John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 7:10

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, [a repentance] which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." — 2 Corinthians 7:10 (ASV)

Sorrow according to God. In the first place, to understand what is meant by this clause "according to God," we must observe the contrast, because he contrasts the sorrow that is according to God with the sorrow of the world. Let us now also consider the contrast between two kinds of joy.

The joy of the world is when people foolishly, and without the fear of the Lord, exult in vanity—that is, in the world—and, intoxicated with transient happiness, look no higher than the earth. The joy that is according to God is when people place all their happiness in God, take satisfaction in His grace, and show this by contempt of the world, using earthly prosperity as if they did not use it, and are joyful in the midst of adversity.

Accordingly, the sorrow of the world is when people despond as a result of earthly afflictions and are overwhelmed with grief. In contrast, sorrow according to God is that which looks to God, as people consider it the one misery to have lost God's favor; when, moved by fear of His judgment, they mourn over their sins.

Paul identifies this sorrow as the cause and origin of repentance. This must be carefully observed, for unless the sinner is dissatisfied with himself, detests his way of life, and is thoroughly grieved by an awareness of sin, he will never turn to the Lord.

On the other hand, it is impossible for a person to experience sorrow of this kind without it giving birth to a new heart. Therefore, repentance originates from grief for the reason I have mentioned: because no one can return to the right way except the person who hates sin; but where hatred of sin is, there is self-dissatisfaction and grief.

There is, however, a beautiful allusion here to the term repentance when he says—not to be repented of. For however unpleasant the thing is at first taste, it makes itself desirable by its usefulness. The descriptive phrase, it is true, might apply to the term salvation equally as to repentance; but it appears to me to suit the term repentance better. “We are taught by the result itself that grief should not be painful or distressing to us. In like manner, although repentance contains in it some degree of bitterness, it is spoken of as not to be repented of because of the precious and pleasant fruit which it produces.”

To salvation. Paul seems to make repentance the basis of salvation. If this were so, it would follow that we are justified by works. I answer that we must observe what Paul is discussing here, for he is not inquiring about the basis of salvation but simply praising repentance for the fruit it produces; he says that it is like a way by which we arrive at salvation.

Nor is this without good reason, for Christ calls us as a free favor, but it is to repentance (Matthew 9:13). God, as a free favor, pardons our sins, but only when we renounce them. Furthermore, God accomplishes two things in us at the same time: being renewed by repentance, we are delivered from the bondage of our sins; and, being justified by faith, we are also delivered from the curse of our sins.

They are, therefore, inseparable fruits of grace, and, due to their invariable connection, repentance may fittingly and properly be represented as an introduction to salvation. However, when spoken of in this way, it is represented as an effect rather than as a cause.

These are not subtle distinctions intended for evasion but a true and simple solution. For, while Scripture teaches us that we never obtain forgiveness of sins without repentance, it also represents in various passages the mercy of God alone as the basis for our obtaining it.