True Repentance and True Godliness

2 Corinthians 7:9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 

If you read this passage, one thing must jump out to us very quickly.  Paul talks about the fact that they sorrowed to repentance.,  That means the word repentance does not mean to be sorry about your sin, but rather repentance comes from sorrow.  However, not just sorrow, but Godly sorrow.  Godly sorrow produces true repentance, which produces true Godliness.  Many today are sorry more often than not because they have been caught in some sin or transgression.  That is not true sorrow, Godly sorrow.  The purpose of Godly sorrow is that we might not receive damage, that your testimony might not be destroyed.  

Scott Baio was just recently railroaded on a morning television show by two things he posted on social media outlets.  He says he wrote a speech while he was at church and then the interviewer showed him the two social media posts and asked him if he had thought about those posts while he was in church.  Many may say, that he is a man and that no one is perfect.  I am sorry folks, but that is a cop out.  The posts were something he should have thought about before he posted them, asking himself; Is this post something that shows the world the life of Jesus Christ?  Is this how a saint of the Most High God should act?  This is something, if he has trusted in the cross work of Jesus Christ and actually is saved (but that is another issue), he should have thought about beforehand. Since he did not think of this beforehand, then the way he should have dealt with the posts was to acknowledge his sin on live television by saying, "Yes. This type of sin is what Jesus Christ died for that I should learn from and have true Godly sorrow work in my life based on the grace God has shown all of us by the work on the cross.  

This Godly sorrow is what leads us to repentance, the changing of our mind based on the knowledge and information we have stored up in our soul, that is sound doctrine.  The thing someone may come along and point out the fact that the Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation.  They may say that this is initial salvation.  Rather, Paul is dealing with saved individuals.  He is talking to them about salvation from that particular lifestyle, sin, or wrongful desire.  He is telling them that they can choose to no longer live that way.  They should know that grace teaches that we are to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts that we should walk soberly, righteously, and  godly in this present evil world. Titus 2:11, 12.  The wrong kind of sorrow, the sorrow of the world, works death.  That is dealing with saved individuals as well.  There are many today who listen to the likes of James Dobson and others who just peddle worldly sorrow rather than true Godly sorrow.  What this does is lead to a Christian who is functionally dead.  One who cannot function based on the word of God, rightly divided.  They find themselves performing step after step and never getting to true sorrow, true repentance, and find themselves out of the will of God.

What is true Godly sorrow?

"... that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter."

Sorrow after the Godly sort includes:

Carefulness – looking for a sin in your life to fix. 

Clearing of yourself – removing the sin. 

Indignation – anger is given to motivate ourselves to deal with the sin. 

Fear – the alarm for us seeing the need to get rid of the sin.  

Vehement desire – wanting to get rid of the sin. 

Zeal – the concern to do what is right.  

Revenge – readiness to avenge the wrong and see justice done.  

As we understand who we are in Christ, then we are able to see how we are to live by grace.

This all leads to us being approved and cleared in the matter.  We know that we have a place to send our sins to, the cross.  We have already had our sins paid for by the cross, we already know that our sins are forgiven by the cross, and then we have the ability to look the cross.  We can then say that this sin has already been paid for and forgiven, so I am free to get rid of it and replace it with the proper response,  We know that we have been cleared in the manner and we need our walk to correspond to our position in Christ.  

Grace and Peace

Greg Resor

Complete in Him

crossworkministries.org

Δεν ξέρεις ελληνικά.

Why would someone need to know Greek or Hebrew to translate or understand an English Bible?
The answer is, you do not.

Why do some pastors insist on teaching/translating the Bible for you?
So that they become your final authority, rather than allowing the scripture.

If you speak English and you have a Bible written in English, why do you need to know the Greek or Hebrew?
The answer is, you do not.

This issue actually comes down to, what is your final authority?  

Once we come to the realization that scripture is our final authority, then we will understand that we have been given everything we need to understand scripture.  That being said, we DO NOT need to know or understand Greek or Hebrew to fully understand scripture.  

The problem we have is that it takes time and effort to understand scripture properly.  We have to study God's word and we are told how to study.  The only verse in the Bible that tells us to study also tells us how to study the word is :

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The purpose of our studying is not to boast about our knowledge, but rather to be workman.  The manner in which we are to study is by rightly dividing the word of truth.  That in and of itself is a completely different study.  

The next thing we need to get a grasp on is that we have been given everything we need in order to understand scripture once we study it properly.  That is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV

[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Verse 17 starts with the word "that".  Which tells us the purpose of verse 16.  Why was scripture spoken out of the mouth of God?  Why did God put His spirit in His word? Why is scripture profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness?  So that we are perfect.  What does perfect mean?  According the verse, perfect means to be throughly furnished unto all good works.  That means we are completely and totally equipped to live the life God expects us to live.  That is to say that we do good things because of who God made in what Christ did for us on the cross.  We no longer do good works to gain favor with God, but because we have favor with God, we now do good works.  No that does not mean we do good to keep our salvation.  It is by grace through faith we are saved and it is be grace through faith we are to live.

Colossians 2:6-10 KJV

[6] As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: [7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. [8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. [9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

We are compete in Christ and we must live that way and study that way.

Therefore, we must move forward in our walk with Him.  

The last question I have for you or your pastor is, what is the title of this post?

Grace and Peace.

Greg Resor

Complete in Him

Out With the Old, In With the New

Who Are We... Really?

That Old Man

Philemon

The Servant

The Workman

The Model Servant

Misconceptions - Service

Where are we missing the mark?

I have been doing some studying lately on a particular doctrine and have come across some amazing truths that some folks just do not want to believe.  The question came to mind, “What will happen to those who have accepted Christ, properly, yet do not live their lives based upon the proper doctrine?” 

I know of a man who decided to build a deck using rocks as the main support for the four-by-four posts which would hold the deck off of the ground.  This is something he would do quite often because that is the way he was taught to build.  Today, that deck is falling to pieces; it is uneven, and unsafe for anyone to walk across.  He was building based upon the knowledge that he had.  Yet, if an inspector came along to inspect the work, he would not pass the deck when it was originally constructed.  If the builder really believes that he built the deck properly, does that mean the inspector will accept the work he is shown?  Absolutely not!  Neither how vehemently the builder feels about the work, nor how strong his convictions are about the deck; his work will not pass inspection.  However, had the builder built the deck using the proper foundation and the proper building materials, then his work would be accepted by the inspector? 

What if the same builder built a deck using the proper foundation, but he used pipe cleaners to build the deck.  Would the work be accepted by the inspector?  Absolutely not!  Once again, the strong feelings, or the strong convictions do not make the work acceptable. 

In Act 18:24-28, we read of a certain Jew, whose name is Apollos.  This man was eloquent and mighty in the scriptures.  He was instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in the spirit.  This man spake and taught diligently.  Is this certain Jew passionate about what he is teaching?  Does he feel as though he has gotten everything he needs to understand God’s word?  The answer, of course, is yes!  Yet we find out that there is much he needs to know.

“And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.” KJV

Aquila and Priscilla, hears this man speaking boldly in the synagogue.  Yet, they know something that he does not know.  Their response is to take that man aside and expound unto him the way of God, more perfectly.  They had some information that would change the way this man thinks.  Do you think he told them that he had an experience that only he could understand and that he just knows he is right?  I am sure he did. 

This is what is going on in many churches today.  Some people have the wrong foundation while others have the proper foundation.  Some of those who have the proper foundation, which is Christ, are building with the wrong material.  Therefore, the inspector will not approve your work.  Once again, it does not matter how much you think you are building correctly, or how sure you are using the proper materials.  If you are not using the proper material, it will not be accepted. 

Of course, this automatically brings to mind 1^st Corinthians 3:9-15.

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” KJV
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” KJV

Paul makes a statement that we must make mention of, “…I have laid the foundation…which is Jesus Christ…”. 

Questions – Has anyone in scripture ever preached about Jesus Christ?  Absolutely!  How can Paul make such a bold statement?  There is something in this message, given to Paul, which is unique to him and him alone.  How are we then built up?  By the gospel revealed to the Apostle Paul. 

Colossians 2:6-10 states:

You received Christ by trusting God’s word by faith.  You believed the verses where it says you are saved by grace through faith.  You agreed with God when He said you are saved by trusting that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose the third day.  (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:8, 9; I Corinthians 15:1-4)  That is how you are to walk in Him.  You trust the words on the pages of scripture; rightly dividing the word of truth.  Your faith should not be found in any other books.  Your faith should not be blindly trusting in an experience. Your faith should not be found in some ceremony. Your faith should solely rest in the word of God to you.  Build, with the proper materials, upon the only foundation.  This foundation is Jesus Christ.  The building material is found in the books of Romans through Philemon.

Grace and Peace,

Greg Resor
Complete in Him