2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT
[10] For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
Paul was writing to the church in Corinth. One quick point to note about this church was that it had all spiritual gifts possible. Paul made reference to the abundance of gifts present in the church, which were needed for growth, impact and application in the assembly of believers in Corinth. However, it was also noted by Paul that the church had many issues, some of which were pride, immortality and greed. The church had a member having immoral relationship with his stepmother, and there were others not paying due regard to the ordinances of the Lord’s supper. This tells me that having spiritual gifts is not the end goal in itself, but it is about living a life that points men to the presence of God in me. It must not first and foremost be a show-off; but a humble assessment of who I am, whose I am, and what the owner of my life and all I have desires of me.
This is the message of the verse above. Paul was trying to draw the attention of his audience to what God desires from all who seek to follow and serve Him. I may make mistakes, or get something wrong, but I must not allow the devil use a guilty conscience to keep me away from God. I may do something wrong, but I have to keep reminding myself that I have a Father whose love for me is greater, higher and deeper than anything else in all of creation. I am the only part of His creation that is made in His image and after His likeness. I am the only part of His creation that the Bible records that He breathed into and became a living being, with an outer body, an inner man, and a spirit that is able to receive from and connect to God. This is an awesome privilege, and it has to remind me to always depend on God to help me live right. O, what love this is. What awesome care.
As much as this is a generally applicable truth for all human beings, it is deeper for those who seek to follow Jesus. If I do wrong, I have a Father whose arms are wide open to receive me. His love is not conditional upon me being good; He loves me anyway. He seeks a heart that also seeks after Him. He loves a heart that is receptive to correction. As His Word says clearly, He will not despise a broken and a contrite heart. Just as He hates sin, I must also hate sin. If I do wrong, I must be quick to repent and return to Him. There is Godly sorrow that leads to true repentance, and there is a worldly sorrow that leads to death. The lives of Peter and Judas Iscariot are classic examples of both kinds of sorrow. One led to restoration and eternal impact; the other led to despair and eternal damnation. Is my heart rightly tuned? Do I react to sin the right way, and can God catch and hold my attention when required? God's time of favour is here.
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