The Blessing Of Discipline & Repentance

A friend once called a few house painters to his house for some work. He wanted them to paint his porch. After a few hours, the house painters came back for the payment as their work was complete. Before leaving they told my friend that they had enjoyed painting his car, but it is not really a Porsche.

Historical/Cultural Context -

Sometime afterward (c. A.D. 55), Paul left Ephesus, traveling north to Troas (a port city). There he had arranged to meet Titus and hear how the Corinthians had responded to the severe letter (2:12). Not finding Titus there, Paul crossed over to Macedonia to await him in that location. Eventually Titus arrived, reporting the Corinthians’ response to the recent letter and bringing news of other developments in Corinth (7:5–7). The book of 2 Corinthians (actually his fourth letter to that church) was Paul’s response to the news brought by Titus.

Biblical Text -

2 Corinthians 7:2–12 NKJV

Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 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. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - A True Christian Is Trained By God’s Discipline & Renewed Through Repentance

Life Point- Are You Trained By God’s Discipline?

Exegetical -

2 Corinthians 7:2–7 BSB

Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you. Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows. For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.

Homiletical -

In this passage Paul reminds the Corinthians of who he is. By reminding them of his deeds and character while he was among them.

As the false teachers and false prophets were still in their midst. They were still stirring up trouble.

When it comes to being human we are innately human. Meaning we are born in sin and we have a bent toward sin. Just because you are a Christian does not mean you don’t have a sin nature. The sin nature is always something we must contend with and fight against as Christians.

1 Corinthians 9:25–27 NKJV

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

So what does that mean? Well number one, the false teacher has to separate you from others teachings in order that you run after them.

How do they do that?

Saying things like

God has given me a special anointing or empowerment. Something no one else has.

The first seeds of doubt against a true teacher is planted right there.

If the person is the founding pastor/teacher or a popular teacher the false prophet will start to say things that run the other guy into the ground.

He may say. That guy was good for the time, but he doesn’t have it all.

He may say, God has pulled back his hand from him.

He may also say things like

Look at the miracles around me, that other teacher doesn’t have that.

However, his so-called miracles aren’t real. They are either psychosomatic or demonic.

This is especially insidious because now he compounds his teachings with feelings. If I can make you feel good, you will trust me.

Remember a couple of weeks ago we discussed the abuses the Corinthians were either involved in or were duped by.

What’s my point?

There is such a thing as spiritual and emotional manipulation and abuse.

Those that are guilty of it will end up wronging you. They will corrupt your good moral character.

I know of a story right now in the Christian Post of a pastor who used his position in his megachurch to get women to sleep with him and it took years for him to be caught.

How you might ask? 1) Twisting of scripture 2) Creating an emotional attachment by using empathy or sympathizing with them in their hurts and pain. 3) By the fact of being a pastor people already put their guard down and so it becomes easier to use the other two tactics.

Folks, there are people inside and outside the church who use these techniques to get what they want out of you.

But what does Paul say to the people who are emotionally caught up with these others, with those Christians who now run him into the ground? He says look at their end result and now look at me.

He says he has wronged no one, not corrupted anyone, and has exploited no one.

Paul can look at this church and tell them he is proud of them. He can look at that church and tell them that when he is in times of distress he can think of them and what God has done in them and feel joy.

This means that when Paul wrote them before that most of them repented and straightened themselves out. They strived to put themselves into submission to Christ when they were called out on their shenanigans.

Unfortunately today many Christians want to be spoon fed and have their ears tickled and told they are good people, lovely people, and have no need to change. Why? because if they aren’t they will just go down to the church down the street and get their affirmations from that church. It isn’t easy being disciplined by God and God’s ministers.

Hebrews 12:7 BSB

Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

Hebrews 12:11 BSB

No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

People today don’t discipline their children. What makes you think that they or their children will take spiritual and moral discipline from God?

When was the last time God disciplined you? Has been a while? Or even at all?

According to that same passage, if you have never been disciplined by God then you aren’t His. You never were, you are illegitimate and not a child at all.

What does that mean? It means it is time for you to repent and get saved.

Illustration -

I got a new shirt and put it on. Now this shirt happens to be horizontal striped. So I said “Do these stripes make me look fatter?” She said, "Of course not, it’s not the stripes. It's your lack of discipline and self-control that makes you look fatter."

Do you know how to discipline your pet rock? You hit rock bottom.

Life Point - Are You Renewed By Repentance?

Exegetical -

2 Corinthians 7:8–12 BSB

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time. And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.

Homiletical -

God will use other people to bring about His discipline.

Paul tells us that discipline that is from God will produce sorrow in you, but that when we let that discipline have its’ work that it will produce repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

This means that for the person just coming to Christ when they feel sorrow and repent all that is washed away and there is a good change that happens to them.

For the believer it means we can come to repentance and continue on with our life that has been changed by God. We can continue to walk in salvation that has been imparted to us.

But what happens to a person who has worldly sorrow? Someone who either doesn’t know Christ or is caught up in the sorrow or depression of the world?

They can end up in actual physical death because they have despaired of life.

They can end up just going through the motions of life, but kind of like a zombie. Never knowing true peace and joy in Christ again.

Don’t let worldly sorrow consume you. Be willing to be disciplined by the Lord. Learn your lesson, repent and move on.

I think a lot of Christians, myself included, have a hard time sometimes with this and we all need to rely more on the work and power of Holy Spirit to allow this supernatural repentance to take hold so that we can experience peace and joy and have the ability to move on in Christ.

What are the benefits of Godly sorrow?

It produces:

Earnestness - What you say that you believe, you truly believe deep down inside you. You have no need to lie because you are earnest with your thoughts, words, and deeds

A Deep desire to keep your testimony clear - To make sure what is said about you and others is truth, in all of its ugly glory and beautiful goodness. With this comes the desire to shut down Gossip in all of its’ ugliness.

Godly Indignation - When you are working your way out of sin, you get mad when you see the world steeped in sin, especially in the church. The indignation is not toward an individual it is toward the sin which has broken fellowship with God. Because if you are in unrepentant sin you are out of fellowship with God until you repent and make it right between you and God.

Godly Concern For Others - When other brothers and sisters in Christ are hurting there is a deep desire to see them better. Whether that is something physical, mental, or spiritual. Concern to such an extent that whatever you can do for them, you do it. Without hesitation or complaint.

Zeal - Have you ever heard the term zealot? That term is usually associated with negativity, but in this case it is about zeal for the things of God. Especially for the sharing of the Gospel. You can’t wait to share and see people taken care of physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When was the last time you reaped any of these Godly benefits? When was the last time that through repentance your Earnestness, clarity, indignation, Concern for others, & zeal was renewed before God following true repentance of your sin.

Don’t wait on repentance, when you sin immediately repent and ask for forgiveness and then go and do better.

1 John 1:9 BSB

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Life Principle–

Call to Action – altar call….