2 Corinthians 7:9-10
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.
When God shows you who you are in light of His holy standards it should produce in you grief. When man puts on you unbearable weight and standards, it also produces grief. The former is godly and the latter is worldly . The first leads to salvation without regret, the second produces death.
Paul was thrilled to hear that his admonitions and declaration of God's goodness in Christ produced repentance and fruit that bore witness to the reality of God's Spirit living inside the the hearts and souls of his hearers. Paul also knew very well that men place heavy burdens on each other by guilt and shame that produce a despair with no respite. It leads to death.
May you always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and God's Word as it reveals and rebukes you as you read. May you also be protected daily from the abuse and imposition of men and women in your life persuading you to feel guilty for falling short of their standards. Additionally, may you also be protected from placing those standards and burdens on others and producing in them worldly grief that leads to death. The Devil would love nothing more than to occupy you and your loved one's days in worldly, deadly grief.
Let the only grief we know be that of the Holy Spirit wooing and correcting us to Christ's image since in that grief there is hope as the One who rebukes can also provide the respite in rebirthing you to repentance. The world inspires grief it cannot answer or atone. It seeks only to completely break you down without offering a solution as powerful as the accusation.
The violence of the Gospel message produces the most vivid and imposing despair imaginable in revealing our hearts before a Holy God.
The tenderness of the Gospel message produces the most tangible and compassionate respite from this same despair in offering a solution up to the magnitude of the accusation.
"Twas grace that taught your heart to fear and grace your fears relieved."
"Jesus paid it all!"
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.
When God shows you who you are in light of His holy standards it should produce in you grief. When man puts on you unbearable weight and standards, it also produces grief. The former is godly and the latter is worldly . The first leads to salvation without regret, the second produces death.
Paul was thrilled to hear that his admonitions and declaration of God's goodness in Christ produced repentance and fruit that bore witness to the reality of God's Spirit living inside the the hearts and souls of his hearers. Paul also knew very well that men place heavy burdens on each other by guilt and shame that produce a despair with no respite. It leads to death.
May you always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and God's Word as it reveals and rebukes you as you read. May you also be protected daily from the abuse and imposition of men and women in your life persuading you to feel guilty for falling short of their standards. Additionally, may you also be protected from placing those standards and burdens on others and producing in them worldly grief that leads to death. The Devil would love nothing more than to occupy you and your loved one's days in worldly, deadly grief.
Let the only grief we know be that of the Holy Spirit wooing and correcting us to Christ's image since in that grief there is hope as the One who rebukes can also provide the respite in rebirthing you to repentance. The world inspires grief it cannot answer or atone. It seeks only to completely break you down without offering a solution as powerful as the accusation.
The violence of the Gospel message produces the most vivid and imposing despair imaginable in revealing our hearts before a Holy God.
The tenderness of the Gospel message produces the most tangible and compassionate respite from this same despair in offering a solution up to the magnitude of the accusation.
"Twas grace that taught your heart to fear and grace your fears relieved."
"Jesus paid it all!"
Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteVery good stuff, indeed.
Thank you.
Keep putting it out there and never give in to the "yeah but...", crowd.
Thank you sir.
DeleteThe "yeah, but"s would have you not merely exmaning your faith as Paul exhorts, but questionning continually your standing before God in Christ.
Thanks for the encouragement.
godly grief turns us to god and the joyful relief that he is able to accomplish what we're incapable of. worldly grief leads us to ourselves, either toward self-hatred and despair, or to our own confidence or motivation to man up and work harder.
ReplyDelete