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2 Corinthians 7:9-10
9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 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.
What a Wonderful passage of scripture! How many of us can think back on a time as to when we were so offended by what the pastor preached, that it made us seek God and what he wanted out of us. As for me there have been many times and I have a feeling there will be many more times. I want to strive for holiness, however the closer I get to God, the harder it is for me to sit with my "christian" friends and allow them to continue down the path that is ultimately going to land them in Hell, if not careful.
I love as Paul is writing his letters to Cornith. He is very upset with those who have questioned his sincerity and being a True Apostle of Jesus. They were also having many issues with what were considered "okay" in the eyes of God, Paul then wrote letters to them they may have stepped on some toes and made them angry. In the passages I started with today, he began telling the church that he is now glad that he had wrote them such harsh letters but it made a difference because they were turning from those old fleshly ways.
Paul starts by saying he is joyful and not because they were sorrowful, no true christian wants to hurt someone.However, if it brings good results then sometimes we must tell them the Truth which can possible offend or grieve them. We know they may end up in Hell if we do not tell them the error of their ways. Soon, after Paul met up with Titus, Titus then revealed to Paul that his written letters to Cornith had brought much change. for the better. Although there were still a few who did want to believe in Paul's position. This made Paul a lot more comfortable addressing Cornith again, he had not known how converts had taken his previous letter. (Keep in mind, I am just summarzing the story).
We are going to replace some words with their definition in this passage to try to get a better grasp on the true meaning and intent of these scriptures.
What a Wonderful passage of scripture! How many of us can think back on a time as to when we were so offended by what the pastor preached, that it made us seek God and what he wanted out of us. As for me there have been many times and I have a feeling there will be many more times. I want to strive for holiness, however the closer I get to God, the harder it is for me to sit with my "christian" friends and allow them to continue down the path that is ultimately going to land them in Hell, if not careful.
I love as Paul is writing his letters to Cornith. He is very upset with those who have questioned his sincerity and being a True Apostle of Jesus. They were also having many issues with what were considered "okay" in the eyes of God, Paul then wrote letters to them they may have stepped on some toes and made them angry. In the passages I started with today, he began telling the church that he is now glad that he had wrote them such harsh letters but it made a difference because they were turning from those old fleshly ways.
Paul starts by saying he is joyful and not because they were sorrowful, no true christian wants to hurt someone.However, if it brings good results then sometimes we must tell them the Truth which can possible offend or grieve them. We know they may end up in Hell if we do not tell them the error of their ways. Soon, after Paul met up with Titus, Titus then revealed to Paul that his written letters to Cornith had brought much change. for the better. Although there were still a few who did want to believe in Paul's position. This made Paul a lot more comfortable addressing Cornith again, he had not known how converts had taken his previous letter. (Keep in mind, I am just summarzing the story).
We are going to replace some words with their definition in this passage to try to get a better grasp on the true meaning and intent of these scriptures.
9 I now rejoice, not that you were made offended or grieved, but that you were made offended to the point of reversal of your decisions; for you were offended or grieving according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the grieving that is according to the will of God produces a reversal of your decisions without regret, leading to deliverance from sin and spiritual consequences making it into eternal life with Jesus, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Did you notice Sorrow is meaning offending or grieving. Repentance means to reverse your decision. Salvation means to be delivered from sin and spiritual consequences and making it into eternal life with Jesus.
Basically all those times we are afraid of offending our brother or sister (fellow Christian) with the Truth, we need not to be. It can set them free, not always, some will not listen and still will refuse as those who still did not believe Paul was a Apostle of Christ, and were obviously wrong in their thinking. Sometimes there are people who refuse to listen. It is our job to still tell them what God expects from his believers.
Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them,tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.Titus 3:10-11
10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
The catch to doing these things is doing it in Love, not to hurt each other, but to make the Body of Christ stronger. Our friends who are calling themselves Christians should not take our advice from the Word of God as hateful or mean, although some will. We will know if they have listened and we shall see the fruit that follows. Once your friend does take on a reversal of decision, comfort them and love them as you always have so they do not feel condemned.
2 Corinthians 2:7-8
so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
I like to tell my friends Conviction comes from God and leads to Repentance (asking forgiveness, reversal of desion, turning away from your sin). Condemnation comes from the Devil, if you have repented of that sin then let it go and remember God has forgiven you already. The devil likes to make us feel worse, God only wants what is best.
Some will take this as an attack and want to point out all of your sins and issues, do not let this discourage you. However, if they do say something even in anger that made you realize you may have a log in you own eye, make sure you are sure to examine you own self. We all have issues, we need to examine ourselves daily.
Some will take this as an attack and want to point out all of your sins and issues, do not let this discourage you. However, if they do say something even in anger that made you realize you may have a log in you own eye, make sure you are sure to examine you own self. We all have issues, we need to examine ourselves daily.
Matthew 7:3-5
3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
I leave you with this last scripture because we need to remember to stay humble. We need to make sure we die daily to our fleshly desires and try our best to stay Holy, as we are respresentation of Jesus. Our bodies are temple and we need to treat them as just that. Before we go telling a brother or sister their wrongs make sure we have that log out of our own eye. Remember if you are the one being corrected or shown the way, do not take it as hostility but in Love, we want each other to make it into The Glory Land together!
Have a another Blessed Day!
I leave you with this last scripture because we need to remember to stay humble. We need to make sure we die daily to our fleshly desires and try our best to stay Holy, as we are respresentation of Jesus. Our bodies are temple and we need to treat them as just that. Before we go telling a brother or sister their wrongs make sure we have that log out of our own eye. Remember if you are the one being corrected or shown the way, do not take it as hostility but in Love, we want each other to make it into The Glory Land together!
Have a another Blessed Day!
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