Rebuke + Repentance = Reconciliation
Pauls first letter the Corinthians is harsh. He warned, rebuked, even wounded them with the power of his letter. His goal is revealed in this passage in 2 Cor 7:
8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. 12 My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us.
Proverbs 27:6 says: "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."
Many times those that love us the most will hurt us the most. Sometimes their hurtful words are malicious and designed to abuse and oppress. However Paul teaches us that real friends will speak truth that hurts in order to bring about change that heals. That's exactly what happened here.
But there was more than repentance by the Corinthians. There was also reconciliation between them and Paul. Real sorrow in relationships will ultimately lead to reconciliation because of repentance.
Thinking about my own life - I wonder how many hurtful things I have said to get revenge when my goal should have been reconciliation. I wonder how many times someone hurt me with their words and I shut down rather than respond to the truth and repent - and in the process lost a friend.
Real friends are open, honest, and willing to wound and be wounded (vulnerable) for the sake of the Gospel. What kind of friend will you be today? Has someone been a friend but hurt you with their words? Was there any truth in them that you needed to hear? What is your next step to keep the relationship in tact?
Created over 2 years ago
