AGGRAVATION OR FREEDOM
2 CORINTHIANS 7:1-12
THIS MORNING I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE OF REPENTANCE. PAUL IS GOING TO TEACH US IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY THAT TRUE REPENTANCE AND REMORSE IS THE GATEWAY TO DEEP SPIRITUALITY AND BLESSING FROM GOD.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF REPENTANCE THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF, WHICH ARE: 1. WORLDLY REPENTANCE
2. GODLY REPENTANCE
JIM HARRON SAYS:
“REPENTANCE IS AN ONGOING PROCESS, INVOLVED IN EACH STRUGGLE ALONG THE WAY TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY. UNLESS WE LEARN HOW TO REPENT, WE WILL NOT GROW. UNLESS WE LEARN THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN “GODLY SORROW” AND “WORLDLY SORROW” WE WILL DIE.”
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO STUDY PAUL’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH AND EXAMINE THESE TWO TYPES OF REPENTANCE CLOSELY, AS WELL AS CONSIDERING HOW TO BUILD AN ATTITUDE OF REPENTANCE.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:
THE CHURCH IN CORINTH WAS FOUNDED BY PAUL, AND WAS A SOURCE OF GREAT TURMOIL FOR HIM. IDOLATRY WAS RAMPANT, AND ALSO FALSE TACHERS HAD COME INTO THE CHURCH CHARGING THAT PAUL WAS NOT A TRUE APOSTLE.
PAUL WROTE FOUR LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH:
1. IS AN UNKNOWN LETTER REFERRED TO IN 1 CORINTHIANS 5:9. IT IS KNOWN AS “THE PREVIOUS LETTER”.
2. THE SECOND LETTER IS WHAT WE KNOW AS 1 CORINTHIANS
3. A LETTER WHICH PAUL REFERS TO AS “A HARD, TOUGH-WORDED, NO NON-SENSE LETTER. IT IS CALLED “THE SEVERE LETTER”
4. THE FOURTH LETTER IS WHAT WE KNOW AS 2 CORINTHIANS
THE PASSAGE WE ARE LOOKING AT TODAY IS A RESULT OF THE PREVIOUS THREE LETTERS AND ACTIONS IN REPENTANCE TAKEN BY THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH.
PAUL WANTS THEM TO REALIZE THAT THOUGH HE TREATED THEM IN A TOUGH MANNER HE DOES NOT REGRET IT, FOR IT BROUGHT ABOUT A REPENTANT ATTITUDE.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:8-10:
EVEN IF I CAUSED YOU SORROW BY MY LETTER, I DO NOT REGRET IT. THOUGH I DID REGRET IT—I SEE THAT MY LETTER HURT YOU, BUT ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE—9 YET NOW I AM HAPPY, NOT BECAUSE YOU WERE MADE SORRY, BUT BECAUSE YOUR SORROW LED YOU TO REPENTANCE. FOR YOU BECAME SORROWFUL AS GOD INTENDED AND SO WERE NOT HARMED IN ANY WAY BY US. 10 GODLY SORROW BRINGS REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION AND LEAVES NO REGRET, BUT WORLDLY SORROW BRINGS DEATH.
COMPARE IT TO A PARENT TAKING A CHILD TO THE DENTIST AFTER A CAVITY HAS BEEN FOUND. IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE PARENT KNOWS SOME PAIN WILL BE INVOLVED. THE PARENT ALSO KNOWS THAT THIS PAIN IS TEMPORARY, AND WILL LEAD TO GOOD RESULTS IN THE LONGRUN.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD SALVATION IN TERMS OF A PROCESS. HE TOLD THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH TO:
PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13:
12 THEREFORE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED—NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE—CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, 13 FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT IN ORDER TO FULFILL HIS GOOD PURPOSE.
PAUL TAUGHT THAT SALVATION ALSO INCLUDED SANCTIFICATION. WE ARE SAVED ONCE WE HAVE BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AND COMMITTED OOUR LIVES TO HIM. OUR SALVATION IS NOT COMPLETE THERE. YOUR SALVATION ISN’T COMPLETE WHEN YOU WALK AN AISLE OR ARE BAPTIZED. IT IS MERELY THE BEGINNING. WE ARE SAVED BUT GOD HASN’T FINISHED HIS WORK IN US. PAUL SAID TO THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH:
PHILIPPIANS 1:6: BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS, THAT HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL CARRY IT ON TO COMPLETION UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS.
THE WALK OF HOLINESS FOR US AS WELL AS THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH IS JUST BEGINNING, AND IT STARTS WITH REPENTANCE.
POINT TWO: WORLDLY REPENTANCE
THE GREEK WORD FOR WORLDLY REPENTANCE IS “METAMELOMAI” WHICH MEANS TO HAVE REMORSE FOR ONE’S ACTIONS. IT MAY NOT MEAN I’M SORRY FOR WHAT I DID, BUT RATHER I’M SORRY I GOT CAUGHT DOING WHAT I DID. THE PRODUCT OF WORLDLY REPENTANCE IS DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION. IT IS REMORSE AND REGRET AND BEARING THE BURDEN OF ONE’S GUILT.
WORLDLY SORROW HAS FOUR DISTINCTIONS:
1. ROUTINE: ROUTINE INVOLVES THE HABITUAL SINNING AND SORROWING. YOU SIN ON A TUESDAY, YOU SAY YOUR SORRY ON TUESDAY NIGHT. YOU COMMIT THE SAME SIN ON WEDNESDAY AND SAY YOU ARE SORRY ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
IT IS A CONTINUAL ROUTINE OF SINNING AND BEING SORRY, BUT THERE IS NO CHANGE, NO VICTORIOUS LIVING.
2. THE REALITY OF THE ROUTINE: THE REALITY OF THE ROUTINE IS THAT IT DEVELOPS A SPIRITUAL SHALLOWNESS. THE WORD SORRY IS EMPTY WITH NO CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE. VERNON CARUTHERS SAYS “AN INSINCERE SORRY IS EMPTY AND IT IS WORTHLESS.”
3. THE RISK INVOLVED: THE RISK IS THE DANGER OF DEVELOPING A HARDENED SENSITIVITY TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WHEN WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING FACED WITH SITUATIONS THAT ARE WRONG, WE CAN BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THEM AND THEY LOSE THEIR FORCE OF IMPACT.
WHEN I STARTED TO PLAY GUITAR, MY FINGERTIPS WOULD HURT THE MORE I PLAYED. AFTER SOME TIME I NOTICED THEY DID NOT HURT, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THEM, I FOUND THAT THE SKIN HAD HARDENED AND CALLUSED WHERE I WOULD PLAY THE CHORDS. I DIDN’T FEEL ANYTHING.
HEBREWS 3:7-8:
SO, AS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS: “TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS YOU DID IN THE REBELLION, DURING THE TIME OF TESTING IN THE WILDERNESS,
4. THE RESULT: CONTINUAL SINNING LEADS TO SPIRITUAL BONDAGE AND SLAVERY. GOD’S DESIRE FOR US IS THAT WE BE FREE FROM SIN.
JOHN 8:36: SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED.
WHEN SIN IS NOT REPENTED OF IT BECOMES OUR MASTER. IT IS LIKE A LIE THAT IS TOLD. SOON ANOTHER LIE IS NEEDED TO PREVENT DISCOVERY OF THE FIRST, AND THEN ANOTHER IS TOLD, AND ANOTHER AND ANOTHER. THERE IS NO END, THERE IS NO FREEDOM
2 PETER 2:19: THEY PROMISE THEM FREEDOM, WHILE THEY THEMSELVES ARE SLAVES OF DEPRAVITY—FOR “PEOPLE ARE SLAVES TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED THEM.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO FALL PREY TO DIFFERENT ADDICTIONS IN THIS WORLD. THEY DON’T START ADDICTED, NOR DO THEY SAY, “THIS IS THE PERFECT DAY TO BECOME ADDICTED” TO SOME VICE. IT HAPPENS GRADUALLY OVER TIME, AND IS DISCOVERED SUDDENLY WHEN IT IS TOO LATE.
ROMANS 6:16: DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE AS OBEDIENT SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES OF THE ONE YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
HOW CAN WE TELL IF WE’RE DEALING WITH WORLDLY REPENTANCE. WHEN WE DEAL WITH WORLDLY REPENTANCE THE MAIN THING WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS TO FEEL BETTER. WE MAY TRY DOING GOOD DEEDS, GOING TO CHURCH MORE, BUT NO MATTER WHAT WE TRY, THERE IS NO PEACE, BECAUSE THE PEACE THAT WE ARE SEARCHING FOR IS WHAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE.
WE CAN CARRY AROUND ANGER, HURT, SORROW OVER SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO US, OR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE TO THEM. EACH TIME IT IS BROUGHT UP IT CUTS FURTHER INTO OUR CHRISTIAN WALK, BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE IT AT THE CROSS AND INSTEAD WE KEEP ON PICKING IT UP.
POINT THREE: GODLY REPENTANCE
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU NOW SOME MARKS OF TRUE REPENTANCE:
1. EARNESTNESS: IS OUR REPENTANCE MARKED BY CARE OR DO WE LOOK AT SIN ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE SYSTEM. SOME SINS ARE LESS WRONG THAN OTHERS. I MAY GOSSIP, BUT I’M NOT A MURDERER. I MAY COMMIT ADULTERY, BUT I’M NOT A THIEF. THE BIBLE TELLS US TO CONFESS ALL OUR SIN, NOT JUST WHAT WE THINK ARE GREAT IN DEGREE.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:31-32:
BUT IF WE WERE MORE DISCERNING WITH REGARD TO OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT COME UNDER SUCH JUDGMENT. 32 NEVERTHELESS, WHEN WE ARE JUDGED IN THIS WAY BY THE LORD, WE ARE BEING DISCIPLINED SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE FINALLY CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD.
2. VINDICATION OF YOURSELF: GODLY REPENTANCE PRODUCES AN EAGERNESS TO CLEAR OURSELVES OF THE SIN WE ARE CONFESSING. WHY IS THIS? THE SIN THAT WE ARE CONFESSING
IS A THIEF TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
PSALM 51:4: AGAINST YOU, YOU ONLY, HAVE I SINNED AND DONE WHAT IS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT; SO YOU ARE RIGHT IN YOUR VERDICT
AND JUSTIFIED WHEN YOU JUDGE.
DENNIS HUSS STATES, THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS NO QUALMS ABOUT HARBORING SIN IN THEIR LIFE HAS NO COMMITMENT TO GUARD THE GLORY OF GOD.
3. INDIGNATION: THE REPENTANT PERSON IS SO THOROUGHLY AROUSED AGAINST ALL SIN THAT HE BECOMES FORCEFULLY INDIGNANT AGAINST SIN AND MANIFESTS A POWERFUL GRIEF AND HATRED TOWARDS IT ESPECIALLY IN HIMSELF. SIN DOES NOT BELONG IN A CHRISTIAN’S LIFE, AND IT’S PRESENCE SHOULD ALWAYS BRING UP INDIGNATION. WE KNOW THE VALIDITY OF OUR REPENTANCE BY OUR REACTION TO SIN IN OURSELVES.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:11: SEE WHAT THIS GODLY SORROW HAS PRODUCED IN YOU: WHAT EARNESTNESS, WHAT EAGERNESS TO CLEAR YOURSELVES, WHAT INDIGNATION, WHAT ALARM, WHAT LONGING, WHAT CONCERN, WHAT READINESS TO SEE JUSTICE DONE. AT EVERY POINT YOU HAVE PROVED YOURSELVES TO BE INNOCENT IN THIS MATTER.
MY DAD SMOKED UNTIL HE WAS 63. HE THEN QUIT COLD TURKEY. IF YOU WANTED TO GET HIM MAD, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS LIGHT A CIGARETTE IN HIS VACINITY. HE COULD GIVE YOU SUCH A COLD STARE THAT YOU WOULD PUT OUT THE CIGARETTE AND APOLOGIZE FOR WASTING A MATCH.
4. FEAR: THE FEAR PAUL IS REFERRING TO IS NOT THE FEAR OF GOING TO HELL. IT IS THE FEAR THAT SHOULD BE EVER PRESENT IN A BELIEVERS LIFE, THAT THEIR ACTIONS MAY LEAD SOMEONE ELSE AWAY FROM THE LORD AND CAUSE THEM TO FALL.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:31-33:
SO WHETHER YOU EAT OR DRINK OR WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. 32 DO NOT CAUSE ANYONE TO STUMBLE, WHETHER JEWS, GREEKS OR THE CHURCH OF GOD—33 EVEN AS I TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE IN EVERY WAY. FOR I AM NOT SEEKING MY OWN GOOD BUT THE GOOD OF MANY, SO THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED.
5. LONGING: THERE NEEDS TO BE A FURVENT DESIRE FOR THE THINGS OF GOD. IS IT OUR LONGING TO SEEK GOD, TO PRAY WITHOUT CCEASING.
HEBREWS 11:15-16:
IF THEY HAD BEEN THINKING OF THE COUNTRY THEY HAD LEFT, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN. 16 INSTEAD, THEY WERE LONGING FOR A BETTER COUNTRY—A HEAVENLY ONE. THEREFORE GOD IS NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED THEIR GOD, FOR HE HAS PREPARED A CITY FOR THEM.
WHEN I FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH LESLIE THE HARDEST THING FOR ME TO DO WAS TO LEAVE HER AND RETURN TO ACADIA. I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF NOT TO TURN THE CAR AROUND AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER. TO THIS DAY I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BE AWAY FROM HER. THIS IS THE LONGING THAT PAUL WANTS US TO HAVE FOR THE LORD.
6. ZEAL: ZEAL IS SEEN BY SOME AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF A FANATIC. PEOPLE WILL OFTEN SHOW ZEAL OR LOYALTY, FOR A PARTICULAR TEAM IN SPORTS, OR A PARTICULAR ACTIVITY. WE MAY SAY THEY ARE A BIT FANATICAL ABOUT THEIR CHOICE.
ARE WE THAT ACTIVE ABOUT OUR FAITH, ESPECIALLY AS A RESULT OF REPENTANCE.
ROMANS 12:11: NEVER BE LACKING IN ZEAL, BUT KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL FERVOR, SERVING THE LORD.
7. AVENGING OF WRONG. PAUL HERE IS TALKING OF RESTITUTION. IF WE HAVE WRONGED ANOTHER WE OWE THAT PERSON RESTITUTION. TRULY REPENTANT PEOPLE HAVE AN UNSHAKABLE MORAL PASSION THAT IF POSSIBLE THE WRONGS WHICH THEY ARE GUILTY OF NEED TO BE SET RIGHT.
NUMBERS 5:5-8:
THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, 6 “SAY TO THE ISRAELITES: ‘ANY MAN OR WOMAN WHO WRONGS ANOTHER IN ANY WAY AND SO IS UNFAITHFUL TO THE LORD IS GUILTY 7 AND MUST CONFESS THE SIN THEY HAVE COMMITTED. THEY MUST MAKE FULL RESTITUTION FOR THE WRONG THEY HAVE DONE, ADD A FIFTH OF THE VALUE TO IT AND GIVE IT ALL TO THE PERSON THEY HAVE WRONGED. 8 BUT IF THAT PERSON HAS NO CLOSE RELATIVE TO WHOM RESTITUTION CAN BE MADE FOR THE WRONG, THE RESTITUTION BELONGS TO THE LORD AND MUST BE GIVEN TO THE PRIEST, ALONG WITH THE RAM WITH WHICH ATONEMENT IS MADE FOR THE WRONGDOER.
GODLY REPENTANCE RECOGNIZES THAT UNCONFESSED UNREPENTANT SIN IN OUR LIVES, IS STEALING GOD’S GLORY FROM US AND THOSE AROUND US. IT MAKES A MOCKERY OF THE IMAGE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES.
CONCLUSION:
GODLY REPENTANCE OCCURS WHEN WE TAKE OUR SIN TO THE CROSS AND LEAVE IT THERE. IT IS DEALT WITH BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO CARRY IT ANY LONGER. IT DOES NOT ROB US OF THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT GIVES ALL GLORY OVER TO GOD.
A GROUP OF WOMEN WERE STUDYING THE BOOK OF MALACHI, AND CAME TO MALACHI 3:3 WHICH READS:
MALACHI 3:3: HE WILL SIT AS A REFINER AND PURIFIER OF SILVER; HE WILL PURIFY THE LEVITES AND REFINE THEM LIKE GOLD AND SILVER.
THEY WONDERED WHAT THIS STATEMENT MEANT AND ONE OFFERED TO LOOK INTO THE PROCESS OF REFINMENT AND BRING HER FINDINGS BACK TO THE CROUP.
SHE CONTACTED A SILVERSMITH AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE HIM.
THE SILVERSMITH TOLD HER THAT THE SILVER NEEDED TO BE HELD IN THE CENTER OF THE FIRE WHERE IT WAS HOTTEST IN ORDER TO GET RID OF ALL IMPURITIES.
THE SILVERSMITH EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD TO WATCH THE PROCESS VERY CAREFULLY. IF THE SILVER WAS LEFT EVEN A MINUTE TOO LONG, THEN THE PIECE WOULD BE RUINED.
THE WOMAN THEN ASKED, “HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE SILVER IS FULLY REFINED?” HE SMILED AT HER AND SAID “THAT’S EASY, WHEN I SEE MY IMAGE IN IT.”
CONSIDER THIS SCRIPTURE:
2 CORINTHIANS 3:18: AND WE ALL, WHO WITH UNVEILED FACES CONTEMPLATE A THE LORD’S GLORY, ARE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE WITH EVER-INCREASING GLORY, WHICH COMES FROM THE LORD, WHO IS THE SPIRIT.
ROMANS 8:29: FOR THOSE GOD FOREKNEW HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON,
WHAT IMAGE ARE PEOPLE SEEING IN YOU AND ME TODAY.
C.S. LEWIS WROTE:
“ONCE WE GIVE GOD PERMISSION BY SURRENDERING OUR LIVES TO HIM, HE WILL NOT STOP THAT PROCESS OF PURIFYING US, NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL OR UNPLEASANT IT MAY BE.”
