2 Corinthians Chapter 7, Cleanse ourselves?; The “fear of God”; Depression; Godly sorrow produces repentance

1. 2 Corinthians 7
Cleanse Ourselves?; Depression;
The “fear of God;”
Godly sorrow produces repentance
Repent, “metanoia,” means to have a “change of heart or mind”
and does not mean to “stop sinning, or turn from your sins”
Redwood Valley 2017

2. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having
these promises, beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all defilement of flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God.
• NAU 2 Corinthians 6:17 … I will welcome
you.
• What a wonderful promise!
• Chuck Smith tells of a time when he, as a
young man, tried to have an audience with
Henry Ford, and of course was turned
down.
2 Corinthians 7:1 God’s Promises

3. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these
promises… , let us cleanse ourselves…
• The “Therefore” looks back to 2 Corinthians 6:16
…we are the temple of the living God; just as God
said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG
THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY
SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 "Therefore, COME OUT
FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the
Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you. 18 "And I will be a father
to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to
Me," Says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Therefore… cleanse ourselves”

4. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:1 …perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
• I thought we were already perfect in Christ.
• Yes, our position is perfect in Christ,
however, Paul is commanding us to perfect
our practice.
• Act like who we are.
• If you were a child of an earthly king you
would be expected to behave like it. If you
loved your father the king you would try to
act like him.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Therefore… cleanse ourselves”

5. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:1 … in the fear of
God.
• As an unbeliever I feared the power,
judgment, and might of God, as a believer
I fear that I may disappoint Him, or bring
reproach upon the name of Christ.
• NAU 1 John 3:3 And everyone who has
this hope fixed on Him purifies himself,
just as He is pure.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Therefore… cleanse ourselves”

6. • NAU 2 Peter 3:14 …since you look for
these things, be diligent to be found by
Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
• NAU Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of wisdom, And the
knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.
• NAU Isaiah 33:6 …The fear of the LORD is
his [the LORD’s] treasure.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“fear of God”

7. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 7:2-7
• Paul’s “open heart”

8. 2 Corinthians 7:4, Paul’s Heart
• NAU 2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my
confidence in you; great is my boasting on
your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am
overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
• This kind of joy is from God.
• NAU Galatians 5:22 But the fruit [singular] of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law.

9. 2 Corinthians 7:4, Paul’s Joy
• Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy
set before Him endured the cross…
• James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren,
when you encounter various trials,
• Billy Graham said, “Joy cannot be pursued. It
comes from within. It is a state of being. It
does not depend on circumstances, but
triumphs over circumstances. It produces a
gentleness of spirit and a magnetic
personality.”

10. 2 Corinthians 7:6
Often Depression Can Be Seen
• NAU 2 Corinthians 7:6 But God, who
comforts the depressed, comforted us by
the coming of Titus;
• God comforts the depressed
• “by” God comforts in different ways at
different times. This time Paul remained
in his affliction and yet God comforted
him with the coming of Titus.

11. 2 Corinthians 7:6
Often Depression Can Be Seen
• 2 Samuel 13:4 He said to him, "O son of the
king, why are you so depressed morning after
morning?...
• Charlie Brown “This is my “depressed
stance.” When you’re depressed, it makes a
lot of difference how you stand. The worst
thing you can do is straighten up and hold
your head high because then you’ll start to
feel better. If you’re going to get any joy out
of being depressed, you’ve got to stand like
this.”

12. • NAS Nehemiah 2:1 …I took up the wine and gave
it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his
presence. 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your
face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing
but sadness of heart." Then I was very much
afraid.
• NAU Proverbs 15:13 A joyful heart makes a
cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit
is broken.
• NAU Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good
medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
2 Corinthians 7:6
Often Depression Can Be Seen

13. 2 Corinthians 7:6, Depressed
——————————-
LORD

14. 2 Corinthians 7:6
Prosperity and affliction
• NAU 2 Corinthians 7:4 …in all our affliction… 6
But God, who comforts the depressed…
• Dwight L. Moody said, “We can stand affliction
better than we can prosperity, for in prosperity
we forget God.”
• The word “affliction” is used most in the Psalms
(not Job), and 2nd most in 2 Cor.
• The word “prosperity” is used most in the book of
Job , and 2nd most in the Psalms (not one use in 2
Cor.).

15. 2 Corinthians 7:6, Depressed
• Sadness and depression can even overcome
devout, Spirit filled, Christians.
• NAU 2 Corinthians 1:8 …our affliction which
came to us in Asia, that we were burdened
excessively, beyond our strength, so that we
despaired even of life;
• Some examples from the Bible of God's
servants asking to die are; Moses, Exodus
32:32, Numbers 11:15, Job 3:11, David, Psalm
55:6-8, Elijah, 1 Kings 19:4, Jeremiah 20:14.

16. 2 Corinthians 7:6, Depressed?
• When Christians are overcome with depression,
we need to remember God’s great love for us, look
to the cross and remember John 3:16, and Psalm
42:5, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And
why have you become disturbed within me? Hope
in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of
His presence.”
• When we feel abandoned and alone like Elijah in 1
Kings 19:10, we need to seek out friends and
helpers; 1 Kings 19:19 (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
• Job 33:20-30, Psalm 19:8, 51:11-12; Galatians 5:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Corinthians
12:10, 13:4, Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 15:13

17. 2 Corinthians 7:6, Depression
• Augustine of Hippo said, “Beware of despairing about
yourself; you are commanded to put your trust in
God, and not in yourself.”
• Remember your promises; NAU Galatians 4:7
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if
a son, then an heir through God.
• NAU Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own
Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not
also with Him freely give us all things?… 35 Who will
separate us from the love of Christ?… 37 But in all
these things we overwhelmingly conquer through
Him who loved us.

18. • A Minute for the Bible
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InDIlOEjBVk&feature=push-u&attr_tag=rE30hkEn7up_rdEL-6
1
8
2 Corinthians 7:6, The God of Comfort

19. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:8 For though I caused
you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it;
though I did regret it-- for I see that that letter
caused you sorrow, though only for a while—
9 I now rejoice, not that you were made
sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful
to the point of repentance; for you were made
sorrowful according to the will of God, so that
you might not suffer loss in anything through
us. 1
9
2 Corinthians 7:8-9

20. 2 Corinthians 7:8-9
• Godly sorrow produces repentance
• Worldly sorrow produces death
• Notice that the sorrow is not the
repentance (a changed heart or mind)

21. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:8 For though I caused you
sorrow by my letter… I do not regret it… that
letter caused you sorrow, though only for a
while— 9 … you were made sorrowful according
to the will of God…
• How can an all powerful loving God allow his
children to suffer?
• The same way that a loving parent can allow the
nurse to poke a needle in their child, allow a
doctor to reset a broken bone, or allow a dentist
to drill on their tooth. It is required for good
growth and health. 2
1
2 Corinthians 7:8, Good Pain

22. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:8 For though I caused you
sorrow by my letter, I do not regret [metamelomai]
it; though I did regret it-- for I see that that
letter caused you sorrow, though only for a
while— 9 I now rejoice, not that you were
made sorrowful, but that you were made
sorrowful to the point of repentance [metanoia];
for you were made sorrowful according to the
will of God…
• The word repentance [metanoia] means to have a
“change of heart or mind”
2
2
2 Corinthians 7:8
Regret vs. Repent

23. • I had a brother in law who would you come
home drunk on Friday night and beat his wife.
Next morning he would feel remorse, regret, and
very sorry, he would promise to change, and
never do it again, but he never had a
repentant/changed mind. Next Friday night he
would do it all over again. His thinking and mind
were never completely changed about his
actions. If his mind would have been changed
(repent [metanoia]) he never would have returned
to the bar. 2
3
2 Corinthians 7:8
Regret vs. Repent

24. • The word repentance [metanoia] means to have
a “change of heart or mind”. If a persons heart
and mind has been changed their actions will
reflect that. Repent does not mean to “stop
sinning, or turn from your sins”. Those are the
consequence of a changed mind. As naturally
as the cart follows the horse.
2
4
2 Corinthians 7:8
Repent= “change of heart or mind”

25. • NAS + NAU 2 Corinthians 7:9 …you were made
sorrowful to the point of repentance…
• NAU adds “the point of” to show that “sorrowful”
is a “verb indicative aorist passive 2nd person
plural from λυπέω.” The aorist indicates that the
“sorrow to repentance” was at a point in time.
Not a turning from sin forever, but an instant of
having a changed mind has consequences for life.
When God gives a new heart/mind it is for
eternity.
2
5
2 Corinthians 7:8
Repent= “change of heart or mind”

26. • NAS NAU … sorrowful to the point of
repentance…
• NET …sad to the point of repentance…
• KJV …that ye sorrowed to repentance…
• NKJ …that your sorrow led to repentance…
• CSB …but because your grief led to repentance…
• ESV …you were grieved into [eis] repenting…
• YLT …ye were made sorry to reformation…
• NIVO …your sorrow led you to repentance…
2
6
2 Corinthians 7:8
Repent= “change of heart or mind”

27. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 7:10-16
• Godly sorrow produces repentance
• Worldly sorrow produces death

28. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is
according to the will of God produces a
repentance without regret, leading to
salvation, but the sorrow of the world
produces death.
• BGT 2 Corinthians 7:10 …λύπη [sorrow]
μετάνοιαν [repentance] εἰς [in, into, toward] σωτηρίαν
[salvation, deliverance, preservation] ἀμεταμέλητον [not
to be regretted …not to be taken back, irrevocable]…
2
8
2 Corinthians 7:10
Repentance Unto Salvation

29. • NAU 2 Corinthians 7:12 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 known to you in the
sight of God.
• They proved themselves to themselves as
well as; 1 Cor 5:5…deliver such a one to
Satan… so that his spirit may be saved…
2
9
2 Corinthians 7:12
Paul’s Purpose

30. In closing,
considering all of
the saber rattling
with Iran and
North Korea.

31. THE
END
Aurora
over
Finland . .
“The Hem
Of His
Garment” 3
1

32. Pastor Dave Kooyers
Valley Bible Fellowship
Box 433
Boonville CA 95415
http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers
www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org
(707) 895-2325
God bless you as you examine His Word,
Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5
BIBLE IN FIVE
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there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.
Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

33. 2 Corinthians 7:6, Depressed, Sadness And
Depression
• Question: "How can I experience joy in my Christian life?"
Answer: Periods of sadness and depression can enter the life of even the most devout Christian. We see many examples of
this in the Bible. Job wished he had never been born (Job 3:11). David prayed to be taken away to a place where he would not
have to deal with reality (Psalm 55:6-8). Elijah, even after defeating 450 prophets of Baal with fire called down from heaven (1
Kings 18:16-46), fled into the desert and asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:3-5).
So how can we overcome these periods of joylessness? We can see how these same people overcame their bouts of
depression. Job said that, if we pray and remember our blessings, God will restore us to joy and righteousness (Job 33:26).
David wrote that the study of God's Word can bring us joy (Psalm 19:8). David also realized that he needed to praise God even
in the midst of despair (Psalm 42:5). In Elijah's case, God let him rest for a time and then sent a man, Elisha, to help him (1
Kings 19:19-21). We also need friends that we can share our hurts and pains with (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). It may be helpful to
share our feelings with a fellow Christian. We may be surprised to find that he or she has struggled with some of the same
things that we are going through.
Most importantly, it is certain that dwelling on ourselves, our problems, our hurts, and especially our pasts will never produce
true spiritual joy. Joy is not found in materialism, it is not found in psychotherapy, and it most certainly is not found in
obsession with ourselves. It is found in Christ. We who belong to the Lord “glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the
flesh” (Philippians 3:3). To know Christ is to come to have a true sense of ourselves, and true spiritual insight, making it
impossible to glory in ourselves, in our wisdom, strength, riches, or goodness, but in Christ—in His wisdom and strength, in His
riches and goodness, and in His person only. If we remain in Him, immerse ourselves in His Word, and seek to know Him more
intimately, our “joy will be full” (John 15:1-11).
Finally, remember that it is only through God's Holy Spirit that we can find true joy (Psalm 51:11-12; Galatians 5:22; 1
Thessalonians 1:6). We can do nothing apart from the power of God (2 Corinthians12:10, 13:4). Indeed, the harder we try to
be joyful through our own efforts, the more miserable we can become. Rest in the Lord's arms (Matthew 11:28-30) and seek
His face through prayer and Scripture. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Recommended Resources: Laugh Again, Experience Outrageous Joy by Charles Swindoll and Logos Bible Software.
• GotQuestions.org?

34. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFGX7JnbW0&feature=push-
u&attr_tag=-t72XJD-w9BPf17D-6
3
4
Who removes people from the earth at
the rapture vs the second coming?
John Ankerberg Show