Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
How do you respond when your children or grandchildren, or someone you care about very much, makes wrong decisions or even chooses a life path that is contrary to what you know is right or God honoring? The apostle Paul dealt with that problem multiple times with his Christian friends in the wild and wicked city of Corinth in the mid first century and today we have the opportunity to learn some important lessons that might help us as we deal with that same issue which causes us great disappointment.
Paul had spent 18 months living in Corinth, teaching the people about Jesus and the God honoring lifestyle Jesus calls us to live, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, once we are rescued from our sin bondage by Jesus. (Acts 18:11) In addition, over the next few years Paul wrote FOUR letters to his friends in Corinth, two of which we have in our Bible as 1st & 2nd Corinthians, and Paul returned for brief visits to Corinth several times. Through those years it was very difficult for Paul to receive frequent reports of the problems in Corinth resulting from his Christian friends making very immoral or unethical choices.
Both in his visits and his letters Paul’s overarching message was that God loved the Corinthians, and so did Paul, and Paul continually invited them to turn back to Jesus. Paul wrote: “Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one… I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you…” (2 Cor. 7:2-4)
Have you and I learned the important lesson of assuring those whose choices are causing us great concern, that God’s love for them is unconditional and we still love them even as we may be struggling with their choices? Have we built strong enough love and trust relationships with them over time that we can challenge them in frankness to explain their thinking and the WHY behind their choices and behavior? Are we able to clearly show them how their choices or lifestyle are contrary to the God honoring lives Jesus is inviting them to live? Paul did that very effectively and sometimes boldly, as we saw in his 1 Corinthians letter.
Word had come to Paul, through Titus his emissary, that the Christians in Corinth had been convicted by Paul’s letters and visits, and finally were seeing their choices and lifestyle behaviors as offensive to God. In their conviction they grieved. So, Paul wrote: “Even though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. I did regret that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while. I am now happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance…” (2 Cor. 7:8,9)
Undoubtedly, we’ve all had that experience, especially in parenting younger children. We’ve had to confront wrong attitudes or behavior, and we did so sternly, truthfully, which resulted in tears. But as conviction developed in the wayward heart, we saw sorrow and grief and ultimately genuine repentance. THAT repentance is the wonderful condition of the heart where forgiveness and change can take place, as the Holy Spirit does His great work, right?
Paul then makes this very powerful statement which is great news for our entire world…every generation, every society in the world: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Cor. 7:10)
Worldly sorrow is sorrow for being caught or sorrow for the harm done to others, we hear that often in a courtroom. But no real heart change takes place with worldly sorrow, and the bad behavior continues leading that person further away from God to ultimate death. But Godly sorrow is a heart change which brings repentance and that’s the place God can do His life transforming work in a person, delivering them from their sin bondage! Have you experienced BOTH types of sorrow in your life?
But Paul says there’s more, much more. Godly sorrow motivates a person to be earnest and honest with themselves and others. Godly sorrow leads a person to make radical changes in their thinking, their emotions, their priorities, their habits, and especially their relationships, beginning with their relationship with Jesus! Godly sorrow awakens a deep desire to see justice done and God honored. Godly sorrow repentance invites Jesus to do whatever life changing work is needed so the repentant person can live a Spirit filled, God honoring life!
Let’s pause right here friends, and look closely at ourselves, our families and our friends. Do we see worldly sorrow or godly sorrow? The ‘lessons learned’ reflection notes will be very helpful to you as will the worship song as you spend some time with the Holy Spirit, today. And I’ll be here ready for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-13.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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