shalom my dear friends dear brothers and sisters we are going to continue with our study of the book of second corinthians if you have your bibles with you will you please open your bibles to second corinthians chapter seven at this time and thank the lord that we are able to study the word of god and to seek to receive encouragement from our lord yeshua jesus the messiah and of course we can see that in the second letter that paul wrote to the corinthians he is opening his heart towards his brothers and sisters at corinth and although they initially accused him they didn't treat him right they sadly have allowed false teachers to be crept in and allow them to influence the corinthians who were used by the apostle paul the lord used the apostle paul to lead them to the person of the lord jesus the messiah and now the apostle paul wrote them a very severe letter initially and then he now in the second epistle finding comfort in the lord and writing to the believers at Corinth.

And so we are in chapter 7, beloved brothers and sisters. So I'm reading from verse 1 to the end of the chapter, these 16 verses of 2 Corinthians chapter 7. Paul continued to say, 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 to live with you. great is my boldness of speech towards you great is my glorying of you i am filled with comfort i am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation for And when we were come unto Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side without, were fighting within, were feared.

Nevertheless, God that comforted us, 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 towards 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 saw to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive a damage by us in nothing.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world workers death for behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sword what carefulness it wrought in you yeah what clearing of yourself yeah what indignation yeah what fear yeah what vehement desire yeah what zeal yeah what revenge in all things ye have approved yourself 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 year and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus because his spirit was refreshed by you all for if I have boasted anything to him of you I am not ashamed but as we speak all things to you in truth even so our boasting which i made before titus is found a truth verse 15 and his inward affection is more abundant towards you while he remembereth the obedience

of you all how with fear and trembling you received him i rejoice therefore that i have confidence in you in all things well beloved brothers and sisters this is a chapter second corinthians chapter 7 is a chapter that speaks about a consolation and encouragement many times you read this chapter you will find the word comfort or consolation the same word many times from verse 4 onward almost up to the end you will find the word comfort or comforted or consoled or consolation found here in this chapter and what we will learn in this seventh chapter that the apostle Shaul Paul points to a threefold encouragement that he on the one hand received and that Titus

encouraged Paul as well and that the Corinthians encouraged Titus.

In fact the division of 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 is this. First of all verses 1 to 4 Paul encouraged the brethren at Corinth Paul himself is encouraging these believers in the city of Corinth secondly in verses 5 to 10 Titus coming back from Corinth he is encouraging Paul by what he heard from the Corinthian when he visited them thirdly in verses 11 to 16 the Corinthians encourage Titus so you have Paul encouraging the Corinthian Titus encouraging Paul and the Corinthian encouraging Titus what a scene what a wonderful thing you can see the circle of encouragement the apostle encouraging the believers at Corinth Titus come back from Corinth and he is encouraging Shaul Paul.

The Corinthians whom Titus has visited, they encourage Titus. It is so important in the life of God's people that we receive on an ongoing basis an encouragement from God. You know, this is so important. God desired to encourage his people. in the history of his earthly people god encourages the people of israel throughout the ages he gives them a word of encouragement and encouraging his servants and his servants encourage the people of israel and the believers among the people of israel the godly encouraging the young one and the ones that the women and the men and the boys and the girls and this is the very same principle that applies this present day of the church age we need to encourage one another in the things of the lord we need to comfort one another in the things of the lord i'm thinking of the passage that is found in first corinthians chapter 15 just towards the end of the first letter that the apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians he said to them just at the end of the 15th chapter if you remember about the victory that he said thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ he said therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for us much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord in other words we are to encourage one another in the things of the Lord.

It is very similar, the encouragement that we have in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, when the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers concerning the snatching out of the assembly before the tribulation period, and he is promising to them on the basis of the promises of God that the believers that are alive and remain shall not precede them that have already died through Jesus, through Yeshua but when the call will come the dead in Christ will rise first and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the end so shall we ever be with the Lord but at the end of this chapter 1 Thessalonians

chapter 4 he said in verse 18 wherefore comfort one another with these words so God's people need to be comforted at all times and in the second epistle beloved brothers and sisters that Paul is writing to the Corinthians he is responding now that he heard from Titus of his visit to Corinth and a good report that he heard from titus about the change of mind and the change of behavior that happened there at course after shaul paul already wrote them more than one letter really it was the first letter he wrote that is not part of the canon of scripture then we have the second letter he wrote that it is actually first corinthian and

this letter he presents before the Corinthians the sad spiritual condition, a moral and doctrinal condition that was existing in the city of Corinth among the saints of God.

Sad, sad, sad letter. Then there was a severe letter that was written by the Apostle Paul of another letter of correction because the Corinthians did not adhere immediately to the word of the first epistle, so they needed to have this severe letter from the apostle paul but this letter is not part of the canon of scripture that would have been the third letter and now second corinthian is actually is the fourth letter the second letter in the scripture but it is really the fourth letter that the apostle shaul paul wrote to them and this is a letter where he opened his heart he is heavy-hearted he finds comfort in God in the Father of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and he's presenting his heart towards the Corinthian as he writes the 2nd Corinthian and to remind you he said blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah Jesus Christ the Father of mercy the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounded by Mashiach, Messiah, Christ, Christos. There is always comfort that God provide his own people even though there are tribulations and trials and problems.

And here, beloved brothers and sisters, in the seventh chapter the 16 verses we find out of the comfort that apostle Paul received and the thought behind that beloved brothers and sisters is if they would be walking together as the apostles and the Corinthians if there would be any true fellowship among the believers the people of God how can two walk together except they agree and have good fellowship with one another good understanding and basing themselves upon the word of the Lord and the will of the Lord in one's life and if you remember it was Amos who wrote to our forefathers the people of Israel by the word of the Lord and the Lord said

to his own people in verse 2 and 3 of Amos chapter 3 you only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore God is saying to his people Israel I will punish you for all your iniquities I have chosen you alone from all the families of the earth God says to his people Israel and that's why he had to discipline them much more than any other nation because they were his people and he wanted them to live for him to be separated unto him a nation that is devoted to serve him be ye holy for I am holy well he said to them in verse 3 of Amos chapter 3 can two

walk together except they agree well brothers and sisters this is exactly what apostle shaul paul is saying to the corinthians can two walk together except they agree can we walk together with god except we agree with the mind and the purposes of god for his people can two believers walk together except they agree upon the principles that are taught by the word of the lord and so that is where there is a need of aligning one's heart and mind with the will of the Lord and then comfort will come from one another and one for the other as the Lord is the center of the life of God's people.

So notice this, Paul is encouraging the brethren at Corinth in the first four verses of 2 Corinthians chapter 7 and Paul is saying in verse 1 having therefore these promises dearly beloved calling them beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting or setting ourselves apart perfecting holiness in the fear of God notice that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. He is telling them in verse 1, let us cleanse ourselves from all that is of the filthy, that dishonoring the Lord, having therefore these promises. Which promises?

The promises that he already recorded in the previous chapter, chapter 6 of 2nd where we do read beloved brothers and sisters verse 14 of chapter 6 be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion has light with darkness and what concord has christ mashiach with blial or bilial and what part has he that believers with an infidel what agreement has the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God Paul is saying to the Corinthians as God had said and he is recording what God said to his people Israel in days of all as God had said I will dwell with

them and walk with them and I will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty quoting what God had promised to his people Israel in a practical way when they were influenced by the world and its system and idolatry and God says come out from among them be separate says the lord when he was speaking to israel in days of old and the apostle paul took this and applied this now to the

believers in the city of a coin now he's saying to them here's the promises chapter 7 verse 1 having therefore these promises what are these promises is that when we are coming out from this world in a practical way, meaning that we are living life that is honoring unto the Lord, recognizing that there is no fellowship between believers and unbelievers, righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness, Christ and Bilal and infidels and the believers, and recognizing that God's people are the temple of God, and there is not agreement between the temple of god and idolatry which existed and practiced even by those who claim to know the lord jesus the messiah in the city of corinth

and he says live this kind of lifestyle oh yeah there were believers there were saints chapter one tells us that they've accepted the lord yeshua jesus the messiah as their lord and savior yes but they fell into practical immorality dividing themselves one from another fighting and arguing and abusing the gifts that God had given to them sexual immorality taking one another to court all these things that they were supposed to turn away from because God had already saved them they fell back into it and you can see beloved brothers and sisters that it is one thing to be a child of god what we call a messiah a christian a messiah follower but it is

another thing to live it out and how often we fail in living this out in our life in a practical way so you see the promises were given if you will separate if you will come out from among them chapter 6 and verse 17 that does not mean to be proud and arrogant that does not mean to be self-centered and not caring for souls no of course not but to live this kind of lifestyle that dishonor the lord and follow after the lord jesus the messiah and live a godly testimony here in this world and he promised that he will receive them and he will be a father unto them and they will be their

sons and daughters now we have to understand they are already positionally the sons and daughters of the father that is what we know already from the lord who said as many as receive him to them he gave the authority to be called the children of god even to them that believe on his name but again it is one thing to be a child of god positionally truly born again born of the spirit of god but it is another thing to live it out in our life to work out the salvation that we already have you remember what john said in first john chapter 3 behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon us

that we should be called the children of god therefore the world knoweth not because it knew him not beloved now are we the sons of god and he does not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is that's the beauty of knowing that we belong to him but brothers and sisters and dear friends we are no different than israel historically the church is not different than israel the church has much more responsibility than even the nation of israel because the true church has also the spirit of god indwelling every believer the complete canon of scripture the

risen messiah who is already in heaven the indwelling of the holy spirit that is indwelling every true believer there is far greater responsibility that is placed upon the believer today in the church age than on the nation of Israel prior to the coming of the Mashiach.

But nevertheless, we are called, Paul called the Corinthians to recognize, having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from numbers, notice that, number one, all filthiness, and it is all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God now it is also very interesting that he distinguishing here between the filthiness of the flesh and the filthiness of the spirit now we can say the filthiness of the flesh is the filthiness the sins that we commit as believers in our body and the filthiness of the spirit is the sins that we commit in our mind and the spirit and the soul which nobody perhaps see or know only God

knows and we can even distinguish between because the filthiness of the flesh are things such as fornication idolatry murder and drunkenness and all these things that we act in the flesh in our bodies with our hands and our feet that we are doing actively healed but the filthiness of the spirit are more things that are not done outwardly but are in our hearts such as pride and hatred and selfishness and jealousy all these things that are in our hearts that it might give us the assumption oh i did not do what this done whether it come to idolatry and murdering or fornication or drunkenness and theft and so on but we have it in our

hearts and you see beloved brothers and sisters how true it is that there is the filthiness not only of the body of the flesh but also of the spirit the mind in our hearts and our thoughts and oftentimes dear brothers and sisters there is more damage that is being done by the sins of the spirit more than the sins of the flesh and that's why if you remember the apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 7 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing he said if the Lord did not say thou shall not covet nobody knows nobody sees only God knows I would not know that I'm a sinner

and that is the truth and that is the lesson that the apostle Paul is seeking to communicate here with the believers at Corinth you see beloved brothers and sisters we read in verse 48 of matthew chapter 5 be therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect in other words be full development mature grow up and of course the standard is high be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect how is it possible well we are already perfect positionally but God could not give us any lower standard although we are not perfect and we are not our thoughts pardon oftentimes are not pleasing to the Lord our action oftentimes are not

pleasing to the Lord but the call of the Lord and the challenge of the Lord for all his people is to be therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect high standard because God is holy be holy for I am holy notice that again I'm reading verse 1 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1 having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us clean ourselves of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit listen perfecting this is what we read in Matthew 5 48 perfecting holiness be holy for I am holy in the fear of god that's the call for god's people and so now in verses two three and four of second corinthians

chapter seven paul is speaking to the corinthians and he's saying to them in verse two receive us because we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man in other words Paul is saying you know you need to receive us as we are we haven't done anything wrong to you Corinthians oh yes there are those that are influencing you and telling you certain things about us these are mentioning later on in second Corinthians chapter 11 the ones that are speaking against Paul and when they are saying they are false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of christ and no marvel paul is saying in second corinthians chapter 11

verse 13 and 14 no marvel for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light so these false apostles transformed themselves gave an appearance gave an assumption that they are godly, sent from God, but they have turned you against us.

Paul is saying in verse 2, receive us. We didn't wrong any money. We didn't corrupt any man. We didn't defraud anyone. Verse 3, continuing, he said, I do not condemn you, he is saying, I speak not this to condemn you, For I have said before that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. In other words, the reason that we say what we say to you, it's not for your hurt. We love you. You are in our hearts. When we die, when we live, you are in our hearts and our hearts is with you. I'm not writing this and saying this in order to just condemn you and judge you.

without my heart in love with you no but ye are in our hearts to die and to live with you he continues and he says in verse four great is my boldness of speech towards you great is my glorying of you Paul is saying I am filled with comfort and I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And so, beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul, in verse 4, is saying that he's speaking boldly to the Corinthians. Why? Because he loves them. He's glowing in them because he was used by the Lord to lead them to come to know the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, as their Lord and Savior.

he's filled with comfort and he's exceedingly joyful even he's going through tribulation he still have this joy in hebrew the word is a simcha and he also have this comfort and that comfort is a paraklesis in the greek and in hebrew nechama the same word that we found in chapter 1 verse 3 4 and 5 so he says even in our tribulation and you remember beloved brothers and sisters we read already in chapter 6 verse 4 to 10 but in all things we approve ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience in affliction in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonment in tumulets, in labors, in watchings, in fasting, by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and by dishonor, by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet always rejoicing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

Paul is saying here in this fourth verse where he says we are exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation wow wow when you really think about it beloved brothers and sisters what an amazing son of of the lord the apostle paul was and how he is encouraging the brothers and sisters at corinth to understand that he loved them he cared for them and that he's writing what you're writing there not because he's careless towards them actually he loved them he doesn't want to condemn them he actually wanted to understand that he did not wrong anyone he did not corrupt anyone he did not defraud anyone he loved the corinthians and he wanted them to understand that

whatever he wrote to them earlier was only for their benefit because they were actually in the wrong and so now beloved brothers and sisters that verses one to four portion in the seventh chapter that deal with paul encouraging the brethren at corin showing them how much he loved them in spite of the way in which they have treated him now in verses 5 to 10 Titus returned back from his visit there and he gave the apostle Paul the report and Titus actually encouraged Shaul Paul by the report that he gave and so we read in verse 5 Paul points to the fact that he had no rest as he was serving the Lord in other

locations.

He says in verse 5, For when we were coming to Macedonia, you can find it in Acts chapter 16, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Without, we're fighting. Within, we're filled. Notice that as he was traveling in the ministry and reaching out with the gospel to many, there was trouble. There was outside, there were actually, as it says here, there were fighting, those who fought against him. Then on the inside, in his own heart, there were fears. You know, you would think the Apostle Paul was fearless. Well, he may have been fearless, but all the fearlessness that he had was given to him by God.

Because humanly speaking, he does say here in verse 5, within were fears. When you really think about what it meant for him to preach the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentile world and opposition against him and opposition from his own Jewish brethren, because he always went to the Jewish people first. He said this to the Romans, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, and to the Jew first, and then also to the Greek, to the Gentiles. So wherever the Apostle Shaul Paul went to any city, any town, first of all he went to Beit HaKneset, to the synagogue.

where our Jewish people will gather together every Shabbat day and actually every day of the week in many locations to read from the Torah, the Lord, the Word of God, and the Prophets. But because Paul came and showed that Yeshua, Jesus, is indeed that promised Messiah, many oppose him. And he was persecuted by them. But to remind you that he, before he believed in Jesus the Messiah, he was persecuting his own jewish brother and earlier also he knows that so he's saying here in verse 5 that he had no rest as he was traveling in macedonia he continued to say in verse 6 beloved brothers and sisters god is the one that comforted him through titus and how beautiful it nevertheless god that comfort us this is chapter 1 verses 3 4 and 5 god that comforts those who that are cast down he comforted us by the coming of titus well apparently titus was sent to corinth to the city of corinth to visit the assembly of the believers there And he shared with them, he told them what Paul had on his heart towards them and how Paul was very sad with the men that were by they were living.

Paul now received a report from Titus, a good report that really comforted the apostle Paul. God used Titus to comfort Paul by bringing the good report from the city of Corinth. That teaches us so much, brothers and sisters and dear friends. Used by the law to bring comfort to others. Don't you think we all need to be comforted? How sad it is when we are not comforting one another. We are all guilty in that we fail so much in this area of the need to comfort one another. Sadly, we fail in that so much, beloved brothers and sisters, and may the Lord have mercy on us and help us to have this attitude of comforting the believers and even the unbelievers, to comfort them with the love of God as we share the gospel with them as well.

And so now that Titus came, used by God to comfort the Apostle Paul, we read in verse 7, Titus was comforted himself by the Corinthian believers. And so we read in verse 7, and not by his coming only, I'm not only comforted by his coming and giving me the report about what you think of me now, But also with the fact that, but I was comforted when I heard that he, this is Titus, was comforted in you. Can you imagine? Look at this. Paul was so happy that the believers in Corinth comforted Titus. Not only comforting Paul, but comforting Titus. That was a comfort to Shaul Paul.

Now, you know, that teaches a lot. That teaches so much. You see, if there's anything that God hates, He's sowing discord among brethren. He said this to Israel years ago, beloved brothers and sisters, that God hates, He doesn't hate people, but He hates sin. And God hates when there is pride and arrogance. Listen to this. In Shlomo HaMelech, the king of Israel, Solomon said in verse 16 of Proverbs chapter 6, These six things does the Lord hate. Yes, seven are an abomination unto him. And listen to the list. A proud look, a lying tongue, a hand that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imagination, feet that swift to run to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

You notice that? These six things does the Lord hate, yet seven are an abomination unto him. And what is the seventh one? Is he that soweth discord among brethren. On the other hand, how wonderful to see what a comfort is given to God's people when the opposite is happening. Instead of sowing discord among brethren, sowing comfort among brethren, sowing blessing among brethren. That would comfort Paul and that would comfort even others when you hear about brethren united together. brethren are united together. How we need the Lord's help in this, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends. And so here we are. In 2 Corinthians chapter 7, Paul is saying in verse 7, and not by Titus coming only, but by the comfort or consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, When he told us, your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind towards me, so that I rejoice the more.

In other words, Paul understood from Titus, who was comforted by the Corinthians, who told Titus that they have an earnest desire, they are mourning, their fervent mind is towards me, Paul. It was towards himself. In other words, the Corinthians changed their behavior, changed their thoughts. Now, they are no longer accusing him. They are no longer against him. They are no longer dissatisfied with him. They are no longer against Him because they realize their wrong doing and their wrong feeling earlier. And they change their mind. You know, beloved brothers and sisters, it is so rare to see this today. Sadly to say, when there is friction among believers, it is very, very, very sad when believers cannot continue to follow the Lord together.

And when there is a friction and division among the people of God how sad it is that this break and ultimately separation and ultimately divisions and that's how a new group, new church group, new congregation new assembly group, new assemblies happen and so on That's the cycle, the vicious cycle that happened in history, Israel history and church history. Look at the way today, look at the condition of the church today. Look at the condition of the church today. How many groups of people who claim to believe in Jesus the Messiah, the division that exists today, almost every name under heaven for a different group of those who call themselves followers of Jesus and within them there is further division and further division and further division and only God knows when the end will be.

And it is only when we turn back to the Lord and ask for His help and grace that we are able to make changes in our little corner, Never mind somewhere else. And how we must be before the Lord in prayer for His mercy. To help us. To change our hearts. To be broken before Him. To realize that we all have fault in this. And to look first of all, search me oh Lord and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in a way everlasting. David say and we all have to say to our own hearts.

How can two walk together except they agree? God said to his people Israel. It is the same thing. In every dispensation, in every era, when two do not agree and when pride rises and then the flesh rises, the sins of the flesh and the spirit rises, then we are unable to walk together. We are unable to walk with the Lord, even to have fellowship with the Lord. If any man say that he have fellowship with the Lord and walk in darkness, he is lying and the truth is not in him. May the Lord help us, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends. And so Paul continues and he says in verse 8, he says, He do not forget that his letter that he wrote to the Corinthian, listen to that.

We read in verse 8, For though I made you sorry, he says, with a letter. Notice that? He's speaking about the earlier letter. And as we mentioned, there was another letter between 1st Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians. It was a severe letter. And that was a severe letter over and above 1st Corinthians, which was severe in itself. Because of the condition at Corinth.

so he says though i made you sorry with a letter he said i do not repent i don't regret it he said though he continues that i did regret or repent another one he's saying i don't regret that i wrote you this severe letter but yet i regret that i wrote you this severe letter why because on the one hand he didn't want to harm them or in a sense he didn't want to say things that will seemingly outwardly affect them he wanted just to have a blessing to be a blessing to them but that letter that he wrote to them made a change in their hearts the lord used it you see and the

lord used this letter and the change did happen a change did happen and so he says in verse 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 that same letter had made you sorry though it were but for a season in other words you see the letter that he wrote to them earlier was used by god to make them sorry for the wrong that they were doing and for the life in which they live and it caused them to change and that's why he said though he wrote them he was sorry that he wrote the letter but he's really

not sorry because the lord used that letter to benefit the corinthians it has made you sorry though it were but for a season in other words they regretted it they confessed their sins they repented and they changed that's what we need to do.

You remember 1 John 1, 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is the ministry of the Lord by the Spirit of God. Because after all, we belong to him. We belong to him. And so we read, beloved brothers and sisters now in verse 9 now i rejoice not that you were made sorry but that ye sorrow to repentance you see sorrow to repentance sorrow that cause you to bring you into a change of behavior that comes out of a heart that repented before God. It's not only I'm sorry that I'm punished, but I'm sorry that I've done it.

It was wrong. And I repent of it. The sin which does so easily beset us. And so in verse 9b he says, For ye were made sorry, Notice after a godly manner that ye might receive a damage by us in nothing. In other words, when there is godly sorrow, that godly sorrow cause us to change our direction and behavior. And it's not for our damage, it's for our good. We always read this verse, Romans 8, 28, 4, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Well, God have a purpose for you. God have a purpose for me.

God has a purpose for his people. Well, all things work together for good. Sometimes correction had to be our way and that will work for our benefit if our sorrow will be a godly sorrow after a godly manner. And the purpose behind it is not to cause damage but for our own benefit. All things work together for good. And so Paul continued in verse 10 and he said, For godly sorrow worketh repentance. True, godly sorrow will bring about repentance. Repentance, it's come from the word in the Hebrew, tshuva. Tshuva means an answer. Or lashuv in Hebrew means to turn back. How many times we read in the Hebrew scriptures, Turn ye, turn ye, God is saying to Israel, turn ye from your evil ways.

In fact, the book of Zechariah began, began, beloved brothers and sisters, the whole book of Zechariah, the Lord is speaking to his people of Israel and he is beseeching them. He is asking from them to turn away, to turn to him. We do read in chapter 1 of the book of Zechariah, where God is saying, Turn ye unto me, sayeth the Lord of hosts, verse 3, and I will turn unto you, sayeth the Lord of hosts. Shuvu elai, shuvu elai, shuvu elai, shuvu elai, shuvu elai, mean to turn back, return to me, turn around. Turn unto me, sayeth the Lord of hosts, and I will return unto you, sayeth the Lord of hosts.

He is speaking to Jerusalem, to the people of Israel. What a wonderful call of the Lord for his own people, beloved brothers and sisters. And so we read in verse 10, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. godly sorrow is not the sorrow of the world the sorrow of the world is saying well I'm sorry that I got hurt and so on but continuing in the own way godly sorrow is a sorrow that says God I have sinned before you I am wrong and I want to turn around and to follow after you to thank God for the Lord Jesus the Messiah who loved us and gave Himself for us to turn God to the Lord Jesus the Messiah who had saved us washed our sins away.

Now notice again godly sorrow worked as repentance to salvation we can look at that in two ways. For the unbeliever who do not yet know the Lord Jesus the Messiah godly sorrow repenting of our sins confessing the Lord Jesus the Messiah as our Lord and Savior provide for us salvation. Eternal salvation. But also for the believer, now that he's already saved, godly sorrow works repentance unto day-by-day deliverance, salvation from evil direction, from evil lifestyle. And then it says at the end of verse 10, it is not to be repentance of. In other words, it's godly sorrow working repentance, to turn back to the Lord so the person will not change back and live again the same kind of lifestyle as he lived before.

Not going back to the world because the ways of the Lord is better and the way of the world worketh ultimately this. For the unbeliever who rejects God's salvation through the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the way of the world will lead to eternal death, eternal separation. For the believer who is already saved and if he or she do not turn back to the Lord with a godly sorrow, any worldly sorrow will not help them spiritually. There will be deadness in their spiritual life. There will be lack of joy, lack of enjoyment of fellowship with the Lord. So, beloved brothers and sisters, 2 Corinthians 7, verses 1-4, Paul encouraging the brethren, the Corinthians.

Then verses 5 to 10, Titus came back from the brethren, from the Corinthians, and he is encouraging Paul. And now from verse 11 to verse 16, the Corinthians are the ones that encourage Titus. And Paul is dwelling on that here in verses 11 to 16.

says godly sorrow cleared the corinthians wrongs it says in verse 11 for behold this self same thing that he sorrowed after godly sword said look what happened what carefulness it wrought in you what clearing of yourself yeah what indignation yeah what fear yeah what vehement desire yeah what zeal yeah what revenge in all things ye have approved yourself to be clear in this matter Paul is saying to the Corinthians he says what a change it caused in you this self-same godly sorrow this sorrow which is sorrow beloved brothers and sisters he's saying to the corinthians after god be sown look what happened it caused you to be careful it caused you to be clearing in

yourself from all the things that were wrong it caused you to be to have indignation against that which is sinful it caused you to really have fear the fear of god it caused you to be to have vehement desire sincere strong desire for the things of god it caused you to have a zeal for the lord jesus the messiah it caused you to have revenge against the wrong that you have done in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter so behold he says this same thing that ye sawed after godly sawed cause you to be careful, cause you to be clearing of yourselves, cause you to be indignant against that

which is wrong, cause you to have the fear of God, vehement desire, sincere desire to follow the Lord, and zeal for the Lord, and ultimately, as it says here at the end of verse 11, where it's speaking about the what revenge in all things you have approved yourself to be clear of this matter that's interesting word here revenge in another translation it says what zeal what vindication vindication that that vehement desire vindication or a readiness to punish wrong to discipline wrong and to in a godly way readiness to to see justice that being done that's what it's a concern and and that which is right to be done that's what they are speaking Paul is

speaking to them that's what they have done by having godly sorrow and so in verse 12 Paul wrote this strong letter for the benefit of the corinthian corinthian is mentioning this in verse 12 wherefore though i wrote notice that he's always speaking about the letter that he wrote earlier 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 in other words Paul is saying we wrote to you I did not write this letter to you earlier because I wanted to influence you about your dealing with the

person that have done something wrong and most likely beloved brothers and sisters this second corinthian chapter seven is speaking about those that have done wrong he's speaking about the fact that he's not specifically writing about one individual person that they've done wrong but he's writing to them in general that that is not the right way to behave when they behave in a wrong way in a sinful way when they were against paul when they were living a sinful life when they were not judging themselves Paul said wherefore though I wrote unto you I did it not for his cause that had done this wrong or that wrong nor for his cause that suffered wrong but

that our care for you in the light of God might appear unto you so notice there is one that had done wrong and there is one that caused the suffering of the wrong.

In other words, there are those that have done wrong one to another, one received the wrong, one that gave the wrong. And Paul is saying, listen, I wrote to you this letter in order that our care for you will be evident in the sight of God, that you will understand that we care for you, we love you, We want your benefit, and that's why we wrote you this letter. So in verse 13, Paul was comforted by the Corinthians, comforted themselves. He said, therefore, we were comforted in your comfort. Yeah, and exceedingly, the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

So Paul is mentioning in verse 13, he was comforted by the fact that the Corinthians were comforted. And also by the fact that Titus was refreshed in his spirit by the Corinthian believers. That gave joy to the Apostle Paul.

Therefore, he's writing in verse 14, for if I have boasted anything 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 Paul boasted of the Corinthians before Titus and he's really saying you know I boasted yes about you because Paul loved them he had much to say about them so he was speaking he was boasting in the Corinthians because they had such a wonderful beginning and everything was so refreshing at first until things went sour and then he said I'm not ashamed but as we speak all things to you in truth he said even

so our boasting which I made before titles is found the truth another whatever I say about you boasting about you how much I care for you I love you how much I want your benefit he boasted in the Corinthians and he has a right to do so you know when a leader when a spiritual father Abba he loves his children and he has a lot to boast in them when they're walking with the Lord this is my child this is the one I led to the Lord I love him and I want the best for him and i'm sad if he or she turn away but i want you to know how much i care

for them how how he started well how he walked with the lord how she walked with the lord how wonderful things were so boasting walk with the lord so paul is saying i told the truth to timothy what i thought about titus i told to titus about you and i was thankful to say this about you and so as he conclude this chapter in verses 15 and 16 titus remembered the corinthians obedience and so paul is reminded of what titus told him and his reward affection is more abundant towards you while he remembered this is titus he remembers the obedience of you all how with fear and trembling, ye received him.

I rejoice, verse 16, therefore, that I have continuance and confidence in you in all things. I have confidence in you. Now that Titus came and gave me this report, his inward affection is more abundant towards you, while he remembered the obedience of you all. And Paul was told by Titus, he said, listen, Brother Paul, when I was with the Corinthians, I remember of their obedience to what I told them and how you care for them, you love them, and that the letter that you wrote to them, you wrote them in order to cause them to see the things of the Lord so that two can walk together and agree concerning the spiritual direction in which they live in their lives.

So Paul is saying, he said, I was so, I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things, as he concludes this seventh chapter, beloved brothers and sisters. This is such an encouraging chapter because Paul began this second letter to the Corinthians by opening his heart, by exposing himself, by sharing with them of the sorrow that he had experienced here in this world, by his sadness when they were allowing false apostles to influence them against him, to accuse Paul instead of being thankful for Paul. But now he's saying to them in chapter 7, I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things.

That is how the seventh chapter of 2 Corinthians is closing in verse 16. I rejoice, Paul is saying. I rejoice that I have confidence, he say, in you in all things. What an amazing portion of Scripture we have here in 2 Corinthians chapter 7. So, beloved brothers and sisters, verses 1-4, Paul encouraged their brethren, the Corinthian brethren. Verses 5-10, Titus encourages Paul. Verses 11-16, the Corinthians encouraged Titus. And may the Lord help us to be used by the Lord to encourage one another. how wonderful it will be if the Lord will speak to our hearts and mellow our hearts and help us to judge ourselves, to confess and to repent of our sins and to turn to Him and to be a blessing to the people of God, my dear brothers and sisters.

May He help us to do so. And so, until the next time, God bless you, my dear friends. We say to you, Shalom, Shalom.