"For the sorrow that is according to the will of the Lord produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death!" (II Corinthians 7:10)
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 6:14-7:1, the apostle Paul gave clear instructions that believers were not to be "bound together (KJV says "unequally yoked together") with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness with lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols"?
This does not mean, says MacArthur and other Bible commentators, "that believers should end all associations with unbelievers, since that would defy the very purpose for which God saves believers and leaves them on earth"--that being, to reach out to unbelievers and making them disciples, thereby fulfilling the great commission"!
Verse 16 states that "we are the temple of the living God"; just as God told us (through Old Testament writings), that He would "indwell us and walk among us, and be our God, and that we would be His people"! And, in a more intimate way, that He would be "a Father to us and that we would be sons and daughters to Him"! And 7:1 goes on to say, "Therefore, having these promises beloved (or, in view of this incredible, and indescribable, relationship we have as part of the family of God), let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God"!
And we were (and are) prompted and encouraged to respond with gratitude and thanksgiving based on what the apostle John further wrote, in I John 3:1-3, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called 'children of God', and it has not appeared as yet what we will be; but we know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is! Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure!"
And so that's how our lesson ended! On a high note!
And that set the tone for our lesson last night, where the tenor and tone of Paul's writing seems to change--at least initially! In verse 2, an emotionally-driven Paul begins with an appeal for the Corinthians to "make room in their hearts" for him, as he continues to try to defend himself, and his ministry, against the criticisms of some in the church of Corinth who question his integrity and oppose his teaching--and so he writes that, contrary to their claims, he "hasn't wronged anyone, or corrupted anyone, or taken advantage of anyone"!
And he goes on (in verse 3) to write that "he didn't speak to condemn them" noting, as he had said before, that he loved them, and that they were in his heart to die together and live together" (possibly referring to their eventual death and resurrection together for all eternity)! And (in verse 4) to express "the confidence he had about how God was working in their lives," something he even "boasted about to others," being totally comfortable with their status as believers! In fact, "overflowing with joy despite all his afflictions," some of which were attributable to them!
In verse 5, he alludes to the tensions and anxieties he was feeling at the time when he first came to Macedonia (recorded in 2:13-13) "leaving Troas, even though a door was opened to him in the Lord there, because he had no rest for his spirit"! Apparently going to Macedonia to meet up with Titus, to get a report from him about his visit and experience in Corinth and how things were going there, and particularly their reactions to the "severe letter" (sometimes referred to as "the lost epistle") he had sent to them, before writing his first epistle! A letter full of retribution which he thought may have caused them undue sorrow!
MacArthur notes that "Paul's concern for the problems in the Corinthian church and how its members were responding to both the problems and his instructions (in the letter) caused him debilitating restlessness and anxiety! In fact, so debilitating that he was unable to give full attention to his ministry"! (Paul obviously didn't enjoy rebuking, and judging, and disciplining believers, even though he felt compelled to do it as a minister called of God, and knew that it had to be done! And by this we catch a fresh glimpse of the tender heart and yet human side of this great man of God!)
Verse 6 says, "But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me"!
And so, the good news from Titus gave great comfort for Paul, pulling him out of his depression and anxiety, and bringing back his joy--and even causing him to have second thoughts about the severe letter he had written to the Corinthians! He writes, in verses-9 8, that "for though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while! 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 not suffer loss in anything through us!" Wow!
And here's the beautiful truth, and verse to remember, and live by! Verse 10--"For the sorrow that is according to the will of the Lord produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world leads to death!" (Hebrews 12:11 says, "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness!) Wow!
MacArthur notes that "true repentance cannot occur apart from genuine sorrow for one's sin"! And it's something that applies to both believers and unbelievers! Repentance for the unbeliever is at the heart of one's salvation! An unbeliever needs to acknowledge and repent of his (or her) sin as part of the process of receiving Christ and experiencing salvation! And then, as a believer, to repent of his (or her) sin continually, not for salvation, which has already happened, but to keep the joy and blessing of his (or her) relationship with the Lord! And that's part of the normal Christian life, and the progressive sanctification process that every believer experiences!
James 6:16, speaking to believers, says: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed; the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much!" Jesus said to His disciples, in Luke 1:3-4, "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times, forgive him!" Wiersbe notes that "four of the seven churches of Asia Minor, listed in Revelation 3-4, were commanded to repent"!
Verse 11 notes (says MacArthur) seven "good outcomes" that came to the Corinthians, and that come to us, as a result of "godly sorrow," and true repentance! And he prefaces them all with, "For behold what..."
"The sorrow that is according to the will of the Lord produces a repentance without regret...and a overflowing joy even in the midst of affliction!"
"The essence of true repentance is an aggressive pursuit of holiness" (MacArthur)!
"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God is holy!" (Leviticus 19:2)
May God be with you, til we meet again!
Lowell
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 6:14-7:1, the apostle Paul gave clear instructions that believers were not to be "bound together (KJV says "unequally yoked together") with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness with lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols"?
This does not mean, says MacArthur and other Bible commentators, "that believers should end all associations with unbelievers, since that would defy the very purpose for which God saves believers and leaves them on earth"--that being, to reach out to unbelievers and making them disciples, thereby fulfilling the great commission"!
Verse 16 states that "we are the temple of the living God"; just as God told us (through Old Testament writings), that He would "indwell us and walk among us, and be our God, and that we would be His people"! And, in a more intimate way, that He would be "a Father to us and that we would be sons and daughters to Him"! And 7:1 goes on to say, "Therefore, having these promises beloved (or, in view of this incredible, and indescribable, relationship we have as part of the family of God), let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God"!
And we were (and are) prompted and encouraged to respond with gratitude and thanksgiving based on what the apostle John further wrote, in I John 3:1-3, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called 'children of God', and it has not appeared as yet what we will be; but we know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is! Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure!"
And so that's how our lesson ended! On a high note!
And that set the tone for our lesson last night, where the tenor and tone of Paul's writing seems to change--at least initially! In verse 2, an emotionally-driven Paul begins with an appeal for the Corinthians to "make room in their hearts" for him, as he continues to try to defend himself, and his ministry, against the criticisms of some in the church of Corinth who question his integrity and oppose his teaching--and so he writes that, contrary to their claims, he "hasn't wronged anyone, or corrupted anyone, or taken advantage of anyone"!
And he goes on (in verse 3) to write that "he didn't speak to condemn them" noting, as he had said before, that he loved them, and that they were in his heart to die together and live together" (possibly referring to their eventual death and resurrection together for all eternity)! And (in verse 4) to express "the confidence he had about how God was working in their lives," something he even "boasted about to others," being totally comfortable with their status as believers! In fact, "overflowing with joy despite all his afflictions," some of which were attributable to them!
In verse 5, he alludes to the tensions and anxieties he was feeling at the time when he first came to Macedonia (recorded in 2:13-13) "leaving Troas, even though a door was opened to him in the Lord there, because he had no rest for his spirit"! Apparently going to Macedonia to meet up with Titus, to get a report from him about his visit and experience in Corinth and how things were going there, and particularly their reactions to the "severe letter" (sometimes referred to as "the lost epistle") he had sent to them, before writing his first epistle! A letter full of retribution which he thought may have caused them undue sorrow!
MacArthur notes that "Paul's concern for the problems in the Corinthian church and how its members were responding to both the problems and his instructions (in the letter) caused him debilitating restlessness and anxiety! In fact, so debilitating that he was unable to give full attention to his ministry"! (Paul obviously didn't enjoy rebuking, and judging, and disciplining believers, even though he felt compelled to do it as a minister called of God, and knew that it had to be done! And by this we catch a fresh glimpse of the tender heart and yet human side of this great man of God!)
Verse 6 says, "But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me"!
And so, the good news from Titus gave great comfort for Paul, pulling him out of his depression and anxiety, and bringing back his joy--and even causing him to have second thoughts about the severe letter he had written to the Corinthians! He writes, in verses-9 8, that "for though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while! 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 not suffer loss in anything through us!" Wow!
And here's the beautiful truth, and verse to remember, and live by! Verse 10--"For the sorrow that is according to the will of the Lord produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world leads to death!" (Hebrews 12:11 says, "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness!) Wow!
MacArthur notes that "true repentance cannot occur apart from genuine sorrow for one's sin"! And it's something that applies to both believers and unbelievers! Repentance for the unbeliever is at the heart of one's salvation! An unbeliever needs to acknowledge and repent of his (or her) sin as part of the process of receiving Christ and experiencing salvation! And then, as a believer, to repent of his (or her) sin continually, not for salvation, which has already happened, but to keep the joy and blessing of his (or her) relationship with the Lord! And that's part of the normal Christian life, and the progressive sanctification process that every believer experiences!
James 6:16, speaking to believers, says: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed; the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much!" Jesus said to His disciples, in Luke 1:3-4, "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times, forgive him!" Wiersbe notes that "four of the seven churches of Asia Minor, listed in Revelation 3-4, were commanded to repent"!
Verse 11 notes (says MacArthur) seven "good outcomes" that came to the Corinthians, and that come to us, as a result of "godly sorrow," and true repentance! And he prefaces them all with, "For behold what..."
- Earnestness (or diligence)--The initial reaction to repentance that ends indifference to sin and causes one ot eagerly and aggressively pursue righteousness!
- Vindication--The desire to restore the confidence of others!
- Indignation--Anger at the shame brought on the Lord's name and His people!
- Fear--Repentance leads to a healthy fear of the One who chastens and judges sin!
- Longing (or "yearning")--The desire to restore the relationship with the one who was sinned against!
- Zeal--Loving someone, or something, so much that one hates anything that harms the object of who or what one loves!
- Avenging of wrong--The desire to see justice done, regardless of what it may cost one!
"The sorrow that is according to the will of the Lord produces a repentance without regret...and a overflowing joy even in the midst of affliction!"
"The essence of true repentance is an aggressive pursuit of holiness" (MacArthur)!
"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God is holy!" (Leviticus 19:2)
May God be with you, til we meet again!
Lowell
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