“Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance; for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong, nor on account of the one who was wronged, but in order that your zeal for us might be made known to you before God. In this we find comfort.” 2 Cor. 7:9-13

Notice what Paul says here: that their sorrow in itself was not the cause of his rejoicing; but the nature of it, and the effect of it made him rejoice. Why? As we often feel ourselves, it is our sorrow for doing something for which we feel sorry that our seeking forgiveness begins. And the fact that they feel sorrow is not something that should last a lifetime —something for which to beat themselves up over again and again. It is to last but for a season; it was turned into joy, and that joy was durable.

Two things to notice here: first, true repentance often is preceded by feeling really, truly awful about what we have done that deserves our repentance. The awful feeling is not repentance itself, but it is a good first step toward genuine repentance, and in some sense the cause that produces repentance. We, the offender, felt really awful, and we were swallowed up for a time in that sorrow; and the presence of the Holy Spirit is calling us to repentance. But this sorrow, this feeling really awful should move beyond just feeling really bad — for if it does not, then that is not repentance. The part of our feeling really, truly bad is akin to a broken and contrite heart the Psalmist speaks of: The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

Second, when we repent, this immediately leads (or is supposed to) to a change of life and our actions. The Corinthians made it evident that their sorrow was a true and godly, which led them to repentance, because it caused them to put away the behavior/feeling/action, and so freed them.

Most importantly, at least to this pastor, is that it wrought zeal, a mixture of love and anger, a zeal for change and a new direction. They were truly penitent, and therefore clear of guilt before God, who would pardon and not punish them; and they ought no longer to be reproved, much less to be reproached, for what they had truly repented of.

This, my friends, is what is meant by true repentance.

Pastor Dave

“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.” 2 Cor. 7:1-7

There is a cleansing that only G-d can do in our lives, and that comes through the forgiveness of sins – the absolution as we call it. There is also a cleansing that G-d wants to do in cooperation with us – a cleansing that can only come from looking within. Here, Paul writes about a cleansing that isn’t just something G-d does for us as we sit passively; this is a self-cleansing for intimacy with G-d that goes beyond a general cleansing for sin – we can talk about this cleansing in three parts:

First, there is the cleansing that comes to us as we trust in Jesus and His work on our behalf. This work of cleansing is really God’s work in us and not our work – but comes in a relationship of trust – empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Second, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, we allow our will to be bent to the will of G-d – this is not our work apart from G-d, but it is a work that awaits our will and effort: let us cleanse ourselves through our service for G-d.

Third, again in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, we cleanse our hearts by living lives not indulging in all kinds of impurities and evil, but instead seeking what is holy and right – which brings glory to G-d.

Pastor Dave