Godly repentance (3 things)

• 1^st – Cleaning up our act… vs. 1-4

• Therefore cleanse yourselves from all filth of the flesh/spirit… vs. 1
  • In light of being new creations / ambassadors – called to share the Gospel today…
    • The promise that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit – we are the sons of God…
    • We should do out best to remove from our lives anything that is offensive to God!
    • If we hold onto sin in our heart – it keeps us from being used by the Lord…
  • Complete the work of holiness – clean yourself from the inside out!
    • During the course of a day we get dirty from interacting with the world…
    • We pick up dirt on our feet as we walk / sweat / get dirt on our hands…
    • The way to clean yourself when you are dirty – is to was up with a bar of soap…
    • In the same way when we get dirty spiritually from being in the world…
    • Perhaps an image we see on TV – or something we hear someone say…
    • It gets in our head – perhaps temps our heart – and makes us unclean…
    • The solution is to use a ‘spiritual’ bar of soap to clean ourselves up!
    • I John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
    • If we confess our sin – any sin – Jesus will forgive us and make us clean again!
• Paul’s ‘severe’ letter was meant to encourage the church to clean up… vs. 2-4
  • Paul encouraged the church to – ‘open their hearts’ – to receive him…
    • The Church had shut Paul out – but not because Paul had done something wrong…
      • Paul had done not wronged anyone – sinned against them…
      • He had never led anyone astray by his teaching or example…
      • Paul had not cheated anyone – taken advantage of them financially…
    • They had shut him about because they did not like what he said – clean up…
      • People do not like it when we point out their sin – they quickly get offended…
      • They will do their best to avoid us – not because of what we have done…
      • But because of what we are saying – they are convinced because they are in sin!
      • That is why many people do not like going to church – reading their Bible…
      • They are convicted of their sin – so they stay away from the conviction!
  • Paul did not say this to condemn the church…
    • Paul loved the church – he lived to see them grow and mature in Jesus…
    • Paul even boasted to other church about the saint in Corinth…
    • We are called to confront others when they get caught up in sin…
    • But our motivation is not to condemn them – we are not trying to ‘beat them up’…
    • Our motive should always be love – we want to see them clean – forgiven!
    • Ephesians 4:15 – “But speaking the truth in love…”
      
• 2^nd – Godly repentance… vs. 5-11
  • Paul was overjoyed – heart overflowed with joy even in tribulations – because… vs. 5-8
    • While Paul was on his 3^rd missionary journey…
      • He arrived in Ephesus (modern day Turkey) – and stayed there three years…
        • While in Ephesus Paul had several visitors come from Corinth…
        • They told him about all the problems that were occurring in the church…
        • So Paul wrote the book of I Corinthians to correct the errors in the church…
      • While waiting for a reply – Paul heard about more problems with the church…
        • Paul went to Corinth (during his 3 years in Ephesus) to address the church
        • II Corinthians 2:1 – “I decided not to bring you grief with another painful visit.”
        • He then wrote a 2^nd letter to the church – often called the ‘severe letter’…
        • II Corinthians 2:4 – a sharp letter of rebuke – given to Titus to take to Corinth…
      • Paul left Ephesus and traveled north to Philippi…
        • There he had no rest – he was troubled on every side…
        • He faced battles outside – the constant challenges to preaching the Gospel…
        • He had fear within – concerned the church of Corinth would not repent!
        • We cannot make people turn back to Jesus – all we can do is warn them…
        • Hebrews 3:13 – “Exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
        • When we know someone who is caught up in sin – we need to warn them!
        • Sin is devastating – if we refuse to repent of our sin – it will harden our hearts…
        • If we continually choose sin – hardening our heart towards God…
        • God will give us what we want – He will give us over to our sin – Genesis 6:1
          
• Paul was comforted when Titus finally arrived in Philippi to report on the church…
  • He brought word they had repented after receiving the ‘severe letter’…
  • He told Paul how excited the church was to have Paul return to see them…
  • How broken/repentant the church was over their sin…
  • Paul was not sorry for writing the letter…
    • He was sad that he had to write it – he did not want to hurt the church…
    • But he knew it was better to confront their sin now and see them repent…
    • Than to leave them alone in their sin – and see them separated from God!
    • We might think it is kinder not to confront someone who is sinning…
    • But the truth is leaving someone in their sin – is condemning them to hell…
    • Not that we are not saddened when we see the hurt our words might cause…
    • But we rejoice to see them repent – restoring their relationship to Jesus!

• Regret vs. repentance… vs. 9-10
  • Paul rejoiced because the regret of the church led them to repentance…
    • Regret is being sorry for what you have done…
    • When we finally face the consequences for our actions – we are sorry…
    • No one like consequences – no one wants to face the results of their actions…
    • No child about to be punished – will not be quick to say ‘I am sorry’…
    • You would be hard pressed to find a single person in prison who is not sorry…
  • But regret/being sorry – does not always lead to repentance…
    • Worldly regret – is I am sorry I got caught – I am sorry I have consequences…
      • We regret what we’ve done – because of the results / bad things that happened
      • But we are not sorry that we did it – and given the chance we will do it again…
    • It can even mean being guilty – feeling really bad for what we did…
      • We beat ourselves up – condemn ourselves – ‘how could I have done that’…
      • The way most people deal with their burden of guilt it to try and forget it…
      • They drown themselves in alcohol / or keep themselves busy…
      • But the moment they stop / become sober – the guilt and despairs return…
      • But we do not change – we do not turn from our sinful ways to Jesus…
      • Judas ‘regretted’ betraying Jesus – he was sorry for what he had done…
      • He tried to argue with the chief priests – but they could not forgive him…
      • He tried to cast the 30 silver coins on the floor – but it did not undo his sin…
      • He did not repent – he did not come back to Jesus – instead he hung himself…
      • The sorrow/regret of the world leads to death – because we do not run to Jesus!
  • Godly sorrow leads to repentance…
    • Godly sorrow is I am sorry for what I did – I understand it was wrong…
    • King David had an affair with Bathsheba – the wife of Uriah the Hittite…
    • When Nathan the prophet confronted him about his sin – he repented…
    • * Psalms 51:1-4 – “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned…”
    • King David did not make excuses – he did not try to undo his sin…
    • He recognized what he did was wrong – and he ran to Jesus!
    • We turn from our sin to Jesus – repent and be forgiven – that brings salvation!
• The fruit of repentance… vs. 11
  • The church of Corinth did not have worldly sorrow – they had godly repentance…
  • The fruit of their repentance was obvious in the change in their lives…
    • How do you know someone has truly repented – look at the fruit from their lives…
    • Where worldly sorrow only bring condemnation and guilt…
    • Godly repentance brings freedom – we are not longer bound by our past mistakes…
    • We are able to move beyond our failures – we begin to grow in Christ!
  • 1^st – The church became careful – they understood the danger of sin…
    • With true repentance comes an understanding of the dangers of sin…
    • Like the child who only has to touch a hot flame once…
    • We have learned our lesson – and don’t want to get burned again!
  • 2^nd – The church was determined to have a good name – to prove their new character…
    • When we have Godly repentance we desire to show our new nature…
    • We want the world to see we are not the same person we used to be…
  • 3^rd – The church was furious with those who had led them into sin…
    • Like a big brother looking after younger siblings – we are called to be protective…
    • If you see someone hanging out with ‘bad influences’ – don’t remain quiet…
  • 4^th – The church was fearful – because they did not want to fall back into sin…
    • We will face temptations every day till we get to heaven and see Jesus…
    • Godly repentance is not a one-time decision – it is a lifestyle choice…
    • Psalms 145:14,18 – “The LORD upholds all who fall, raises up all who are bowed down…
 is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”
  • 5^th – The church had a passion/excitement to live a life that was holy to God…
    • Hebrews 12:1 – “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”
    • We need to work hard to avoid the sin that weights us down – wears us out…
    • So we can finish the race with joy – receive the prize waiting for us at the end!
  • 6^th – The church was ready to confront any sin…
    • Love your brother/family member/friend enough to confront their sin…
  • 7^th – They wanted to do anything they could to make things right…
    • We do not overcome sin by trying really hard – we overcome by running to Jesus!
    • * James 4:6-8 – “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts…”
      
• 3^rd – Comfort/confidence in the Lord… vs. 12-16

Pick up the Christian bar of soap – and wash ourselves in the Grace of God…

Paul wrote to show his great love for the church… vs. 12

Paul was comforted/rejoiced – to hear the saints of Corinth had returned to Jesus!

Everything Paul had boasted about the church – had proven correct…

Paul was now confident in the Lord…

We are all going to face temptation in life – we a`re all going to stumble at some point…

We really begin to grow in the Lord when we learn to repent…