# 2 Corinthians 7:10



## Toasty (Jul 21, 2016)

2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "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."

Some people think that this verse means that repentance is the instrument of justification or that repentance causes salvation. How would you respond to this?


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## KeithW (Jul 21, 2016)

I would respond that no verse should be taken in isolation. How about looking at where else repent is used? Is it tied to anything else? The following is from me in the past following my own advice.

*Repent*

God commands all men every where to repent (Acts 17:30)
if the wicked will turn from his sins (Ezekiel 18:21)
Repent and turn from your transgressions (Ezekiel 18:30)
turn from your evil ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11)
turn from our iniquities (Dan 9:13)
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Matt 9:13)
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17)
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31)
repentance and remission of sins should be preached (Luke 24:47)
Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)
Repent and be converted (Acts 3:19)
repent and turn to God (Acts 26:20)
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 3:2)
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 4:17)
they preached that men should repent (Mark 6:12)
except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)
except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:5)
godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation (2 Cor 7:10)
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth (2 Tim 2:25)

*Repent and Believe*

repent and believe the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:15)
repentance toward God, and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21)
repentance from dead works and faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1)

*Believe*

He that believeth on the Son of God is not condemned (John 3:18)
he that believeth not on the Son of God is condemned already (John 3:18)
believe on Jesus whom God hath sent (John 6:29)
Neither is there salvation in any other but Jesus (Acts 4:12)
there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved except Jesus (Acts 4:12)
whosoever believeth in Jesus shall receive remission of sins (Acts 10:43)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31)
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom 10:9)
believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 10:9)
Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God will overcome the world (1 John 5:5 NIV)


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## bookslover (Jul 21, 2016)

This verse shows that the Bible knows the difference between being sorry that one has committed a sin and being sorry one has got caught.


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## earl40 (Jul 21, 2016)

bookslover said:


> This verse shows that the Bible knows the difference between being sorry that one has committed a sin and being sorry one has got caught.



Which every saint still has both "differences". The sinner without faith only has the later difference.


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## Jack K (Jul 21, 2016)

Our tendency to separate repentance from faith, as if one might exist independently from the other, stems from a dictionary approach to Bible reading that fails to see enough context and misses the full picture of what's happening in the heart. Faith is implied in that verse, just as repentance is implied in many verses that only use the words "faith" or "believe."

The argument you cite also seems to take "salvation" and equate it with justification, as if that's all there is to being saved.


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## Toasty (Jul 22, 2016)

Jack K said:


> Our tendency to separate repentance from faith, as if one might exist independently from the other, stems from a dictionary approach to Bible reading that fails to see enough context and misses the full picture of what's happening in the heart. Faith is implied in that verse, just as repentance is implied in many verses that only use the words "faith" or "believe."
> 
> The argument you cite also seems to take "salvation" and equate it with justification, as if that's all there is to being saved.



That's true. Faith and repentance go together. There is more to salvation than justification.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Jul 22, 2016)

Jack K said:


> The argument you cite also seems to take "salvation" and equate it with justification, as if that's all there is to being saved.



I agree with this. After I studied salvation I realized the Scriptures at times refer to salvation as more than just a legal declaration of being innocent before God. I think that's why many reformers and Puritans referred to salvation as consisting of multiple stages.


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## Clark-Tillian (Jul 23, 2016)

Focusing narrowly on "instrument of justification" in your post, I think LC.73 is helpful. Q. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.


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## Peairtach (Jul 24, 2016)

Toasty said:


> 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "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."
> 
> Some people think that this verse means that repentance is the instrument of justification or that repentance causes salvation. How would you respond to this?


Our saving faith and repentance although being real works of the Holy Spirit, are always mixed with much imperfection and sin in this life, otherwise we would be free of sin after conversion, and even if faith and repentance by themselves could justify - which is impossible, it being the object of our faith that justifies, faith being the instrument - even from this perspective faith and repentance would be utterly inadequate for justification being mixed with imperfections and impurities.

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