Sorrow That Leads to Salvation

There is a teaching out there that I was made aware of in recent months that I had not really heard a preacher or teacher ever speak about. Certainly, many who lay claim to be Christians often seem to be accepting of it, but that’s a different issue, as sometimes Christians are slow in their growth as disciples of Jesus. The idea being put out there is this. Repentance, which does mean a change of direction or of the heart, does not require we change our minds about sin to have salvation. The teaching suggests the only change of heart, the only repentance needed for salvation, is to change your mind about who Jesus is. This is false teaching and this morning as I did my morning Bible study, the text I was in, confirms this.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10
For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—  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.  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.

If you are unfamiliar with the context here, this is Paul responding to the response of the Corinthians when he wrote 1 Corinthians, the letter in which he confronted the sin in their church and their response to it. To better grasp the entirety of this situation, you need to read carefully both First and Second Corinthians. But the point that I want to make today is this; Though we are not saved by any work we do; true salvation experiences result in certain responses. Repentance is a necessary fruit of salvation.

Obviously, as we see happening in the Church of Corinth, Born-Again Believers still sin. They are susceptible to falling into a sinful pattern or situation. But when we do fall into sin and get off the path, it is the responsibility of the church, the pastor, the elders, and even the people, to lovingly confront the one in sin. Paul had done this in First Corinthians. Actually, Paul was more focused on how the church had allowed this sin to go on without action, than he was on the single offender.

We find here in chapter seven of Second Corinthians, Paul’s vindication of the way some responded to his first letter. But the point I am making here is that repentance plays an extremely important role in our salvation experience. It is Paul who is making the point. Listen again to what Paul says here in 2 Corinthians 7:9,  “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.”

It hurt Paul to hurt the people of the church in Corinth. Paul became depressed over the whole situation. Yet, in one of those great nuggets of treasure we find in scripture, Paul reminds us in verse 6 that God “comforts the depressed.”

But how God comforted Paul here was by the repentance of the Corinthians. And it was the very change of heart towards their sin, that changed his sorrow into joy. Why?

2 Corinthians 7:10
 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.

Paul was in God’s will when he confronted their sin. And though that brought much sorrow, that sorrow had a fruit to come, repentance and that repentance leads to salvation. That’s what the text says, people.

We must stop being afraid to face the difficulties in confronting sin. We must stop trusting in ourselves and our psychological nonsense about not hurting people’s feelings by speaking truth to them.

However, tread carefully in this endeavor. Jesus gave specific instructions on how to do it. Follow His way and be sure it is soaked in pure, Godly love. It’s about restoration, not destruction. Anyone can tear down a building but being part of restoring one that needs repair, well, that is not an easy task. It might even bring sorrow and pain for a season.

2 Corinthians 7:10
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.

Sin is serious. If we love God, we will hate sin. If we love each other, we will do whatever it takes to be sure we are all on the track of salvation. There is a “sorrow that is according to the will of God.” That sorrow will culminate in joy. There is also sorrow that is worldly and that leads to death.

Don’t listen to me. Open your Bibles and figure out what all this means. It’s important. It’s literally life or death. Eternal life or eternal death.