For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. (2 Corinthians 7:8–13)Everyone knows worldly grief. I got caught. Everyone knows. I feel shame and want to hide, or make excuses, or blame someone else, like Adam and Eve did after their sin.
Godly grief is different. While it too wants to clear myself, it also wants to change, to do it right. As a new Christian, I felt guilt about yelling at my children and confessed it as sin. Trying harder didn’t work so I followed what has become a life-changing verse:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)The forgive part is often highlighted; the cleansed part too often become “try harder” but God showed me this amazing second thing He does when sin is confessed. A few weeks after bringing my selfishness at being annoyed at little ones to Him, I noticed that I was not doing it any longer! He cleansed it also!
A certain cult believes Jesus died to give us the right to earn our salvation. This belief system is not biblical. It only makes them try harder. For true Christians, this is a trap we can fall into. The book of Galatians was written to those who figured certain behaviors must be performed in order to keep the salvation and forgiveness they had.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? (Galatians 3:1–6)Too easily human pride wants a part in salvation and boosts about what I do rather than what God has done. Someone said to me, “Isn’t (name) amazing!” And I replied, “God is amazing; He has made her what she is.” I was given a funny look and that person walked away.
A few times I’ve confessed a sin that the Lord convicted me about and those who heard it refused it by trying to define it as okay. My sister heard, “Oh no, not you” and her confession was rejected.
Jesus, I’m sad that praising You is sometimes replaced by praising people that Your grace has changed or when genuine confession is replaced by refusal to call sin for what it is. How can we overcome it without acknowledging it? Or even enjoy the freedom of being forgiven and cleansed? I’m so thankful that You do not give up in Your work of being our Savior. You invite us just as we are, yet love us too much to leave is that way.
