wants us to do. Perhaps some of us need to repent and to claim God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord.