2 Corinthians 7:11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
The Corinthians had experienced the right kind of sorrow that brought positive change in their lives. This type of sorrow resulted from the conviction and situations God brings in people’s lives to help them be aware of the dangers of a certain course of action. Paul lists some of these positive changes. It has caused the Corinthians to be swift, eager, and on fire. It moved them from their complacency and into action. They may have become spiritually lazy, and so God shook them up through the instrument of Paul’s letter. No longer could they have any excuse. Their actions betrayed them. This may have made them a bit angry or indignant. Sometimes this needs to happen to help us correct our ways. Fear can also be healthy if it is directed in such a way that brings worship. This may have led to a fresh yearning. Paul does not way what the focus of this yearning was for them, but it probably somehow related to the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about spiritual revival. This resulted in a new zeal for God’s will. How “punishment” fits into this list is difficult to know, but Paul may imply a warning to them. Realizing that our bad behavior will result in punishment may cause us to change our behavior and respond to warning. Through all of this, the Corinthians have been innocent. They have acted with sincerity with positive results. Paul is proud of them. He is using this list in a rhetorical way to build them up and at the same time warning any who have not fallen in line yet.
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