Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. 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. 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. (II Corinthians 7:2-4)
Paul concluded his first letter to the church at Corinth by saying, Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. (I Corinthians 16:5-11)
As we've studied previously, the Lord did not permit Paul to return to Corinth. Timothy had delivered the first letter to the church in Corinth. Then he had rejoined Paul. ...they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:8-10) But before Paul left for Macedonia, Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. (II Corinthians 2:12-13)
At some point, Titus caught up with Paul, Silas and Timothy, 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. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 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. (II Corinthians 7:5-7)
God, who comforts the downcast! How reassuring that is. Through our faith, hope and trust in God, we can say just like Paul, I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. None of us want to experience suffering and tribulation, but Jesus promised us "... that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) God didn't promise us that we'll always be happy, but we can always have joy, because joy isn't dependent on what's happening to us; joy is dependent on Who's in us. Thank God that through His Holy Spirit in us, we have ...the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul went on to explain the purpose of that first letter to the church in Corinth. 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. 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. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; (II Corinthians 7:8-10)
Sometimes it may become necessary for us to speak the truth in love, (Ephesians 4:15) or it may become necessary for someone to do the same to us. Whatever the reason for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16) to become necessary, the ultimate goal is not that you were just made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. As we studied in the previous lessons, our ministry given to us by God is a ministry of the gospel of Christ Jesus and a ministry of reconciliation.
Our ministry should lead others to repentance, not just to feeling bad about their sins. ...but the sorrow of the world produces death. 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. 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. (II Corinthians 7:10-12)
If we truly love and care for each other, we will not stand idly by and watch someone continue doing wrong and living outside of the will and Word of God. We will be convicted by the Holy Spirit to tell them where they are wrong, because godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. (Hebrews 12:7-8)
Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:9-11)
Paul had told the church in Corinth, For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. (II Corinthians 2:4) How comforting it must have been for him to get first the report from Timothy, and then an even more reassuring follow up from Titus, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. What more can we ask for, than that our lives, used by God, will lead others to repentance and salvation.
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. 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. And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything. (II Corinthians 7:13-16)
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