Let’s begin by reading 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, “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. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Of course, Paul did not actually repent for writing the former epistle to the Corinthians, which was written by divine inspiration; but he was sorrowful of the grief caused by it, though now he did not repent of that for it had proved to be effective in the hearts of the saints there.  These saints had sorrowed, but they had been made sorry in a “godly manner” and had experienced “godly sorrow.” 

In this portion, we are told of two different kinds of sorrow, “godly sorrow” which brings repentance to salvation and “sorrow of the world” which brings death.  As contrasted with salvation, death here should be taken in its widest sense. The mere sorrow of the world leads only to great depths of regret and anguish, to the depth of a broken heart,  or possibly to the depth of suicide as we read about in Matthew 27:3-5 which tells us, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” 

Judas repented when he witnessed what had happened to the Lord Jesus after he betrayed Him into the hands of sinners, but his repentance was merely “sorrow of the world.”  Notice his confession in verse 4, “I have betrayed the INNOCENT BLOOD.”  Sadly, his sorrow was only that he had betrayed an innocent man.  He DID NOT repent for betraying the very Son of God.  He did not know God; therefore he had no godly sorrow.  His sorrow was only the sorrow of the world.

Now, let us consider 2 Corinthians 7:11 which says, “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.”  This godly sorrow caused them to be careful about their own behaviors.  Paul commended these Corinthian saints because their sorrow was indeed Godly sorrow.  This sorrow cleared them of any sin and showed they had “approved themselves to be clear in this matter.” 

“This matter” refers to their reaction and behavior towards the man who had been caught in an incestuous affair in 1 Corinthians 5:2 and 6, “And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you…Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” 

May we be careful to learn this valuable lesson.  The Corinthian saints had been chastised by Paul for their carnal response to the sinning brother.  They heeded that chastisement and repented with godly sorrow.  Thus they, “approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”  We read in Romans 2:4, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  (CC)  (600.2)