“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.” ( 2 corinthians 7:8-10 KJV)
In verse 8, it should be noted that the English translated word ‘Repent’ in this verse is a different word from the Greek ‘metanoeo’ which is usually found, which is defined as ‘a change of mind’. Instead, this word is actually ‘metamelomai’, which means REGRET.
Then in verse 9 the word REPENT is the Greek word ‘metanoeo’ and it does mean a ‘change of mind’. We also see that sorrow and repentance are not the same. Now here is what causes confusion over the meaning in verse 10. This verse uses 2 different Greek words for the English translated word repentance, yet only translates them with the same English word.
The first word in Greek for REPENT it was penned is ‘metanoia’, meaning a ‘change of mind’. The second word for REPENT in the Greek it was written is ‘ametamelētos’, meaning ‘irrevocable.’ This is defined as ‘not able to be changed.’
Verse 10 can equally be read as,
“10 For godly sorrow worketh a CHANGE OF MIND to salvation NOT TO BE ABLE TO BE CHANGED OF: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Now we can see the true meaning of verse 10. Many teach verse 10 is about going to Heaven by salvation, but that is not the context. It is Paul dealing with the saints at Corinth, a very bad example of a church; yet, they are addressed by Paul as already saved believers. They were greatly grieved by Paul’s letter and seeing how sinful they were acting and they had great regret over it. Paul acknowledged their feelings of regret and turned it into a positive. By writing he was glad because it led them to more right living. Their salvation was not in jeopardy because salvation is not of a person’s works, deeds nor behaviour, as Paul taught the Ephesians in chapter 2 verses 8-9, but living Godly leaves us with no regrets.
They were grieved and had such regret over how they were living in sin and that was a healthy thing helping them to turn to living in a more Godly manner. This is a Godly sorrow, not a worldly sorrow. It is sorrow toward what you have done against God’s will for your life. It helps us all to change for the better and act in more love towards other. It also helps our witness be stronger to a lost world, needing Salvation through Christ.
As a believers in Christ, we do need to ‘change our minds’ (repent), not just unsaved people. We many times need to change how we think by the Word of God which leads to right living as God intends for us as his eternally saved children. As believers we need to renew our mind (Romans 12). Right believing in the mind leads to right outward living in love for others.
As Jesus prayed for us in John 17:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)
