Repentance - 2 Corinthians 7:1-7

7:1-3 - Chapter 6 ends with Paul reminding the Corinthians of God’s promise of love and support if they will “touch not the unclean thing,” which I take to mean keeping the commandments and living according to the Spirit. Chapter 7 begins with Paul pleading with the people “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.” Because Paul hasn’t visited the Corinthians since his last rebuking letter, it seems like he is trying to prepare them for when he does show up, probably hoping to avoid violence, but mostly hoping for their acceptance of the message of repentance. Even though they had already received the rebuke well, the time needed to transport letters and people could have been many months to years and their opinions might have shifted during that time.

 

He asks them to “receive us” and reminds them that they have “wronged no man… corrupted no man… defrauded no man.” It’s important to note here that Paul isn’t suggesting that he’s perfect, because he wasn’t, none of us are, but that the intentions and motivations of himself and his missionary companions were rooted in the gospel and God’s love for the Corinthian people. None of them have purposefully done anything to hurt anyone else in any way, despite their imperfections. He also reiterates his commitment to them “ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.” He says, “I have only tried to do right by you, and I love you so much.” That’s a pretty powerful message for anyone to hear.

 

7:4-6 - Paul recognizes that even though the previous letter contained “boldness of speech toward you,” he’s grateful that it was received positively, and gives the paradox “I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.” How can someone be joyful in hardship? The article on this chapter from gospeldoctrine.com quotes Alexander B. Morrison as noting, “pleasure ‘pulls no handcarts.’ Joy, on the other hand, is of the Spirit. It may coexist with suffering and sacrifice. It transcends the body. One can be ‘joyful in all our tribulation.’ Joy is more profound than is pleasure… Christ’s redeeming sacrifice provides for us the ultimate joy, that of coming to a world of spirit testing and moral agency, with the promise that if we are true and faithful, enduring to the end, we may return to dwell evermore in the presence of the Father and Son.”

 

Even though “joy” may be a fairly abstract concept, I understand it as an optimism rooted in the gospel. This life is hard, and “happiness” is a fleeting idea based on hormones and brief life circumstances. But joy can be a state of remaining hopeful for the future even though things might be tough at the moment. Paul gives an example this enduring optimism, reminding the people that when he got to Macedonia, “our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side… Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” If I remember correctly, Paul wrote at least one letter to the Corinthians before he was cast out of the place he was staying because an angry mob gathered and expelled him from the city. After fleeing to another city, he had expected to meet Titus there but didn’t and had to go even longer and move to another city before he reached Titus for the news about how the Corinthians took the harsh letter calling them to repentance.

 

7:7 - I don’t know how it is for anyone else, but I would feel very valued and loved if someone spent their time and energy anxious for a choice that I would make, hoping for the best for me. Paul’s constant state of anxiety waiting to meet with Titus to know the feelings of the Corinthians demonstrates just how invested he is in their success. A conman doesn’t spend one second concerned about how his actions affect the people he preys on, so to me this is just another illustration of Paul’s noble intentions with his ministry. After much concern over their reaction, Paul says that he was finally “comforted in your” when Titus told him that not only was his message received, but that the people had “earnest desire,” “mourning,” and a “fervent mind toward me.” Paul was comforted by the fact that they had received the letter and felt a need to repent because of it.