Lesson 15 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 7:2-12
We started chapter 7 by looking back on the fact that God is with us, and that He is so much more than just being with us, He is in us… that of course is through the Holy Spirit being in each believer.
With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have a connection with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then Paul explained that our relationship with the Trinity is so intimate that we can call God “Father,” even call Him “Abba Father.” This is no different than a child jumping into a father’s lap and saying “Hi Daddy.”
For those of us who “have or had” a close relationship with their earthly father, there sometimes comes with it a sense of respect for him as well. At the end of verse 1 of chapter 7 it says, “…perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” this isn’t a one-time decision, but it’s a lifelong journey for every believer.
This pursuit of respecting God is not driven by a fear of punishment by Him, but by having a reverent awe of who God really is. When we truly grasp His majesty, His purity, and His love, we are compelled to live in a way that honors Him.
So, let’s open with verse 2 in chapter 7…
2 Cor. 7:2:
“Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one.”
Open your hearts to us… means that Paul is basically saying to the Corinthians, “please don’t reject us.”
Paul is repeating himself from chapter 6…
2 Cor. 6:11 (NLT):
“Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.”
Paul was facing an uphill battle with the Corinthians because of all the damage that the false teachers had done by indoctrinating their “spiritually immature” minds. When immature believers are introduced to false doctrines, it’s easy for them to be swayed from God’s truth.
The false teachers relied on strategies that catered to human pride and emphasized outward appearances, instead of the true substance of Christ’s gospel message. The false teachers undermined Paul’s authority, ridiculed his hardships, and pursued exalting themselves.
A real example of this would be the rise of the “prosperity gospel” in certain churches, where leaders emphasize wealth, success, and outward appearances over the true message of Christ. This kind of teaching often undermines biblical truth, leads believers astray, and can even cause division within congregations.
In many churches across the U.S. and in Europe, pastors began teaching that faith guarantees material wealth and physical health. This appealed to human pride and desire for status, much like we see with the false teachers in Corinth.
Some churches have allowed teachings that reduce Jesus to nothing more than a “moral teacher,” rather than the Son of God, undermining the core message of the gospel.
Then there is Universalism… the idea that all paths lead to God. This contradicts the uniqueness of salvation through Christ, and has crept into certain congregations. It’s true that all paths lead to God, but where they lead is to His judgment throne.
False teaching in churches today often mirrors what Paul faced in Corinth: they appeal to pride, outward appearances, and self-exaltation. The antidote to this remains the same, anchoring believers in the Scriptures, testing every teaching in contrast to the gospel, and then cultivating spiritual maturity in the congregation so they are not easily swayed.
We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one…
Everything that the false teachers were accusing Paul of doing, they themselves were guilty of… gee, this sounds kind of familiar.
2 Cor. 7:3:
“I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.”
Paul speaks with a heart overflowing as he addresses the Corinthians, he’s saying in effect, “I’m not here to tear you down or condemn you. You are deeply cherished in our hearts, we are bound together in life and in death.”
This phrasing highlights Paul’s tenderness and his deep, covenant-like love for the church. It’s less about correction and more about reassurance, showing that even in his rebukes, his motive was love.
To die together and to live together…
For the Christian, living and dying together is more than an act of grace, it’s the reality of a spiritual bond forged through Christ. This kind of fellowship is not built on convenience or having shared interests, but on the eternal truth that we are one body with Christ. It’s a fellowship so deep that the world, with its temporary partnerships, and self-centered pursuits, simply cannot comprehend.
When Paul spoke of living and dying with the Corinthians, he was expressing the very heart of Christian unity: having a willingness to walk through joy and sorrow, triumph and suffering, side by side. This is the kind of love Jesus prayed for in John 17, that His followers would be one, reflecting the very unity of the Father and the Son.
Phil. 1:7 (NLT) [Paul speaks of this unity]:
“So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.”
Christian unity is not fragile or superficial, it is a covenant bond that mirrors the eternal love between the Father and Son. It also means standing together in joy, sorrow, triumph, and suffering, as one body in Christ.
Take a look within yourself, do you have friendships that fall into this category? If not, the reason may be because you’re not putting yourself out there. The quality of such a friendship takes time and effort, but it’s worth reaching out to others. Such a bond grows as we open our hearts, bear one another’s burdens, and commit to walking faithfully together. In doing so, we mirror the love of Christ, who never leaves us alone in our struggles or our celebrations.
We can find this attitude in the book of Ruth…
Ruth 1:16-17 (NLT):
“But Ruth replied (to Naomi), ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!’”
“Wherever you live, I will live,” …Ruth embraces Naomi’s circumstances as her own. This kind of fellowship means entering into each other’s joys and struggles, not keeping distant when life gets hard.
If this is missing in your life, look for fellowship in places where faith is central… in church small groups, Bible studies, or service ministries. A shared devotion to God creates deeper bonds than just casual friendships.
2 Cor. 7:4:
“Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.”
(NLT) “I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you.”
By this time we certainly have a pretty good picture of the Corinthian believers, and for Paul to come out and say he has the highest confidence in them should raise a few eyebrows. The Corinthians have already shown themselves to be a messy, and often immature church; they are divided, swayed by false teachers, and slow to embrace any kind of correction.
To make sense of Paul’s attitude here, we need to go back to chapter 13, the love chapter.
1 Cor. 13:7:
(Love) “Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
This isn’t about drifting into the world of “positive thinking,” as though good thoughts alone could bring about a change. Paul’s confidence wasn’t rooted in his own outlook or attitude for transforming the Corinthians. Paul knew that true “biblical love” doesn’t force outcomes; it trusts God, it believes in His promises, and hopes for what He alone can bring to pass.
Even in the face of the Corinthians’ unfaithfulness, disloyalty, and sin, Paul’s confidence in them remained firm, not because of their own merit, but through the love he preached about. Paul trusted that God would finish the saving work He had already begun in their lives.
Phil. 1:6:
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
At this point in his ministry, I can picture Paul slipping away for a quiet moment, sitting on a rock, lifting his head back with a laugh, and saying to the Lord, “Thank You for sending me these crazy Corinthians… what a gift they’ve been to me.”
Then Paul says, Great is my boasting on your behalf…
One pastor writes, “That Paul would engage in boasting on behalf of a church filled with immaturity, disloyalty, doubt, and disaffection is amazing.”
Paul’s boasting reminds us that “God’s grace is greater than our failures.”
Where others might only see weakness and inconsistency, Paul saw the evidence of God’s hand at work. This challenges us to look at fellow believers not through the lens of their shortcomings, but through the hope of what Christ is shaping them to become.
I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation…
Filled with comfort and joy… isn’t there a Christmas hymn in there somewhere?
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
This hymn has been sung for centuries, reminding believers that the birth of Christ brings lasting comfort and joy even in the midst of trials.
It’s a beautiful connection… Paul’s words of encouragement to the Corinthians resonate with the same spirit of reassurance and hope that the hymn celebrates at Christmas time.
Let’s look at the Robertson Family:
Phil and Kay Robertson, known from Duck Dynasty, have openly shared about their early years of marriage. Phil struggled with alcoholism and anger, which nearly destroyed their family. Kay prayed faithfully, and eventually Phil surrendered his life to Christ.
• Through trials and tribulations, there were years of brokenness, addiction, and an instability that threatened their marriage and family relationships.
• They found joy in Christ: When Phil came to faith, everything changed. The family began to rebuild on the foundation of Christ. Despite the scars of the past, they found joy in forgiveness, restoration, and serving others together.
• Their testimony became a powerful witness to millions. Even in seasons of public criticism and trials, they’ve continued to speak of the joy they have in Christ. (Sadly, Phil died last May, but now he’s at home with the Lord).
So, what does it take for a Christian to still have joy even though they’re going through hard tribulations?
It’s all about us being anchored in Christ, and not in our circumstances. Joy is rooted in Christ’s finished work, not in whether life feels easy to us. Circumstances in life come and go, but the love of Christ never changes.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:4:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Notice our rejoicing is in the Lord, and not in the circumstance. Believers can rejoice because they know God is in control, even when life feels like it’s gone off the rails.
Romans 8:28 assures us:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
This isn’t some kind of Christian platitude; it’s the truth of God’s Word. Tribulation is temporary, but the joy of eternity is permanent. The troubles of today are fleeting, but the joy of eternity is unshakable, and permanent. Hold fast to hope, because what is eternal far outweighs that which is temporary.
Romans 5:3-4:
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Even when emotions are heavy, the Spirit supplies supernatural joy that transcends our human understanding.
Joy in tribulation doesn’t mean pretending pain isn’t real, the pains of life are very real, but it means trusting that Christ is greater than the pain, that His Spirit sustains us, and that His promises are unshakable. The world cannot understand this paradox, but it is the mark of a believer whose hope is anchored in Christ and eternity.
Paul isn’t denying the reality of hardships, he acknowledges that tribulations take place. Yet his joy and ours, is not diminished by suffering; it is magnified because he sees God’s hand at work in the Corinthians. Paul’s comfort and joy flow from the assurance that God is always faithful, even when circumstances are painful.
2 Cor. 7:5:
“For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.”
This verse takes us back to when Paul had written the “severe letter” to the Corinthians. Paul sent the letter to Corinth with Titus, who was also to bring the Corinthians’ response to his letter. Paul was restless and unable to wait, so he left for Macedonia, just so he could meet up with Titus sooner.
Our verse says, our bodies had no rest… in this we can sense the stress Paul was feeling, and I think this points to how much Paul actually cared about the Corinthians.
But we were troubled on every side…
A lot of Christians see Paul as being some kind of “super hero” of the Christian faith… and I am one of those people, but here we’re seeing Paul wasn’t immune to the same pressures of life we all face as believers. Some suggest this stemmed from the opposition he faced in Macedonia, where certain individuals sought to drive Paul out of the city. To them, he was the agitator who had incited unrest in Philippi, and it is quite likely they exerted significant pressure on him to leave.
As Paul eagerly looked for Titus’s arrival, he was weighed down by struggles within his own heart… our verse says, outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
Fears (Pha-bas), it’s where we get the word phobia… this describes Paul’s intense anxiety over the whole situation going on in the church at Corinth.
Do Christians experience fear and anxiety? Yes, absolutely. Scripture itself records faithful people wrestling with fear: David often cried out about fear in the Psalms (Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you”).
Paul’s example is instructive for us. He didn’t hide his inner turmoil, instead he acknowledged it and turned to God for comfort…
2 Cor. 7:6:
“Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,”
God, who comforts the downcast (meaning the depressed or discouraged). How does God do this?
Psalm 34:18 (NLT):
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Phil. 4:6-7 [God comforts us as we come to Him in prayer]:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer is not just asking for change, it’s experiencing God’s presence in the midst of the struggles we go through.
Passages like Isaiah 41:10 also comfort us, “Fear not, for I am with you,” reminding believers they are not alone.
God comforts the downcast by drawing near to them, speaking to us through His Word, and also by sending people into our lives…
Comforted us by the coming of Titus…
Has God ever sent someone to you at just the right time? It can be a relative, a friend, or even a complete stranger… and they have just the right words to minister to you. It’s one of the ways God demonstrates His love for us: He doesn’t always speak audibly, but He often speaks through the presence and words of others.
In the late 1940s, Billy Graham wrestled with doubts about the authority of Scripture (imagine that). He was a young preacher, but the pressure of ministry and intellectual challenges weighed heavily on him. At a retreat in the San Bernardino Mountains, Graham poured out his struggles to God in prayer. Around that time, God sent Henrietta Mears, a Christian educator, who spoke with him and encouraged him to trust the Bible fully. Her words and faith gave Graham the confidence he needed.
That encounter was pivotal. Billy Graham resolved to preach the Bible as God’s Word, and shortly afterward, his Los Angeles crusade launched him into worldwide ministry. He often credited Henrietta Mears’s encouragement as God’s timely provision for him.
For Paul, Titus’s arrival was a moment of relief and gladness for him. Knowing his companion was safe and being reunited in fellowship, brought deep joy to his heart.
Not only did Titus’s arrival bring Paul relief, but the message he carried lifted Paul’s heart even more. Despite a few lingering concerns, the Corinthians had largely turned back in repentance and reaffirmed their devotion to Paul and the truths he had taught them.
2 Cor. 7:7:
“And not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.”
Paul had written the Corinthians a stern letter, and then he had regretted it. Have you ever sent a letter to someone, and you knew what you sent was the truth, but you later wondered if your words were too strong?
That’s probably what Paul was going through, but God used the letter he sent, and it achieved its purpose, that the Corinthians had repented made Paul a happy camper.
Titus told Paul of their earnest desire or longing. It’s a case where their relationship had been restored, but they just didn’t have the opportunity to shake hands, and hug each other… perhaps giving a holy kiss, which was the custom at the time.
Paul then uses the phrase, your mourning… once they came to their “spiritual senses” we might say, they realized their sin hurt Paul’s heart, and for that, they mourned.
Their zeal was evident… they longed to rebuild their bond with Paul and to stand in his defense against future attacks. Yet it’s worth remembering that these same people had previously slandered him, with no one rising up to support him.
Then Paul seeing that their repentance was for real, and their hearts were true, he says, so that I rejoiced even more.
2 Cor. 7:8:
“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.”
Paul’s letter caused pain, but it was a necessary pain, the kind that leads to growth and repentance.
In the same way, we sometimes face situations with our children, family, or friends, where speaking the truth in love is difficult. It may hurt in the moment, but the goal is restoration for them, and not to bring harm. Tough love is never easy, yet it reflects a genuine caring, because it seeks the other person’s ultimate good.
The sorrow that it caused them, Paul says: though only for a while… the Greek translates this as “for an hour,” today, it’s fashionable to say, “for a minute.”
John MacArthur writes, “The pleasure of sin is brief while the sorrow it produces lasts; the sorrow of repentance is brief, while the joy it produces lasts.”
2 Cor. 7:9:
“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.”
(NLT) “Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.”
The sorrow of the Corinthians wasn’t the shallow kind born of self-pity, bitterness, or wounded pride. It wasn’t the regret of being caught or the devious sorrow that seeks sympathy; rather, their grief led to true repentance and a real change of heart. They didn’t grow defensive, play the victim, or try to excuse their wrongdoing… they owned it all.
This is a reminder for us today: when conviction comes, we must resist the temptation to excuse ourselves or wallow in self-pity, by claiming to be a victim. Taking ownership of something we’ve done wrong can be a freeing experience.
2 Cor. 7:10:
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
Godly sorrow is a gift… it leads us to repentance, and repentance leads to renewal. When we let go of pride and defensiveness, we open the door for God’s Spirit to bring healing and change into our lives. There is no bigger change than that of salvation.
Paul declares, “Godly sorrow leads to salvation,” but we might wonder, weren’t the Corinthians already saved? Yes, they were. So what does he mean that it leads to salvation? The Greek word Soteria, translated “salvation,” carries a broader meaning than simply being born again. In Scripture, salvation encompasses the fullness of God’s blessing, not only eternal life, but also deliverance from bondage, pain, and brokenness in the present. This kind of salvation, Paul explains, is brought about through repentance, and he says, not to be regretted.
But the sorrow of the world produces death…
Worldly sorrow is a heavy burden. It shows itself in wounded pride, self-pity, and dashed hopes. It has no power to heal. Worldly sorrow tends to deepen despair. Left unchecked, it breeds resentment, anguish, depression, and hopelessness. It is sorrow without redemption, which leads to death.
Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2 Cor. 7:11:
“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.”
(NLT) “Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
What makes this verse so powerful is that it highlights the marks of the purity that true repentance brings. Real repentance doesn’t say, “Maybe I’ll handle this next year.” It says, “This is wrong, and I must face it now… with certainty and without compromise, whatever the cost might be.” That is exactly the place the Corinthians came to in their journey.
This surely brought great joy to Paul, as genuine repentance had produced purity among the Corinthian believers, and the transformation was evident in every area of their lives.
2 Cor. 7:12:
“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.”
This is about doing the right thing…
Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. Parents know how tempting it is to ignore the problems they see in their children, but their love for them compels them to deal with those issues through conversation and correction.
Likewise, Paul confronted the immorality in the church, saying, “I did this so you would know how deeply I care for you in God’s sight, and that we truly want you to thrive.”
In our own lives, God calls us to this same courage. Whether in our families, friendships, or communities, love sometimes requires us to speak truth even when it stings. Ignoring sin or brokenness may feel easier, but it is not loving. True love seeks healing, wholeness, and growth… even when the process is uncomfortable.
Our take-away is to ask ourselves… Am I prepared to act in love, embracing the difficult but righteous path, even when it costs me my comfort?
Tonight we’ve talked about Paul having a true heart for the Corinthians. They were a tough group of people to deal with. The solution was love. Paul didn’t just preach love, he lived it.
The other thing that changed the Corinthians was the Word of God. God used Paul’s letters to them as a way to reach their hearts, and the end result was their repentance. Perhaps this message has touched your heart… maybe you need to repent of something, or there’s someone you need to forgive.
The key to salvation is confession and repentance…