February 5, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Deuteronomy and Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Corinthians 7 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.……Continue Reading
It is never easy to share truth with someone, especially someone we love dearly. Paul does not apologize for telling the Corinthians about their sinful ways but does express sadness that it hurt them. In the same instance he acknowledges that the hurt was necesary for them to come to a place of repentance and change. This is how we would hope sharing truth in relationships always goes, however it never seems quite that simple. We need to always handle conflicts in a loving way, we need to look at ourselves as much as the other person involved and especially when we are addressing sin. None of us are sinless, we have all been in places where our sin needs to be addressed, and so when we are trying to help someone in our life with their issues it is important to remember that and remember how much correction can hurt and support them not just judge them.
”Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.“
II Corinthians 7:9-10 NKJV
2 Corinthians 7
This makes me think of the beginning phrases of the sermon on the mount:
““ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:3-6 NASB2020
Paul initially felt bad for bringing the Corinthians to a point of sorrow. But it ended up being a godly sorrow that brought about repentance. And that repentance brought a comfort to the Corinthians that rebounded to comfort Paul.
How great is our God, who makes beauty from ashes and is able to take something that causes sorrow and repurposes it for His glorification and our blessing.
2 Corinthians 7
Dueteronomy 17
Good comments, Kelly, Amy, and Josiah. Thank God for His comfort toward us. Also thanks that we can comfort one another. Sometimes it is hard to share the truth, but we should always tell it in love. As Kelly said we are all sinners. Romans 3:23. Hopefully it would lead to Godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation. And as believers a closer walk with Jesus and each other. May we all have that close walk with Jesus.
What a logical response to all the promises that God gives us, that we would purify ourselves and live the way that He directs. And what a wonderful thing it is, when you believe a relationship has been fractured and then you learn that it isn’t. This is especially true when the relationship was strained because there were things you needed to address and then eventually the other party saw the truth and benefit of what you had shared. Confrontation does cause sorrow, but when it is true in its essence, then repentance should be the result regardless of how it has made us feel. And that’s the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to honest evaluation and restored relationship. Worldly sorrow results in guilt and keeps us stuck where we are, feeling bad about ourselves but not doing anything about it.