Returning from a counseling session, Pastor Dave Dively of Redeemer PCA in Louisville, KY was thrilled to once again see God work through an issue of repentance in the life of a fellow believer. He posted these comments for a number of friends and gave permission for The Aquila Report to publish it with the comment that a more detailed version of the same material is available in the writing of Richard Owen Roberts

2 Corinthians 7:8-11 (ESV)
For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

When Paul heard about serious sin in the Corinthian church, he wrote them. As His epistle, the very word of God, was read aloud in their congregation, a great change occurred. We might call this REVIVAL. It was a change so profound it had to be genuine: it was so life-changing it had to be the work of God. There was a Godly sorrow, not a worldly sorrow.

Godly sorrow begins with God’s word (v. 8 in this case Paul’s letter), and it is God’s work in us (they were grieved into repentance, not they grieved) v. 9. God’s will is that this godly sorrow lead to repentance (v. 10), and the repenting that flows from this godly sorrow is done God’s way (v. 11). That can be seen in the seven steps, or phases, or characteristics, of repentance listed in 2 Corinthians 7:11.

What would EARNESTNESS look like in you? You would begin to take God seriously, and take more seriously your own behavior and the consequences of what you do. You would sense a captivation with, and desire to focus on, this one object, allowing it to take over your heart and mind and soul and strength. Seeing this specific endeavor as a way to return to God and godliness, you would use every legitimate means to serve that object, and labor tirelessly to achieve that end.

It is the exact opposite of the generic casualness of most modern day Christians. It’s that passion that causes some to say, he takes his religion way too seriously. But you would know that GOD WAS ENERGIZING YOU, MOVING YOU as you could never move yourself. You realize you are far worse a sinner than even you thought yourself to be.

What would EAGERNESS TO CLEAR YOURSELVES look like in you? You would immediately want to rid yourself of the danger. Hopefully we have all seen this, even experienced it ourselves, in the early days of faith. It is most evident in the new convert that this is the work of the Spirit of God alone. There is no explanation for it in the ability of man. You may have found that you no longer swore, or wanted to smoke. Sins almost seemed to wither away without your doing a thing. IN RETROSPECT, you know that it was GOD at WORK.

The clearing of yourself is not self-justification, it’s clearing the house of our lives of sin.

What would INDIGNATION look like in you? There would be an element of anger in your heart and mind, a bewilderment how you had been so deceived for so long. You might even hate yourself, certainly you begin to hate your sin and the consequences it has caused. Your anger toward your own sin would keep you from being unduly angry toward others and their sins.

At Pentecost, Peter told the Jews “God made him both Lord and Christ – this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). “When they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren what shall we do?'” (Acts 2:37). Here is repentant indignation. They were indignant with nothing but sin, and indignant with themselves only because they had behaved so badly.

When the Spirit comes and convicts of sin, there is an indignation about former blindness and wasted years of rebellion. A feeling of having been cheated, but an awareness that we ourselves are as much to blame as sin itself.

What would FEAR look like in you? Here, as the NIV translates it, the ‘alarm’ goes off. A vision of God creates in us an awe and reverence not unlike that produced in Abraham and Job, Moses and Elijah, Isaiah and many other OT saints. Like Saul become Paul on the Damascus Road, or John on Patmos who fell before God as though he were dead.

This sense of perspective is essential in the church and in the Christian life. Luke says the early church “throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, continued to increase” (Acts 9:31).

It’s not only the justice of God that ought to arouse fear in us. Consider the greatness of a God who loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son to bring you forgiveness for every sin you have ever committed, which were all against Him and Him alone!

What would LONGING look like in you? You want to be more and more like Christ, for you know that this is your destiny, to be redeemed body and soul at the coming again in glory of your Savior Jesus Christ. And you know in a new and deeper way that the Lord is with you, and sin is no longer welcome. And you find you are able to endure the light and momentary afflictions of this life as you now have your sights set on that eternal weight of glory.

What would ZEAL look like in you? Remember this word was probably the most personal of the seven for Paul, as he used the same word to describe his misguided zeal against the church and Christ before his Damascus road conversion, and his zeal for his fellow Jew’s salvation. It’s also the word used of Jesus, when he cleanses the temple. Your zeal would be a holy jealousy for the church, the body of Christ, its reputation without and its peace, purity and unity within. You would not want your sin to be a blemish on your church.

What would READINESS TO SEE JUSTICE DONE look like in you? You would act the part of accuser, advocate and judge against yourself. Like Zacchaeus, you would be willing and eager to make reparation and restoration for your sins whenever possible. Apologies offered when due, promises made and followed up on to right wrongs.

This is the bouquet of 2 Cor 7:11, the sweet smell of repentance pleasing to God. What is at stake in our taking it up and experiencing its fullness? The Lord has said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Evangelism is very important, but the need of the hour is a revived church of Jesus Christ. When the Church is faithful to God, it becomes a light on a hill, and many are drawn to it. So there are tangible blessings to be had when God’s people live a repentant and trusting life.

But there are also heavenly consequences as well. There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. If one sinner repenting makes God glad, imagine what happened when the church in Corinth turned from their sinful ways toward God!! On earth, godly sorrow producing repentance marked by earnestness, eagerness to clear themselves, indignation, alarm, longing, concern and readiness to see justice done. In heaven joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Won’t you join me in making 2 Corinthians 7:11 your expanded, New Testament 2 Chron 7:14? Let us humble ourselves and pray: ASK GOD TO give you an earnestness to replace that apathy and lukewarmness that set in to your heart and life; ASK GOD TO make us eager to clear ourselves by confessing to Him all our sins so that were the devil to bring an accusation against us before God, God would say my child has already repented of this sin; ASK GOD TO give you a sanctified anger against sin and its sway over you, against yourself and your yielding to it, against the effects of sin in your life, marriage, family, church, workplace, neighborhood, city, state, and world; ASK GOD TO yoke with that anger a healthy and vibrant fear of Himself, making you even more aware of His holiness, the world’s despair, and the amazing nature of grace and the preserving power of hope; ASK GOD TO create in you that longing, desire for your full redemption and glorification so that you will see your Christian life as being made fit for heaven, body and soul, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, ASK GOD TO give you a holy jealousy for the church and Himself; and ASK GOD TO enable you to ice the cake by seeing that justice is honored and your debts are paid.

Repentance is not just the password to enter the kingdom of God. It’s the Siamese twin to faith, and no spiritual person can separate repentance and faith without killing them both. I urge you to commit 2 Corinthians 7:11 both to memory and to use in your relationships first with God, then your fellow man. Fill the heavens with joy at your repentance.