2 CORINTHIANS SERIES
The Fruit of Grief
2 CORINTHIANS 7:1-16
2corandmore
PERSON FROM CONGREGATION READS 2 CORINTHIANS 7:1-16
“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. 5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.”
INTRODUCTION… thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2020/05/these-30-little-things-are-always-a-bad-idea-especially-in-your-twenties/ [adapted]
Some things are always bad no matter the situation. For example:
1. Saying exactly what you are thinking when you are furious.
2. Trusting someone who could get you arrested.
3. Ignoring the red flag that he or she brought their mother to a first date.
4. Arguing with someone on social media.
5. Venting to someone you know is a gossip.
6. Telling a woman to calm down.
7. Road rage or yelling at a pedestrian who is yelling at you.
8. Using WebMD to look up your symptoms.
These are things are always bad no matter the situation. Some things are good no matter the situation and no matter the details:
ILLUSTRATION… ourhappynotes.com/2023/01/30/100-good-things-in-the-world/ [adapted]
1. Potatoes.
2. The top of the ice cream before anyone scoops it.
3. The smell of freshly baked bread. Even folks who are gluten-free like that smell.
4. A sunset with pink and purple clouds.
5. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control.
6. Finding money on the ground.
7. New car smell.
8. Popping bubble wrap.
These are all things that are good no matter the situation and no matter the details. I mention these activities and feelings and happenstances because some things in life are always bad, and some things in life are always good. Today, we are talking about something that is good or bad depending on the situation.
CENTRAL WORD FOR TODAY: GRIEF
The central word for today is: grief.
In the passage that we are going to re-read in a moment in 2 Corinthians 7, the word “grief” takes center stage. The word means distress. The word means sorrowful or sad. It means pain, pained, and is usually thought of as a heavy negative emotion. We think this because the word “grief” is usually associated with the loss of life. Grief comes when someone in our life dies and a hole is left because they were important to us. Grief is a hard emotion because not everyone grieves the same and everyone will lose someone in death at some point in life. Grief is also difficult because we don’t always know what to do with it or how to react to the feelings that come with it. In that way, grief is always bad because it signals a significant, hurtful loss. The way that the Apostle Paul uses the word “grief” and “grieved” in the passage is not in a sense that someone has died, but that being said, I don’t want to skip over the word grief as though it is not significant. I know there are folks here today who are grieving, and I don’t want to just skip over your heavy heart.
TOTAL SIDE NOTE: GRIEF
Overall, to grieve as a Christian means that we embrace the process of our feelings, allowing time and tears to flow through us even as we hope in God's ultimate comfort and future restoration. Let me repeat that: to grieve as a Christian means that we embrace the process of our feelings, allowing time and tears to flow through us even as we hope in God's ultimate comfort and future restoration. What does that look like?
If you are grieving today, please turn to God in prayer, express your pain to Him, and ask Him for help and strength. I know it might be hard to pray, but when we draw near to God when we grieve, He promises comfort. Prayer and lament are important for us. Turn to God in prayer, pouring out your heart to Him about the pain of your loss. You can express your specific sorrow and ask for His peace, love, and strength as you feel heavy.
If you are grieving today, allow yourself to grieve. Sometimes we think we shouldn’t grieve, but that’s not true. Do not feel rushed or try to stuff down your emotions. We feel what we feel. The Bible overall encourages a journey through the valley of sorrow. Experiencing pain is a healthy and necessary part of spiritual growth in grief.
If you are grieving today, rely on your church family. Sometimes we feel like we can go it alone, but we need to accept support from others. Sometimes we want to be alone, but overall, that is probably not a good plan. Accept their practical, emotional, and financial help. Part of the answer to our prayers in grief is the people God sends around us.
And church family, more than once in the Bible we are commanded to bear one another's burdens. I want to challenge you today to follow Romans 12 and Galatians 6 by reaching out to someone you know who is grieving and offering a listening ear and comfort. That was a bit of a side note for today, but I think it was an important one.
We are in 2 Corinthians 7, and the way that the Apostle Paul uses the word “grief” and “grieved” in the passage is not in a sense that someone has died, but rather as we relate to sin in our lives in our relationship with God. Let’s re-read what the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians as we focus on verses 8-12.
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 7:8-12 (ESV)
8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point, you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.
TRANSITION
This passage uses the words grief or sorrow to focus on our attitudes about our lives and how we deal with sin. Paul is still referencing the back-and-forth relationship he has had with them in visits and letters as the Corinthians shift from their old lives and embrace their faith in Christ. This passage about grief focuses first on the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow as it relates to how we act.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GODLY GRIEF AND WORLDLY GRIEF (VERSES 9-10)
Paul starts in verses 9-10 by mentioning “godly grief” and then distinguishes two kinds of sorrow: godly grief and worldly grief or godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
The Apostle Paul points out right away that godly grief leads to one thing: repentance. He says this in verse 9 and again in verse 10. The result of godly grief is repentance. This sorrow is not just about feeling bad or guilty for sin, but it is the kind of sorrow that recognizes the weight and consequences of our sin, turns us toward God, and leads us to transformation. Our sin is a big deal. It is always a big deal, but sometimes we don’t treat sin as a big deal. Godly grief looks honestly at our sin and sees properly how it impacts us, those around us, and our relationship with God. Godly sorrow does not leave us stuck in despair because we sin, but brings us to a place where we experience repentance, which is turning away from sin and turning back to God.
Verse 10 makes the distinction between godly grief and worldly grief. Worldly sorrow, on the other hand, is a sorrow that doesn’t lead to real change. Worldly grief is sorrow because we got caught. It is focused on the consequences of sin in a way that doesn’t lead to real heart change. Perhaps we are upset at how our sin damages our reputation, but not how it impacts our spiritual life. This kind of sorrow brings no real repentance. Paul says that worldly grief and sorrow about our sin only lead to death because they leave us unchanged. An unchanged heart is bound by guilt and shame.
APPLICATION
The distinction Paul makes in these verses is quite significant. It is even more significant when we place ourselves under this teaching and think about our own lives.
Have you ever felt sorrow for sin because of the consequences it might bring?
Have you felt grief over your actions because of what others might think?
Have you been sorrowful over your words or actions because of the trouble it caused you?
OR
Have you experienced sorrow that led you to fall on your knees before God?
Do we have the desire to be free… not just from guilt… but from the sin itself?
The sorrow that comes from God is life-giving and draws us close to Him, but worldly sorrow keeps us in bondage. We see godly sorrow over sin expressed in Psalm 51…
READ PSALM 51:3-6 (ESV)
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, You delight in truth in the inward being, and You teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”
TRANSITION
This passage uses the words grief or sorrow to focus on our attitudes about our lives and how we deal with sin. Paul continues in the passage and describes for us more of how godly sorrow works out inside us and outside of us.
FRUIT OF GODLY SORROW (VERSES 11-12)
The Apostle Paul goes on to explain what godly sorrow produces in us. He says that when they had experienced godly sorrow, the Corinthians showed a range of fruit, which included:
Earnestness: The Corinthians had a serious desire to make things right and did so with speed and care and did not mess around with their sin once they understood sin and the nature of what our disobedience does to our spirit. Keep in mind that their earnestness drove their repentance.
Eagerness to clear yourselves: The believers in Corinth had a willingness to seek reconciliation and restoration among themselves and with God. The idea behind this word in this verse is that the Corinthians were watchful for any ways in which they could make their sinfulness right. They looked for ways that conversations and actions could repair what was broken. Keep in mind their eagerness drove their repentance.
Indignation: The word “indignation” is not used a lot in the New Testament, but it is a word that means to be angry. Paul is saying that the Corinthians were righteously angry at the sin itself they had committed and allowed to flourish in their church family. Anger has its place in our lives… angry at sin and anger when sin gets the better of us is a proper place for it. Keep in mind their righteous anger over their sin drove them to repentance.
Fear and Alarm: I would like to tell you that the word “fear” has some deeper meaning, but in the end, the Corinthian Christians were shaking in their sandals at the thought that they had sinned against the God of the Universe and not taken it seriously. They have a frightened fear that they took the grace offered to them through Christ and nailed Him to the cross again by their sin. This drove alarming awe and fear into them as they considered God the Father. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a good dose of old-fashioned fear at times when it comes to our sin. Keep in mind their fear drove them to repentance.
The Apostle Paul continues to talk about the results of godly sorrow in the lives of the Corinthians, which led them to repentance:
Longing: The word “longing” means that there is a desire for restoration and peace. The Corinthians intensely craved a relationship with God that was made right. It was their desire. The word used in this verse is also related to “lust” showing it to be a strong emotion. The Corinthians lusted after a right relationship with God… that is an odd statement, but I think it shows you the intensity of their repentance. Their longing moved them to repentance.
Zeal: The Corinthians expressed a jealousy and intense desire towards turning away from their sin and stepping towards Jesus Christ. Repentance is a big deal and cannot be done halfway. We are not always successful, but we do need to give our whole heart to repentance. Zeal for God fuels our repentance.
Lastly, the Apostle Paul mentions punishment. The word Paul uses here is one that means a commitment to making things right through being disciplined. The Corinthians were willing to train themselves, educate each other, and learn how to be godlier and more Christlike to reduce the number of times they did not resist temptation. A disciplined commitment to making things right moved them towards God.
Paul shares with us that godly grief led the Corinthians to action, which he approves of and tells them he appreciates. None of what he describes that he sees in them is passive or apathetic, but rather is Christlike. In the context of the Corinthian church, this was a response to a previous letter from Paul, in which he confronted them about sin in the church. Their sorrow was not just mental or emotional, but also tangible actions. The Corinthians were eager to clear themselves of sin and make things right with their God.
APPLICATION
What does godly grief as it relates to our sin look like in our lives?
Are we led to action?
Are we earnest, eager, indignant over our failures… or meh?
Are we fearful, longing, zealous, and lean into discipline or…meh?
True godly repentance isn’t just about feeling bad about sin and moral failure, but it is about turning away from sin, seeking forgiveness through the blood of Christ, and pursuing righteousness in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we experience godly grief over our words and actions and inaction, it compels us to do what is necessary to restore relationships, whether with God or with other people.
The sorrow that comes from God produces in us the desire to repent. We see godly sorrow over sin expressed in Psalm 51 and I feel like many of the fruit of godly grief is expressed in the verses we read:
READ PSALM 51:7-13 (ESV)
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.”
TRANSITION
The Apostle Paul finishes this passage by saying that his previous letter wasn’t written merely for the sake of the wrongdoer or to point out sin, but so that they would devote themselves to God Who wants a restored relationship with us.
GOD WANTS RESTORATION (Verse 12)
Paul wasn’t exactly about pointing fingers, even though he was pointing fingers.
Paul wasn’t exactly about assigning blame, even though he was assigning blame.
Paul wrote a painful letter to the Corinthians so that they would take note of their wrong attitudes about sin and repent. God desires that people repent. We see all throughout Scripture that God wants a restored right relationship with us.
READ EZEKIEL 33:10-11 (ESV)
“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”
READ 2 PETER 3:9 (ESV)
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Paul’s ultimate goal was that the Corinthians would see that they needed to be fully devoted to Christ and this is also what God wanted. It is what God wants for us as well.
APPLICATION
Here then, is the ultimate question of the day…
Do we accept correction, either from God or from others, and seek to move away from sin towards repentance and restoration?
OR
Are we defensive?
God’s heart in correction is always love. God’s will is that any of us turn to Him in repentance because He is quick to forgive and abounding in steadfast love (Exodus 15:13, 34:6-7, Numbers 14:19, Nehemiah 9:17).
CONCLUSION
As we conclude talking about this passage in 2 Corinthians 7, we overall learn that godly grief brings about repentance and worldly grief emphasizes sorrow ‘cause we got caught. As the people of God, we are about repentance and restoration. Through repentance, God the Father brings about a change in us to become more like Jesus. This is not just in our mind and emotions, but also in our actions. This process of transformation is a mark of God’s grace working in us, and to put a churchy word on it… is called sanctification.
This morning, if you find yourself burdened by sin, pray that God would give you sorrow over it. Ask that God would create in you a grief over sin which will lead to a clean heart. When we do that, we will find our Heavenly Father Who is kind.
READ ROMANS 2:4 (ESV)
“Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
PRAYER
INVITATION
