The response of a godly Leader
2Corinthians 7

This chapter can be viewed as telling us how a godly leader is to respond after God leads him to do things which might be viewed in a way other than he intended and might cause God's people to respond in a wrong way.  In this chapter we see how Paul, as a godly pastor, responds to the things which were identified in the prior chapter.  While this directly applies to a pastor, it also applies to any godly person in a position of leadership.

1. 7:1:  Our chapter starts out with the words Having therefore these promises:  and tells the saved church members how they are to act based upon the promises which were revealed in the prior chapter.  A godly pastor bases his messages on the word of God, which Paul did in the prior chapter.  A godly pastor also shows God's people the promises of God but also reveals the requirements that God has for receiving those promises.  He follows this with a challenge to do as God says and to do it God's way so that you can receive the promises of God.  Paul's challenge is found in this sentence.
2. 7:2:  Paul starts this verse with receive us:  and goes on to provide a testimony of how he obeyed God and lived by faith.  He is using his own life and testimony as an example of how these people are to also apply the message that he just delivered.  A godly pastor has the responsibility to live an example before the people that God has put into his trust.
   After Paul says receive us,:  he gives three evidences that all godly people will have which show that they do no wrong:  regardless of circumstances or how other people treat them.  Please see the note for this sentence for more details.
3. 7:3:  After providing the Biblical way to identify a godly preacher, Paul expresses his love for the people and assures them that he is not 'getting in their face' because he is mad at them but it is because of love.  A loving parent corrects a child for the good of the child and not to vent anger or any other fleshly motivation.  As Paul says here, ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.  You are not going to deliberately hurt someone that you are willing to die for.  Paul had corrected them and was worried that they might have misunderstood his motives.  Now that he has explained his true motive, he will explain how their reaction to correction encouraged their pastor and also encouraged others.  This is a truth that a lot of followers fail to understand.  A godly reaction by followers is the best encouragement that a godly pastor can get.
4. 7:4:  Paul is now sure that he can tell them things which he held back in the past because he was sure that they were too spiritually immature (1Corinthians 3:1-2).  Now, because of their reaction, he Is sure that they have spiritually matured enough to receive the meat of the Word.  A godly pastor waits for his people to be ready before he teaches them things which require spiritual maturity.  In addition, we see that he was filled with comfort:  and was exceeding joyful:  in spite of being in tribulation.  A godly pastor receives joy:  from God when his people respond in a spiritual manner.
5. 7:5:  In this sentence Paul tells them about his problems due to circumstances.  However, he did not reveal these problems until after he was sure that these people were spiritually mature enough to respond to his explanation in a godly way.  He did not want them to think that he was complaining.  He did not want them to be mad at the people causing him problems.  He wanted them to respond in a godly manner.  Thus, Paul, and all godly pastors, have to be careful about what they reveal and to whom they reveal things of their personal life.  This care must be based upon the spiritual maturity of the person being talked to.
6. 7:6:  In this sentence Paul reveals how God comforted him.  Please note that Paul does not say that God removed the problems but that God comforted us:  within the problems.  In addition, we see that Paul was comforted:  by news of the spiritual maturity of these church members.  A godly pastor receives more spiritual comfort:  from the spiritual growth of the people in his church than he does from his own physical problems being relieved.  In addition, we see Paul say so that I rejoiced the more.  True spiritual comfort:  has evidence that comes from our rejoicing.
7. 7:7:  Here we see Paul go back and forth on his repenting.  Even a godly pastor has doubts at times and anyone who claims otherwise is a liar or a fool.  However, when a godly pastor has doubts he waits for God, and not any other spirit, to make it very clear that he messed up before he does changes what he did.  This is not pride or other sin but the avoidance of confusion which comes from a leader constantly changing directions.
8. 7:8:  Here we see that a godly pastor does not rejoice:  in the hurt of his followers but does rejoice:  in their stopping doing sin and starting to do right.  A godly pastor, and a godly parent, tries to avoid doing any correction while mad so that there is not even the appearance of punishment being linked to anger.  A godly pastor, and a godly parent, makes sure that their correction is aimed at the best result for others.  Notice that Paul tells them that the control on his action was that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
9. 7:9:  In this sentence we see Paul explain the difference between the result of godly sorrow:  and the sorrow of the world.  A godly pastor, and a godly parent, always considers all of the consequences of their action before choosing when and how to discipline someone.
10. 7:10:  Here we see Paul complimenting them for the results which could be seen in their lives after true godly repentance.  A godly pastor, and a godly parent, always makes sure to complement and encourage righteous behaviour.
11. 7:11:  In this sentence Paul lets them know that the compliments are not just from Paul but that God approved their true repentance.  A godly leader always lets his followers know when they are truly submitting to the Bible and when their actions are approved by God.
12. 7:12:  In this sentence we see Paul explain the motivation (Wherefore):  of a godly pastor.  A godly pastor does not take sides in a fight (I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong).  His main concern is also not who is 'right' or who is 'wrong'.  His main concern is that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.  That is: a godly pastor is mainly concerned about the spiritual welfare of the entire church (you).  He is also aware of God's oversight (in the sight of God):  and the fact that he must give account:  (Hebrews 13:17).  Therefore, his concern is his testimony, in the church, of caring for the entire church the way that God wants God's church cared for.
13. 7:13:  Paul explains that because of this main motivation of a godly pastor, he will be:  comforted in your comfort:  and be exceedingly the more joyed:  at a true report of his charges acting in a godly manner.
14. 7:14:  In this sentence we see that a godly pastor will boast:  about God working in and through the lives of church members.  However, a godly pastor will also be careful that our boasting...is found a truth.
15. 7:15:  In this sentence we see how a godly pastor receives news of people in another church acting in a godly manner.  He does not let jealousy or any other wrong emotion to control his reaction but his inward affection is more abundant toward:  the members of a church led by another pastor.
16. 7:16:  Finally, a godly pastor has confidence in you in all things.  If he has done his job then he can have confidence:  because he knows that God leads godly people to do the right thing.  If he does not have confidence in you in all things,:  then he is not godly or he has failed to teach his people to be Godly.

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