Footsteps #183

Read 2Cor.7:2-11

A passage that talks about one of life’s most painful experiences–the feelings of regret and remorse that can overwhelm us when we have done something wrong. Everyone lives with regrets; unfortunately, some people never get beyond regret to true repentance. In one of the most powerful sections of the letter of 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul points out in Chapter 7 the deadly difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow, between regret and repentance. These two paradigms have biblical examples that reveal this difference, David and Judas. Both sinned grievously; both experienced tremendous remorse for their sin, but David repented while Judas went out and hanged himself. This topic is found in a context of the loving confrontation between a pastor and his people, and it’s important that we understand it within that context. In vs2-4 he is encouraging his flock. Chapters 1-6 have shown us this church of Corinth has been very hard on its founding pastor. After he established the church and spent 18 months laying a strong foundation of truth and discipling leaders, he left to continue his church-planting mission elsewhere. Unfortunately, some of those who stepped into leadership after Paul began to move the congregation in new directions– philosophically, doctrinally, and morally. These leaders, who were really false teachers, knew they could never pull the wool over the eyes of these people so long as Paul was held in high esteem, so they undertook to discredit the Apostle–ridiculing him for his looks, his lack of eloquence, his suffering, and even such petty things as a change in his travel plans. It was an unscrupulous campaign of character assassination. Paul was clearly hurt by these charges, and he could have allowed himself to withdraw emotionally from these people or even attack them for their ingratitude. But instead, he reaches out and begs them to open their hearts to him. He reminds them that during the whole time he was with them he wronged no one, corrupted no one, and exploited no one. In fact, he loves them so much he would live or die for them–whichever would promote their welfare.