2 Cor. 7:10-13 Godly Grief

Godly Grief

2 Corinthians 7:10-13a

Grief/sorrow is bad, avoid it all cost.

We do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13) while the context is about grieving the loss of a loved one who is trusting in Christ. The principle of grieving with hope carries to this text. Without hope in Christ, sin and failure is the end. Through Christ, there is hope.

Main Idea: Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

Tie back to v. 9

2 kinds of grief as it relates to sin…

Worldy grief

Godly grief

Worldly grief produces death.

whereas worldly grief produces death.

worldly(worldview, beliefs of an age)

grief(sorrow)

produces--accomplishes, creates the outcome of

death--departure from life, event of dying.

What does worldly grief look like?

Hebrews 12:17 ESV

17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

Matthew 27:3–5 ESV

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Transition: 2 people betrayed Jesus on the same night. Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus, Peter and Judas both expressed sorrow...one was worldy grief resulting in death, the other was a godly grief resulting in life.

Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret,

godly grief--grief that is from God,

From the Word of God by the Spirit of God…when you see the sin in your life as God sees it and desires for you to see it.

Tears during preaching, or in response to the gospel.

produces---accomplishes, produces the outcome of

repentance-- change of heart and mind that abandons former dispositions.

Grief that originates from awareness of sin leads to genuine repentance...repentance alters one’s will, intellect, and emotions. Repentance turns one away from evil and toward God; it involves asking God for remission of sin. (Kistemaker 253)

leads to salvation-- deliverance from sin and death.

Understanding of who we are (conviction of sin) (separated from God) understanding of who Christ is…sinless Savior who died in our place satisfying the justice of God on our behalf. Realization that we cannot save ourselves.

“Salvation” here means not initial conversion, but growth and progress in the Christian life. Ordinary Christian growth will include times of profound sorrow for remaining sin. (Ref Study Bible)

Paul “is relating repentance to salvation not as cause and effect but as antecedent and result.” (EGGNT)

without regret-- no pain or remorse for what is left behind. No turning back.

Psalm 51

Two examples of godly grief that led to repentance without regret among the Corinthians...

Example # 1 in v. 11

To understand what is going on in v. 11 must go back to 1 Cor. 5

1 Corinthians 5:1–5 ESV

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Two issues

Sexual Immorality that is of an egregious nature

Toleration of the sin/lack of church discipline in the church.

After the severe letter, they repented and acted.

Explain v.11

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.

(1) earnestness (or sincerity); (2) eagerness to clear yourselves (a readiness to make amends); (3) indignation (repulsion from former practices); (4) fear(trepidation over past sin); (5) longing (desire for the ways of righteousness); (6) zeal (caring about the terrible conditions of their church, desiring the purity of the church); (7) punishment, readiness to see justice done (a commitment to doing what was right in the church); and (8) they proved themselves to be innocent in this matter they did the right thing, they acted thoroughly. (Pratt 388)

Example # 2 repentant brother.

2 Corinthians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

We should expect repentance

We should offer forgiveness and reaffirm love.

Paul clarifies his reasoning for his actions...

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.

Paul is not saying that the sinful brother did not matter or that the consequences he created for the church did not matter, what matters is the purity of the church as a whole.

They together and individually recognized their sin, sorrowed over their sin, and repented of their sin.

As a result, Paul and his team are comforted.

Comfort of knowing that they are a true church.

Comfort of knowing that they are staying true to Christ and his mission.

Comfort of knowing that they desire to live in the sight of God.

So What?

Is there evidence of godly grief among us?

Luke 18:9-14

self righteous, self trust

godly grief.. God be merciful to me a sinner.

We gather weekly for worship and growth groups…Word centered. Must not treat the Word of God as something simply to learned. The Scripture is the Word of God to us. When the Word of God is applied by the Spirit of God to our hearts and lives, repentance should regularly follow.

Acts 2:37–38 ESV

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Illus: Man sharing how he was convicted of his sin and repented in the parking lot confessing his need for Christ a few weeks ago.

Godly grief…good greif

Today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart.

Prayer

offering

tailgate Sept. 6

Parent survey for kids ministry

@11 am Parents meeting following service.

END