Unregretted Sorrow Series

II. THE EARNESTNESS OF REPENTANCE, 11-13a.

Verse l1 uses the Corinthian¡¯s church¡¯s sorrow as an example of godly sorrow. ¡°For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you; what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

The exclamation ¡°behold¡± carries the apostle's ring of exultation to the Corinthians response to the conviction of God. The genuine sorrow produced seven or eight characteristics of repentance. Each of the following nouns conveys repentance's fruit in stark contrast to their former carelessness and indifference.

First was an earnestness or concerted effort to make amends. They were eager to vindicate or exonerate themselves. They rose up to give an account of themselves concerning their actions where previously there had been an apathy and inactivity because the sin mattered little them. There was indignation against Paul' s opponents (2:5-11) because of the scandal they had permitted to continue unchecked in the church and the consequent affront to the holy name of God. They now feared God¡¯s judgement (1 Cor 4:21) instead of being lulled into passivity. What zeal they now had. They enthusiastically applied themselves to the cause of Christ. What avenging of wrong. They were seeing that justice was done by bringing the guilty person before the church and putting their house in order (1 Cor. 5:5,13).

In everything the church as a whole was demonstrating godly action and proved themselves no longer part of the affair. They now proved their innocence. They had sinned not so much by doing wrong as by failing to do right (Jas. 4:17) and of this they had not repented.

Verse 12 relays that the principle aim of Paul¡¯s severe rebuke was to help the Church repent and again follow God¡¯s leadership. ¡°So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made know to you in the sight of God.¡±

Paul assures them that his primary motive in writing the letter (2:34) was to benefit the church. Paul did desire that the discipline restore the offender but also that their being moved to action would help them to again become zealous or earnest before God. [The offender is probably the incestuous relationship of a son with a step mother and an outrage father the offended - This is what the early church understood]. But punishment was not his primary concern, the well being of the church was. The church's spiritual and moral integrity was at stake.

From the beginning of verse 13 we learn that their zeal for God and joy in the Lord had been restored by their repentance. ¡°For this reason we have been comforted¡±

Paul had suffered a great deal because of this situation but he was now comforted and found it worth all the suffering because the problem was now solved. They had repented and their actions had proved it. Relationships and ministry could now be rebuilt.