Godly sorrow

2 Corinthians 7:8-16 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— ⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. ¹⁰ For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. ¹² So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. ¹³ For this reason we have been comforted.

And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. ¹⁵ His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.

In today’s text Paul says:     I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.  For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.         Often in the church today there is so much concern that the message will not offend anyone, that there is little chance of this sorrow according to the will of God. It is important that churches be places of encouragement, edification and exhortation. In Ephesians 4:11-13 it says:    He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.       The ministry gifts are given to build and to build up the church.  It is equally important though, that within the church we also do as Ephesians 4:14-15 says:  As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.

Speaking the truth in love, even if it is a hard truth, is a form of exhortation. Speaking the truth in love, does edify.  In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul encourages Timothy saying:  I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.              Certainly in our society and our culture, sadly even in the church today, there are many who want to have their ears tickled. There are many teachers, who for the sake of not offending, have turned away from truth. In 2 Timothy 3:13-17, Paul says:     But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived…  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Jesus also encourages believers to continue to teach the truth of the word. In Matthew 5, in Jesus Sermon on the Mount, He says:  “You are the salt of the earth…” (vs13)  “You are the light of the world…” (vs 14)  Then in verses 17-19 He says:    “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.  For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”       If we would be great in the kingdom of heaven, we will speak the truth of God’s word. It may indeed cause sorrow for a time. We must remember though:    the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

If we will speak the truth of God’s word, Scripture, which is:  inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; God according to His will, through the Holy Spirit can lead people from death to repentance. We are to love. We are to speak the truth in love. What is love?     Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,  does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

In today’s text Paul says:   For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!      Perhaps in the church today, if we will speak the truth in love, if we will not be concerned with causing offense, if we will allow the truth of God’s word to encourage, exhort and edify, even to “cause godly sorrow”, perhaps then we too will see: vindication, indignation, fear, longing, zeal and  avenging of wrong!  

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit may indeed Your love be my example and my guide. May I be salt and light. May I speak the truth in love, a love that is: patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,  does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.     Amen