3450 - Godly Sorrow by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 30, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 21.

3450 — Godly Sorrow

By Editor

Please explain 2 Cor. 7:11. T.

The scripture reads: "For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter." Paul had reproved the Corinthian brethren for certain gross sins they were tolerating. See 1 Corinthians 5. Under the reproof the church was stirred, and the sinners repented. 2 Cor. 2:1-11. Their repentance was not the sorrow of the thief who is caught (Jer. 2:26), but they sorrowed because they had sinned against God. And verse 11 proves the genuineness of their repentance. It bore fruit in careful examination and duty-doing; in clearing themselves of sin by confessing and forsaking sin; in indignation against the sin; in a proper fear lest they should fall; in earnest desire to serve God; in revenge against the lusts of the flesh by putting them to death by the Spirit. It was a repentance that renewed the heart.