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.

Chossing the Right Route

Proverbs 16:25
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Most of us Christians are familiar with that verse. When we hear it, we usually think of the unsaved. We look at the people around us and we apply it to them. They don’t want to follow God, believe in Jesus, and accept that He is the only way to get to heaven, so we apply this saying to them and them only. And yes, it does apply. If our faith is true, then all who reject the Gospel, the plan of salvation as laid out in scripture, then they will find themselves outside God’s heavenly Kingdom. They will be eternally damned and live in hell.

But if we were to be honest with ourselves, look hard at the Word of God and use it as the only standard by which we judge ourselves, we might be surprised to find out that far too often, we choose our own paths.

Last Sunday while preaching through the Book of Genesis, our pastor used a very good analogy to describe the way people navigate through life. If you know me well, you know I love analogies.

He was talking about using GPS units. The ones that are independent of your phone. Garmin and TomTom are two of the more well-known units. They stick on your dashboard and you type in a destination and then usually this woman’s voice instructs you with step by step directions. “Turn left at exit 23B.” “Take the third exit at the roundabout.” “Make a U-turn,” she says should you miss her last command. And then theoretically, she guides you to your destination in the most efficient route, getting you where you’re going.

But Pastor Micah mentioned something that many of us do as we use these devices. I used one these GPS units quite often as a repairman for AT&T, traveling the streets of the greater metropolitan St. Louis area. I almost always did this. You see, you don’t have to follow her commands to the letter. If she says to turn left at Telegraph Road, but you know the area, or think you do, better than her, then you can take a different street and she will then say this, “Recalculating.” She will then determine the new path to your destination based on the street you now are on. Sometimes I would do this because I liked the scenery better my way. Other times I wanted to stop at a specific restaurant to eat at. In other words, I simply liked my way better than hers. Even though most of the time, the computer chip in the GPS knew that its directions were shorter or faster, it was my belief that I knew the direction I was going would please me more than the lady speaking through its speaker.

That is fine for getting from point a to point b. But the truth is, most of this are doing this with God. When Jesus ascended back to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, He sent us His Holy Spirit to live in us and to be our guide. John 16:13 tells us that
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” All truth. This is our Spiritual GPS unit; which God has placed within the heart of ALL believers.

But what we do is we read our Bibles, our pastors preach its truth to us, and the Holy Spirit says this is the way, and then we say “Yea, but…” Then we go the way we want and expect God to just recalculate the route our way. And then we wonder why we have trouble, sickness, and sorrow in our hearts. Sometimes we even blame God. “Why didn’t you recalculate that little change I made and then get me to my destination without the pain?” we ask God.

When we venture off the route and make a left instead of a right, because we want the pleasures on that street, be they sexual, financial, relationships or whatever, God allows us to experience the difficulty that he knew that road would bring after the pleasures of our sin had passed. The road I took to eat at Bandanas, might have at its end a traffic jam. Or maybe a tractor trailer waiting to plow me over at the next stoplight. He is trying to grow us and to teach us that he is God, He is sovereign, and He knows what is best for us.

Oh. the pain and sorrows we might have avoided had we just followed the way He set out for us as written in the Bible and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. This the cost of free will we all clamor for so loudly. The truth is that usually we use our free will to make sinful and/or poor decisions that God had already warned us of.

The good news for Christians is that God has provided a recalculated route for us in the work of Jesus and by His mercy and grace He will get us home to heaven. He made this promise in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

But following our own way at any stage of our journey towards God is never the best option. He is the perfect GPS. Follow Him. If He says turn left, then do it.

Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 30:1-5
 “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the LORD. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins.  For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade.  But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.  For though his power extends to Zoan and his officials have arrived in Hanes, all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.”

This is what happens when you try and direct your own way. But listen,

Isaiah 30:18-22
 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.  O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.  Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.  Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.  Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!”

The result?

Isaiah 30:23
Then the LORD will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock.

When we follow our way, even turning just a little to the left or right of His way, we lose the blessings, but when we turn to Him, “He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.  Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.  Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.”

God isn’t recalculating anything, but He will show the way back and the only way, His.

We get to choose. His way? Or ours? Remember this, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Choose wisely.

The Answer to Worry and Anxiety

When one takes the name of Christian, he ought to be careful how he lives. I have noticed in my own life that I have a propensity to worry and be anxious, yet clearly there is a Biblical command to not do so. The phrase “Do not worry” can be found twenty-three times in scripture and there are countless other teachings in which we are called to live without worry as the very opposite of faith is the idea of worry. Jesus specifically tells us not to worry and made this a salient point in His great sermon we call The Sermon on the Mount.

Yet, worry and anxiety seem to knock on our doors daily. And many of us, I know I do, keeping opening that door and letting worry in. As God’s children, this is unnecessary. He has promised to be with us through whatever we face. The problem is though, He never promises to remove all the things in life that we don’t want to face. He only promises us to be with us in the storms of life, not to always stop them. We remember Jesus stopping the storm in Matthew 8:23-27. So, we expect Him to do the same whenever the waves get a little high.

But the truth is, God allows storms into our lives. They are for our own good. Yet, we struggle not to be worried that we might drown. The fact is, this is a lack of faith on our part.

There are many beautiful verses in the Scriptures that offer us comfort in our times of fear and uncertainty. But there is one verse, that if we will commit to memory and to believing, that is the foundation of our faith. I share this verse often. Listen to what God says in Romans 8:28 which says,

 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Do you believe that verse? Do you believe that God causes all things to work together for good? Do you believe that it is all things? All of them? Cancer, death, accidents, and every other event that happens in your life?

You see, for those who have received Christ, been born again to new life, God is working out everything for good. Everything. Not just the things that we enjoy and like, but every bad thing we can barely stomach, is going to have a good result when God has finished working in it. That, my friends, is a fact. It is not arguable. You cannot interpret this passage any other way.

So, do you believe this? If you do not believe it, then you have a problem. To deny this truth as found in Romans 8:28, is to call God a liar.

I believe this verse. Yet, I still struggle with anxiety and worry. The problem lies in my faith. It just hasn’t yet reached its full potential. But I need to keep moving forward in growing my faith. How do I do that?

Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.

We must be in His Word. Not just by going to church on Sunday, though we are to do that. But everyday we must be intentional about reading, studying, and memorizing His Word. This is how we build our faith. We must have fellowship with other believers, who will remind us and encourage us in the promises of Jesus.

Whatever you face today, if you are in Christ, you need not worry or be anxious. Instead you can trust God in the situation. It’s okay to pray about it. It’s okay to ask God to remove it or change it. But at the end of your prayer, let it go to Him. If after praying and praying and seeking His intervention, He still allows it to happen, you can trust that He is causing it to work out for good. We know this. Commit to memory this verse and then rest in faith the God who is with you always. Rest in Jesus. Believe Him. Let Him be God. We know God is working it all out for good. We know this. Why? How? Because He told us.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.