Clearing, Indignation, Fear, Vehement Desire and Zeal 2 Corinthians 7:11

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth “godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of”, and he went on to add, “but the sorrow of the world works death” In chapter seven and verse eleven of Second Corinthians, Paul shared with the church members about how they, “sorrowed after a godly sort” with “carefulness, clearing, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal and revenge” where we read:

For behold this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes, what zeal, yes, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

The verse begins, “For behold this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you,...” Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “behold” which means “lo and see”“this selfsame thing” which means “the same as Paul wrote concerning” “that you sorrowed” which means “the church members were affected with sadness, caused grief, offended and made uneasy” “after a godly sort” which means “down from, according to and toward whatever respect is likened unto God or that resembles him in any way”, “what carefulness” which means “how great earnestness and diligence” “it wrought” or “the godly sorrow worked out, performed, accomplished and achieved” “in you” which refers to “the church members”. Paul recognized the “earnestness and diligence” within the church members because of the sorrow he cause them through his letter.

The verse goes on to say, “...yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes, what zeal, yes, what revenge!” Paul continued with the word, “yes” which means “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what clearing” or “how great verbal defense, reasoned statement or argument” “of yourselves” which refers to “the church members”, “yes” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what indignation” which means “how great irritation and vexation”, “yes” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what fear” or “how great dread, terror and reverence”, “yes” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what vehement desire” which means “how great earnest longing”, “yes” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what zeal” or “how great excitement of mind, ardor and fervor of spirit”, “yes” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding”, “what revenge” which means “how great vengeance and punishment”. Paul shared the traits of “clearing, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal and revenge” as motivating factors to the Corinthians.

Finally the verse says, “In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” Paul added, “in all things” or “in each, every, the whole and everything” “you” which refers to the church members “have approved yourselves” or “stood together, brought to the same place, unified and banded together” “to be clear” which means “pure from carnality, chaste, modest, immaculate and clean” “in this matter” or “in that which is done, a deed and an accomplished fact”. Paul concluded the church members were “unified” as “pure, chaste and immaculately clean” in everything because of these traits.

When we consider words of Paul, we see how he recognized these wonderful attributes within the Corinthian church members. Because his letter made the have “godly sorrow”, they changed. When the word of God has it's affect upon a person's life, that person changes, and when they come to know Jesus as their “Lord and Savior”, alteration in lifestyle, attitude, actions and motivations change as well. God Almighty desires to allow the stirring forces of “carefulness, clearing, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal and revenge” to be within our lives, and by way of the Holy Spirit and His Son Jesus, their lives shall never be the same.

Next time Paul shares how he and his companions, “care for” the church members “in the sight of God might appear unto” them, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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