It's all Good

2 Corinthians 7:8-16

In my business life, one of my boss’s often would say be very careful about what you say in an email.  Letters and often emails sent without much thought can carry a message that was not the intent of the sender, and yet the old saying is true; perception or interpretation is the way it is.

As stated earlier false teachers have challenged the apostle Paul’s apostleship and integrity after he has left Corinth.  As the reports come to him, he sends them a letter and that letter is now lost and yet it addressed the lies being told about him, that he had wronged and defrauded the Corinthians and that he was corrupted?  Titus was sent by Paul to address the false teaching and to share Paul’s letter, and it must have been a good one that discusses truth, in that Paul was concerned about the believer’s spiritual growth and sanctification. 

The letter brought about grieving, shall we pick up Paul’s account in verses 8-13, “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.”

This grief did produce a repentant heart, and it was used by God to encourage not only the young church but also Titus.  As you read this account and Paul’s attitude of how things turned out it reminds me of my friend David Bush and his famous words; “It’s all good.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice