Bible Reading2 Corinthians 7 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 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. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 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. 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. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 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. 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. 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. For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. 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. I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.”
[01:09]1 Corinthians 5:1 “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.”
[08:38]John 10:11-14 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
[03:18]2 Corinthians 11:23-27 “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
[05:16]Observation questions- In 2 Corinthians 7, what words show that Paul was both deeply affectionate and also willing to speak boldly to the Corinthians?
- According to 2 Corinthians 7:5-7, what specific things comforted Paul when he was troubled on every side? [06:23]
- In 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, what are some of the results Paul lists when sorrow is truly godly and leads to repentance? [29:58]
- What was the sin named in 1 Corinthians 5:1, and how does that help explain why Paul’s earlier letter had to be so strong? [08:38]
Interpretation questions- Paul says, “I speak not this to condemn you,” and then says, “great is my boldness of speech toward you.” What does that show about the difference between condemning someone and lovingly confronting them with truth? [12:46]
- Jesus describes the good shepherd as one who knows the sheep and gives his life for them. How does that help explain Paul’s words, “ye are in our hearts to die and live with you”? [03:18]
- Paul says he rejoiced, not because the Corinthians felt bad, but because they “sorrowed to repentance.” What does that reveal about the real purpose of conviction in a believer’s life? [27:09]
- Paul says the Corinthians “approved yourselves to be clear in this matter” and later says he had “confidence in you in all things.” Why does thorough repentance restore confidence and unity better than partial repentance does? [42:20]
Application questions- Truth sometimes hurts, but it hurts better than lies. When was the last time Scripture or loving correction exposed something in your life that you would rather have ignored? How did you respond? [13:51]
- Godly sorrow does not stop at feeling bad; it moves toward repentance. Is there an area where sorrow has been present, but repentance has been delayed? What would it look like to take an honest step toward getting that right? [27:09]
- Open rebuke can be real love. How do you usually respond when someone brings a hard truth to you—defensiveness, distance, silence, or honest self-examination? What might need to change in that response? [36:07]
- Paul describes repentance producing carefulness, indignation, fear, zeal, and revenge against sin. Which of those seems most lacking right now in your fight against sin, and why? [32:43]
- Repentance gets everything right, not just the part that is easiest to deal with. Are there any “favored sins” or hidden compromises that are being left untouched while attention stays on more obvious issues? [42:20]
- Faithfulness refreshes the church. Does your current walk with God tend to strengthen and refresh other believers, or does it quietly drain and discourage them? What kind of fruit is your life bearing in the people around you? [39:04]
- Paul was comforted when he saw that the hard labor and suffering of ministry had borne fruit in the lives of God’s people. If someone who has prayed for you and invested in you looked at your life right now, what signs of growth would encourage them most? [20:47]
