Day 156 – Wednesday, August 6, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

2 Corinthians 7

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Promises

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 

(2 Corinthians 7:1, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• After Paul exhorted the Corinthians to come out from the world and be separate, he then explains the rationale for such an action.
• When a Christian commits to God, He promises to be their Father.
• The choice is clear: be holy and put aside the world and you will be adopted into the greatest family ever.

The Corinthians’ Repentance

² Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁸ For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. ⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. ¹² Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. 

(2 Corinthians 7:2–12, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul then shifts to a call to repentance. He has laid the foundation of covenant with God based in holiness. Now he calls them to honor that covenant.
• Paul reminds them of his care for them and his integrity.
• He tells them of his pride in reporting their conversion and service to the Lord.
• Paul reminds them of the trials he has faced while ministering the gospel, and that God has comforted him in his trouble.
• Paul then addresses the letter he sent that made them sorry.
• He does not apologize, but at the same time regrets the need to make them sorry. He then describes the process that occurred. Godly sorrow led to repentance, that then led to salvation. This is not to be regretted.
• They were forgiven and then their zeal for God was restored. He wrote the letter to be sure that the church was edified and living in holiness.

The Joy of Titus

¹³ Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. ¹⁵ And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. ¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything. 

(2 Corinthians 7:13–16, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul then shifts to a testimony. He tells them that their responses to Paul and their righteous actions in the church in Corinth in response have been comforting to Paul and to Titus as well.
• Paul has boasted to Titus about the Corinthian church. Titus recalls that their reception of him was warm, and he loves the people of the church.
• Paul lets the Corinthians know that he is confident in the Church at Corinth and, as a father to them, he is thankful for them.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.