Verse:        2 Corinthians 7:8, 9 & 10 (2x)

Quote:

5       For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

6       Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

7       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, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

8       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.

9       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.

10     For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

11     For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

12     Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

Subject Who Repented:     The people of the church of Corinth.

Object of Repentance:        The object of repentance is not expressly stated.  Since repentance means "a change of mind," we can only inferentially determine the object of repentance by determining the concepts or propositions about which the Corinthians changed their mind.  Corinth had been a profoundly carnal church, so much so that Paul's first letter to them can be regarded as a "disciplinary letter."  In Paul's first letter, we learn that the Church of Corinth had factions that boasted in being converted by local superstars, as if that made their salvation more impressive (1^st Cor. 1:11; 3:3-4).  They were prideful and puffed up (1^st Cor. 4:6).  They boasted in how tolerant they were to incest in their midst (1^st Cor. 5:1-2).  The men were participating in ritual prostitution at the temple of Aphrodite (1^st Cor. 6:15-20).  Church members participating in animal sacrifice at pagan temples (1^st Cor. 10:19-22).  They had "charismania" (1 Cor. 12), drunkenness and gluttony at the Lords table (1^st Cor. 11:20-22).  They were a mess.  But they had been made sorrowful by Paul's letter, and had repented.  From the context of both epistles, the object of their repentance would appear to be their sinful behavior, and their tolerance of sin.

It is significant to note that sorrow is not equal to repentance.  Their godly sorrow resulted in their repentance.

Consequence of repentance:       They "approved [them]selves to be clear in this matter."  It is noteworthy that, whenever sin is the expressed or implied object of repentance, the context unmistakably denotes some consequence of that repentance other than eternal salvation.  In view of the profound clarity of Scripture on this, it is more than a little curious that such a large percentage of professing Christendom remains persuaded that one must repent of their sins to be saved!

Repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10