Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:10.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV.

The Scripture verse I shared yesterday from Hearing God by Dallas Willard about the Pharisee who didn’t know where Jesus came from, which so amazed the man healed by Jesus who was born blind, had this comment I only truly saw today…”They (The Pharisees) had good, reliable general knowledge of how things were supposed to be, but they did not know who God is or what His works are. They did not recognize the greatest works of love and righteousness because those works didn’t conform to their legalistic ideas of what the Bible teaches. In fact, they condemned those works.” I read that yesterday, they did not recognize the greatest works of love and righteousness…of course, but it truly resonated today. We chafe at correction. Our chapter, 2 Corinthians 2, speaks correction and it also shows they should welcome back the man from Paul’s previous letter who had sinned and whom they had “put outside” because correction should always lead us to God’s love and righteousness. But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree – in order not to say too much – to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Can we see that we each of us need Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit? For whatever we think we know of God, does it lead us to loving Him and loving one another? We all sin. We live in a world broken by sins. The first Scripture verse cited above was in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers and he included this, “Conviction of sin is best described in the words: My sins, my sins, my Savior/How sad on Thee they fall. Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon things that ever happens to a person. It is the beginning of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict people of sin (see John 16:8). And when the Holy Spirit stirs a person’s conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not that person’s relationship with others that bothers him but his relationship with God – “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4). The wonders of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven person who is truly holy.” When you sit with God in silence and begin a conversation with Him, just you and Him, something remarkable happens. We are truly naked before Him but not in fear. In need. And His love leads us closer to Him in trust and hope and thanksgiving. We fear that closeness with others because they cannot understand all of us as God understands. He not only knows and understands, but He forgives and restores. There is no place like our place with Him in His love. For with Him we see His love and His righteousness. He will bring restoration of all things and it begins, as it must, in our own hearts turned to Him. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing…and who is adequate for these things? Creator God! But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place!