(2Co 7:16) “I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.”  Though many errors had been committed as seen in the First Book to the Corinthians, they proved by their “actions” of repentance that they truly loved the Lord. In other words, they corrected those errors in a desire to please He Who saved their souls! May the same be said of you and me.

(2Co 7:15) “And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.”  Titus could not help but love those who wished to please their Lord, their God, their Savior. How it blesses the soul to fellowship with those who truly love the Lord! People speak of the things they love. There is no greater pleasure for the saved than to fellowship around the teachings of the Word of God.

(2Co 7:14) “For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.”  It is a blessed thing to know that the congregation of which you are part of is made up of genuine God-fearing, obeying Believers. I have visited where I was simply overlooked, and other places where they went out of the way to be kind and thoughtful.

(2Co 7:13) “Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.”  Here we find a good standard for judging our level of love for others. When they are treated well or blessed of God, do we really and truly rejoice with them? If we really love them we will be able to enter into their joy.

(2Co 7:12) “Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.”  If one is to be corrected, their good must be at the uttermost in that decision. I remember once in a deacon’s meeting, over a hour discussing the best way to approach someone, simply because their good was being held utmost in our minds. 

(2Co 7:11) “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.”  What is the example of godly repentance? Answer: the action of either setting forth evidence as to innocence or an active humbling of self as one seeks to correct the error.

(2Co 7:10) “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”  It seems most today think souls will respond to the gospel by giving them that which is most sweet – the love of God. They will mention the cross, but not tell the lost their own responsibility for what happened there. How then can that soul bring forth a godly sorrow that produced repentance unto salvation?

(2Co 7:8) “For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.”  When you love people, you do not wish to hurt them, but to help them. Yet, that desire not to hurt cannot keep us from doing that which is best for the whole church. This is very hard to do, but necessary. Remember what has been taught, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Cor 5:6).

(2Co 7:6) “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; (7) And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.”  The greatest experience upon this earth is to love and be loved. Here before us is one of the wonderful results of loving and being loved. The Lord God desires us to love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength. He commands us to give such love to even our enemies.

(2Co 7:5) “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.”  Being saved, walking by faith, trusting the Lord, doesn’t mean at times we are not subject to concerns (fears). We are still living in this old flesh. It means we endure knowing that the Lord is still in control and nothing should be allowed to stop us from serving God.