So although I wrote to you…in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God…Therefore we are comforted.
2 Corinthians 7:12-16
In John 13:20, Jesus said this, “He who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” The Corinthian church would have done well to remember and honor that truth, but they did not. In fact, in rejecting Paul, as they had done, they rejected both the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. By not receiving the one whom Jesus sent, they rejected Jesus and God who sent Him. It is a serious thing to rebel against the one whom the Lord sends. In Hebrews, we are reminded to submit to those who are over us in the Lord. The Corinthians had rebelled against Paul, defected from him, joined in a series of accusations made against him by false apostles, and they had allowed a mutiny to begin in their church, perhaps led by one in particular who had in him a messenger from Satan or at least was being assaulted by a demon who was leading this effort to discredit the beloved apostle. Paul sent them Titus. Did they turn from their mutinous attitude? Did they desire to restore the relationship with Paul? And Titus brings Paul comfort. Titus’ report is very simple, “They want your forgiveness; they want the relationship restored.” We have all endured broken relationships. We all know how we would long to have a relationship restored. Paul wanted to have restoration between himself and the Corinthians because of the sin in their own lives and the deception of the false apostles. The elements of a genuine desire for a restored relationship can be found here- loyalty and repentance. The Corinthians reaffirmed their loyalty to Paul. So, Paul said, “I rejoice that you were made sorry, and that your sorrow was godly sorrow that leads to repentance.” Paul saw godly sorrow; he saw true repentance. So, when Christians are looking to assess the legitimacy, honesty, or integrity of anyone’s repentance, verse 11 is one measure that will help. Where there is real repentance, there will be a strong desire to do right, to make things right, to make restitution, to correct, to restore the broken relationship. Wherever repentance is real, it seeks that justice be done. It doesn’t protect itself anymore; it wants the wrong avenged. It deals with the wrong, including accepting whatever might come. What makes the sorrowing pastor’s heart rejoice? Loyalty, repentance, purity and spirituality. When you get people down to who they really are in Christ, and you get all the sins stripped out of their life, then, you’re going to have the relationship restored. When true repentance takes place, when there’s a real desire for restoration, there is a passionate desire to embrace everybody who’s been caught in the deception and bring them back. When you see what happened here with these Corinthians, you’d have to conclude that the worst church just became the best church. It’s amazing. And it’s a great illustration of the power of restoration.
Source: S C Ball December 4, 2023
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