II Corinthians 7:2-16
“Isn’t It Good That We Can Change?”

Introduction
1. Isn’t it good that as believers we can grow? I don’t have to be a disgrace and an
embarrassment to the cause of Christ…I CAN CHANGE!
2. Would you like to change?
3. II Cor. 7:2-16 Paul saw a change in the Corinthians, and it didn’t ‘just happen’:

I. RECOGNIZE THE INADEQUATE 7:2-5, 8
A. He Cared Enough to Chance Being Misunderstood 2,3a
1. False teachers were trying to turn the Corinthians against Paul. The accusations
made against him were unfounded.
2. False accusations…Paul had written a sharp, cutting, surgical letter. We have
corrupted no man. We have defrauded no man. These must have been some of the
charges for being misunderstood.
3. It is risky to want to see change. “Kill the messenger” is not uncommon!
4. If lives are going to be changed someone will have to get close enough and care
enough to chance being misunderstood. Care enough and sometime you will be
misunderstood.
B. He Cared Enough to Take Someone to Heart 3
1. You are in our hearts. I remember an older man in our church in Sweetser:
“Mountains give us vision, but we only grow in the valley.” Wilson Turner
2. You won’t cut your heart out unless it is absolutely necessary!
3. To die and live with you…Do you see someone hurting their testimony…disgracing
Christ? Care enough to take them to heart.
C. He Cared Enough to Confront 5,8
1. It Troubled Paul 5 At first, he was sorry he sent the letter. Maybe he should have
gone in person???
2. It Is Never Easy To Confront. There is always a chance of being misunderstood.
I remember an incident in my life. My father heard my reaction. “Don’t excuse it.
Call it sin!” Using what my father said, God worked a glorious transformation. It
was worth the risk!

II. REPENT OF THE INCONSISTENCY 7:7b; 9-11
Repentance is a change of mind and direction (to turn around).
A. The Root of Repentance (Change) 9
1. Godly sorrow…Hath made you sorry. 8 Evidently (v. 10) it is possible for us to be
sorry, to be full of remorse without a change of heart, mind or direction. I remember
a man taken in adultery. He was sorry he got caught. It broke his wife’s heart. It
hurt the children. It caused the embarrassment. It did not stop his unfaithful activity.
2. It is possible for sorrow to have nothing to do with God. Until one sees the sin as
God sees it there is no godly repentance.
3. “I don’t feel I am ever sorry enough for my sin.” Has your sorrow led you to
Calvary? Has your sorrow turned you around? Has your sorrow brought you to the
feet of Jesus? If so, it is godly sorrow!
B. The Reality of Repentance (Change) 10
1. Godly sorrow leads to repentance…a change of purpose…intention…action! It isn’t
crying by your bedside because you have ‘failed once again’ or wishing the thing
had never happened. Take steps to stop. Take steps to make it so it never happens
again! This led to a change of purpose…change of direction…change of action.
2. Something has led you to His feet. Something has caused you to turn around. Death
Sorrow of the world…kills your joy, peace, fellowship and testimony.
C. The Result of Repentance (Change) 11
1. Earnest desire…mourning…fervent mind toward the one who cared enough to
confront. 7b
2. What carefulness it wrought in you…Since that day how careful you have been
about the company you keep, the places you do, how you avoid needless
temptation.
3. What clearing of yourself…Steering clear…putting the whole business away,
finished with it!
4. Fear…What reverence…what watchfulness!
5. What vehement desire…What hunger for a deeper relationship with God! Your
concern now is how you might walk with God!
6. What zeal…What zeal for God! What service for God!
7. What full punishment…This is a revenge against sin and all its ways. In everything
you demonstrated yourself to be innocent in the matter. It’s Worth The
Confrontation!

III. RESTORATION OF THE INCOMPETENT 7:4, 6, 12-13
Failure isn’t final.
A. Great Relief 4
Great is my glorying in you. The God of all comforts used the Corinthians.
1. “I am filled with comfort.” (one called alongside to help)
2. “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.”
B. Great Revival 6,7a
1. When Titus arrived in Philippi to join Paul, he brought news of repentance and revival.
2. In this way the Corinthians had been a consolation to Titus.
C. Great Refreshing 12-13
1. I wrote to say, “I cared.” 12
2. I was ‘comforted in your comfort.’ 13 Joyed in the joy of Titus (his spirit was
refreshed by you.)

IV. RETURN OF THE INVALUABLE 7:14-16
A.The Concrete 14,15
1.Boasting (he was ashamed) is True. 14
2.The Heart Affection of Titus…He remembered the obedience of you all. How you received him: Fear and trembling…he was God’s man!
B. The Confidence 16
Therefore…I have confidence in you in all things.

Isn’t it great that with a sensitive, broken, contrite heart bowed before the cross...
we can change!!

Make Me Correctable

O, God, make me correctable.
Teach me to look for reproof.
Teach me to search out my weaknesses
Under the searchlight of truth.

O, God, make me correctable.
Grant me Thine eyes, oh, to see
That Thine is the hand of correction
Behind all authority.

O, God, make me correctable.
Teach me to listen and learn.
O, God as I seek counsel
Make me for real help to yearn.

O, God, make me correctable,
Even ‘midst discipline’s strife.
Teach me to cry in humility,
“Whatever it takes, change my life!”

O, God, make me correctable.
And may I not rest ‘till You’re through;
Until You have taken the dross away,
And all that remains is You!