I Am Sorry!

Today’s Verse:

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. ~2 Corinthians 7:10

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Three of the most important words that need to be in our vocabulary are the words “I am sorry!” It is an expression that reflects our remorse and repentance for something hurtful that we may have committed against someone else. It is a key means for requesting forgiveness and restoration of fellowship with the person who was hurt. In our devotion this morning, we see an important lesson on what true repentance and godly sorrow are.

We see the painful rebuke.

Paul wrote I Corinthians to rebuke the church at Corinth regarding many sins and doctrinal errors that occurred after he left the church. One of the major sins he had to confront the church about was a terrible sin of immorality – see 1 Corinthians 5. A brother in the church was living in open sin and the church was not taking action to correct this problem. Paul rebukes the sinning member, the church leaders and the church membership for this sin. Paul would have come personally to deal with this issue, but was providentially hindered. Writing the letter was the only means he had to help them address and remedy this issue.

We see the prickly realization.

Paul’s letter was received with a spirit of meekness and humility. Both the the sinning brother and the church at Corinth and realized that he was living in open and unconfessed sin. It was a bad testimony to the Corinthian community. God used Paul’s letter to stir all parties on this subject. For Paul, he was grieved that he had to deal with it. For the sinning brother and the Corinthians, they were sorry that it was not addressed and dealt with when it first became known. We must remember that “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

We see the penitent repentance.

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” Paul described the church and the sinning brother’s response as sorrow to repentance. True repentance is always preceded by godly sorrow. It is coming under great conviction by the Holy Spirit that we have sinned against God and other people, and that we have caused a bad testimony against the cause of Christ. Godly sorrow is when we are under deep conviction that a serious wrong needs to be made right. When godly sorrow leads to repentance, there is godly fear and a zeal to make things right immediately. When we repent of a grievous sin, we also realize that there is a consequence to our sin that we must accept.

We see the passionate result.

“Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.” There was comfort! Paul was comforted that the church accepted responsibility for what had happened and put into action the steps in making things right. There was closure! Titus was filled with great joy in seeing the sincerity of the Corinthians. The sinning brother repented and was restored. Everything about this situation turned out right for the glory of God.

Be careful of becoming hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Let godly sorrow work in your heart and lead you to a spirit of repentance. It is when we come to this measure of faith that we can comprehend and be recipients of the comfort that God gives in spite of the sin and its shame. Always be ready to say with a sorrowful heart, “I am sorry!”

Have a comforted God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 18-20

#2Corinthians #GodlySorrow #Repentance