Thorough Biblical Repentance
2 Cor 7
Repentance is
granted by God sovereignly so that people are enabled to turn from sin. But,
not just sin in general, they turn away from particular sins that are offensive
to God and detrimental to the Christian life.
In the Scriptures we have wonderful examples of the fruit of God-given
repentance. One of them is found in 2 Cor 7. Please put a finger in that
location, But, first some background to
the situation in Corinth.
1 Cor. 5:1-13 Tells us the situation in Corinth.
There was a man who had an improper sexual relationship with his step-mother.
The church viewed themselves as tolerant and refused to deal with the problem. They
thought themselves spiritual because they did not need to deal with the
problem. They did not see that the church is polluted by any sin in its midst
in any of its members. They needed to deal with these issues.
Paul’s
conclusion in the matter was: 5:12b
Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God
judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
In a day when
everyone decries judgmental people, we are still called to make judicious
judgments regarding people and real evils they practice that effect the church.
People like this deserve to be put out and kept at a distance.
They should
have already put him away in Corinth. Their compromise, thinking they were
being kind and accommodating, with sin was not good.
Thankfully,
the man eventually repented and came back to his senses as we read in 2 Tim
last week, and to the church. In 2 Cor 2, starting with Verse 3, we read:
2Cor 2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you,
lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have
joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many
tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I
have so abundantly for you. 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he
has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent — not to be too severe.
6 This punishment which was inflicted
by the majority is sufficient for such a man,
7 so that, on the contrary,
you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be
swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your
love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test,
whether you are obedient in all things.
Different
individuals respond to confrontation in different ways and people confront
others in a variety of ways. We need to be atuned to the acts of love from
others concerned for our good. I realize after many years that not everyone
understands that others are concerned with their good--especially people who
live in self-centered and self-absorbed ways. The goal is always to comfort and
forgive. But, very few people repent in the fullness we find expressed in the
scripture. They often have some degree of remorse in order to get back to a
place they one experienced. The remorse is often from being caught in some sin
or others have withdrawn their fellowship because of sin. The remorse brings
about a little bit of renovation. But, true biblical repentance, a turning and
forsaking of sin in general or of particular sins is rare.
Paul
continues:
10 Now whom you forgive anything, I
also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one
for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11 lest Satan should take
advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Upon the
man’s repentance, they were to forgive and comfort. We have had such cases here
at HBC, have we not? We have also had cases where there was no repentance, just
remorse, if that. People complain like this, "You can't see what is going
on in my heart…." The heart is
discerned by the works of the man and words of the mouth. Even that excuse
shows something is out of balance in this realm.
Yet, there
are some who will repent and to whom comfort and forgiveness must be given.
But, it is not automatic, it is due to discernment or a judicious judging.
There are problems with accepting someone back too early or in taking too long
to restore them. That assumes cooperation and humility on their part.
Look at what
Paul wrote in V. 11: lest Satan should
take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. This was
spiritual warfare--Paul and the Corinthians knew the tactics of the Devil, and
so do we, he uses the same ones over and over again. He stirs up strife and
discontent over ignorant and foolish matters ensnaring some to do his will. He
sits back and laughs. I’ve said to others in the past, “Its only a matter if
time before he gets to us.” He got to Corinth, they were lazy spiritually, they
feared taking action, they were compromising the moral Law of God. Paul wrote
strong words to them. Chapters 10-13 of 2 Cor include some of the strongest
language but most powerful practical theology Paul ever wrote. It was this
church that Paul commended for their own thorough biblical repentance. In their
case, this is what it looked like: open up to 2 Cor 7, starting at Verse 6:
The Comfort from God/the Report of Titus
2Cor. 7:6 Nevertheless God, who comforts the
downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7
and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was
comforted in you, when he told us of your (1) earnest desire, (2) your
mourning, (3) your zeal for me,
so that I rejoiced even more.
Provoked Sorrow or Sadness
8 For even if I made you sorry with my
letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the
same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.
Present Joy and its cause
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were
made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in
a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
Godly Sorrow
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance
leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces
death.
A Sevenfold Repentance
11 For observe this very thing, that
you sorrowed in a godly manner: They were sad by what Paul said to the point of
repenting. It provoked them to godly action opposed to the will of the devil.
This is
another of the great lists from the pen of Paul:
1. What
diligence it produced in you, [an eagerness to do what was right at any cost was
produced in them. It was an earnestness to deal with their sin and to deal
thoroughly with it. Thus this is thorough and biblical or godly repentance. It
indicates what they did and is an example of what thorough godly repentance
looks like. It produced an earnest eagerness to deal with their sin.]
2. what
clearing of yourselves, [They wanted to have this taken off of their account,
for it to be removed from their reputation before God, the Apostle, and others
like Titus. They wanted to do whatever was needed to make things right. They
wanted to apologize to all for the offenses caused.]
3. what
indignation, [They opposed their former actions and had great displeasure with
themselves for having done what they did. They were taught, they accepted the
truth they had been taught, though it took a little while, they were granted
repentance and here is the fruit of the work of God. Diligence, clearing of
oneself, indignation about themselves.] Indignation about one's sin is
different than self-loathing. Indignation, at least this kind lights a fire
under the individual to make things right with man, and especially with God.
4. what fear,
[They came under terror knowing what they deserved from God’s hand, and even
from the church, but what they did not receive. Also, they had an understanding
of the utter sinfulness of what they had done. They had sinned in a blatant
manner by allowing sin to go unchecked and then thinking they were so tolerant
of sin.] [They came under the powerful purging effects of a proper fear of God.
Sometimes it is accompanied by a godly emotional response--not always.]
5. what
vehement desire, [The longed for things to be right again] [ This longing was
strong and all-defining for them. It motivated them to produce fruit consistent
with their repentance.] This desire effected all that they were as Christian
men and women. They wanted to be right with God, with one another and to never
be corrupted in the same way again.
6. what zeal,
[This wasn’t a casual action on their part.] [It was a act of great fervor
involving them all and in each one all that they were before God.] [The Greek
notion of zeal is closely related to jealousy--the same word is used] The
Corinthians were jealous to have their attention and affection directed towards
God. They here express a deep concern to be devoted to God alone. They were
jealous for fellowship to be restored with God and among his people. So,
whatever it took, they were willing to do.
7. what
vindication! [The cause of God’s justice had been served. The brother had been
restored, the church had repented of her relative comfort and ability to accommodate
sin, Titus was comforted, the Apostle refreshed and by their actions we have
been taught.]
Paul
continues with a summary:
In all things
you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Theirs' was not a superficial
repentance.
Is there
something for which you need to repent, thoroughly, biblically, godly and
fully? From my perspective, it appears that there are. To those in that
category--If you don’t pursue repentance and turn from your sin, you may find
yourself doing the Devil’s will, causing peril, begetting strife and other
ungodly things.
But, if God
grants you repentance, you can know what it is to be forgiven by him, and
restored to the fellowship of the saints and more importantly with God. Repentance
is a difficult thing only because of the pride and self-centeredness of human
beings. It is irrational to not seek God's forgiveness. It is a statement about
what you really believe about him in your heart of hearts--you believe that he
will not forgive you because you are unworthy. Many stop at renovation of
manners instead of going on to a full repentance.
It is only in
that full repentance that God forgives. Many seeking renovation hold onto their
sin and worry about forgiving themselves. There is no doctrine in the
scriptures of self-forgiveness. That idea is irrelevant and never required. The
forgiveness that matters is that which comes from God and is based on this kind
of repentance. If God says he will forgive…trust that he will if you confess
your sin, turn from it as you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who are you
to make God into a liar? If He says he will forgive all who repent and turn to
him, will he not do what he says? By wallowing in your sins, you make God to be
unkind and ungracious. The believer should always run to him to be cleansed and
renewed.
Consider what it says in 1 John
1:6-10: 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in
darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses
us from all sin.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
What wonderful balance. As sinners, we can be forgiven and
cleansed of our sin by God. As saints, we can be honest that we still sin--and
remember that we can continue to confess our sin and be forgiven.
Back to 2Cor 7:
12 Therefore, although I wrote to you,
I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of
him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might
appear to you.
I have wanted
to say these things for months. Some background needed to be laid, however. I
have wanted to speak on the topic of repentance not to condemn any, but to
proclaim the whole counsel of God for this church’s good. These things are
doctrine, reproof, correction & instruction in righteousness. To one or
another the need might differ. But to all, it is out of my concern for your souls.
BTW, souls whose health is more important to me than the treatment and cure of any
bodily affliction. It is the soul of man that is of greatest value to God,
among those who are his image. I am not called to be the social coordinator,
but a preacher of righteousness. That must be my goal.
Paul wrote
difficult words--things that made them sad and full of sorrow
Paul wrote of
one who was to be restored, forgiven and received again.
Paul wrote
praising them for their Thorough Biblical Repentance. They are commended for a
sevenfold repentance that left nothing to the imagination--they sought to fully
repent after seeing their sin. They wanted to be so cleared that they didn't
care about being embarrassed. They wanted to tell the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth. It is rare to get such transparency--understood as
clarity of the truth rather than it's more cliché meaning of telling a
lot.
If so, and
you think yourself a Christian, and there is sin in your life, great sin or
many sins weighing you and us down, may God grant you thorough, biblical and
godly repentance.
If you have come
to see yourself as a sinner who is unable to do anything to change or save
yourself, there is forgiveness with God. It is only possible and available through
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever
repented in a deep manner. If your answer is NO because your sins have not been
as great as they could be. Be glad for the upholding power of God. But, if your
answer is NO because you have never really followed through on the awareness of
how great your sin is before a holy God, then I pity you among all. Repent, I
command you, and believe the gospel.
To those who
are believing, initial faith is often given in conjunction with an initial repentance.
The one is a turning from sin, the other a turning to the savior. That turning
will manifest itself in changes that God is pleased to do. The habits of faith
will become evident in those God has loved. The seed of the gospel will be
planted, God will cultivate, prune and feed in ever-increasing measure all of
their days. The fruit of the seed will be seen, salvation will be known and God
will glorify himself.
May it ever
be so, by God's keeping grace.
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