Month: November 2018

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day six) 

There is a good kind of grief. The good kind moves a person forward instead of back. Paul teaches good grief leads us to repentance, a painful awareness of sin resulting in a change of heart, and a fresh dependence on the grace of God. Or said another way, genuine repentance will not happen without genuine grief over sin. One of the reasons many of us never find victory over a particular sin, is because we never repent of it (even though we are aware of its sinfulness and destructive nature), and we likely never repent because we have never grieved its presence.

Now worldly grief may lead to anger or frustration over the result of sin, bur rarely grieves the sin itself. That’s the kind of grief Esau experienced, he hated losing his blessing to his brother, but he didn’t really hate or grieve the sin that led him there. (Hebrews 12:17). Always reject that kind of shallow grief.

Also, the good kind of grief not only has a profound affect on the one repenting, but also their neighbor. Paul was comforted by the Corinthian’s repentance. Good grief leads to rejoicing for all; its not just good for your soul, but everyone else’s too.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day five) 

There is a profound portrait of repentance in this week’s Re:Verse passage.  Repentance is literally “turning away” and walking in the opposite direction.  Repentance begins with conviction from the Holy Spirit.  It is what Paul described as godly grief.  The result is salvation- freedom and restoration. Our spirits and souls are lifted and encouraged.  Attitudes and behaviors are dramatically different.

What did it look like for the Corinthians?  Look in verses 7 and 11.  Their disinterest to Paul’s presence was now longing.  Their dismissal of his authority had shifted to passion.  Their previous deception was now a righteous anger against Paul’s opponent.  Those believers in Corinth demonstrate a clear and vibrant change of heart.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to continue that heart changing work of repentance.

“godly regret is the first step of repentance. And repentance follows and completes the change of heart.” John Piper

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day four)

Paul had written to the church in Corinth to provide correction and to defend his authority.  His rebuke caused some sorrow in the church, but it resulted in repentance.  Paul rejoiced because his letter had produced the desired effect.  The Corinthians responded with fear and trembling before the Lord and repented of their wrongs.  Paul demonstrated excellent leadership here in chapter 7 as he praises the Corinthians for their obedience and their response to correction. He had praised them to Titus that they would respond in that way and he was not disappointed.  They had made Paul proud and he wanted them to know he was encouraged by them.

When we offer correction, do we follow up with words of encouragement?  Do we celebrate and rejoice when others respond correctly to God’s instruction and correction?  The heart of a shepherd is filled with joy to see those under his care walk in a manner worthy of the Lord!

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day three) 

“This body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.”

There is a triumphalist tendency in popular Christianity which airbrushes and streamlines the rough and tumble of faith in Christ.  The result is the prettiest pictures of Christians you could ever imagine: nice, sincere, unflappable, harboring no doubts, no anxieties, no sadness.  Rubbish.  If you would love your neighbor—a person whose life you can actually affect—it is necessary that you lay bare your weakness.  Not your theoretical weakness—as in “I was blind but now I see” or “They are weak but he is strong”—but your actual weakness.  Pull back the curtain.  The world’s aching need is a vision of somebody confident enough in Christ to struggle before others as a weak person in real time.

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day two) 

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. vs. 10

Sometimes to get forward you must take a step backwards, or at least pause. Paul knows that his words wounded the Corinthian believers, but only so far as it exposed their sin which ultimately led to the joy of repentance and restoration. There are two very valuable lessons here. First, we must not be afraid to speak the truth in love. If our motivation is truly to help our brother or sister, we should speak the words they need to hear. Withholding words because they could hurt may ultimately do more damage. Secondly, we should not be afraid to take a step back ourselves. Sometimes we can be so focused on getting ahead we are unwilling to do anything that might “set us back.” This is prideful arrogance. We know better. Take stock, do a personal inventory, and get right. Sorrow can lead to real joy.

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 7:5-16 (day one) 

“He told us about your longing for me. . . so that my joy was greater than ever.“–v 7

If you have ever experienced a broken or strained relationship, you know.  Distance from a friend or family member is painful, joy-depleting.  Reconciliation is SWEET!

Paul and the Corinthians had not had an easy relationship.  Distrust.  Accusations.  Hurt feelings.  But Paul was careful and prayerful.  Communicated even when it was hard. Continued to invest and believe.  In the end, he was richly rewarded.

Churches and pastors, members of churches, citizens of a nation, all of us must be frequently reminded.  In many (most) cases, it is possible to be reconciled.  Someone just has to care enough to work at it under the leadership of Christ.

“If you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering and go; first be reconciled to your brother.”–Matthew 5:23-24

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 4 (day seven) 

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak… -2 Cor. 4:13

I speak what I believe.  I do what I believe.  I sing what I believe.

Jesus says it like this: For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. -Matthew 12:34

No matter what happens to us, no matter how our circumstances change we will speak what we believe.  Paul was the perfect example of faith here.  When things got tough he sang in that spirit of faith, he kept preaching, he shared the story of the Gospel with whoever came his way even in the worst of times.

May we have many dark nights like Paul:  …threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them… Acts 16:24-25

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 4 (day four) 

“so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.”

There is a very close connection to grace and thanksgiving in this passage than we might not recognize.  It is better seen in the Greek.  Grace- charis Thanksgiving- eucharistian. The true giving of thanks in Paul’s words is directed naturally and intently to the giver of the gift (glory of God) as opposed to only the gift.  We are thankful for jobs and vocations.  If we are honest, we do feel like we have earned (to some degree) the salary and wages.  We have exchanged labor for pay with our employer.  The degree of thankfulness is less.  The  more undeserved the gift, the more easily the attention and gratitude is directed to the giver.  What gift is more undeserved than grace? What gift could be greater than grace?  What is a more fitting response to grace than thanksgiving?  Ephesians 2:5  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 

Re:Verse reading–2 Corinthians 4 (day four)

Paul is offering his counsel to the church in Corinth.  He is reminding them of the contrasts between the world and God.  He used words like hidden vs. manifested…veiled vs. seen…blinded vs. sight…darkness vs. light…afflicted vs. not crushed…persecuted vs. not forsaken…perplexed vs. not despairing…struck down vs. not destroyed…death vs. life…decaying vs. renewing…and temporal vs. eternal.  Satan’s ways are always completely opposite from God’s ways.  He always has a counterfeit.  Paul’s counsel is ‘don’t lose heart, hang on…it is worth the wait…our reward is eternal and glorious.’

God’s kingdom is victorious, eternal and glorious beyond comparison!  Satan is a defeated enemy.  Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”  Satan would have us believe there is no possible way to victory when he has already been defeated.  Paul is instructing the church to live in the reality of Christ’s victory.  Are you walking in victory?