Sermons

Bringing Holiness To Completion In Repentance (2 Corinthians 7:1-16)

Rev. William L. BarronRev. William L. Barron, January 17, 2021
Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service

We are all troubled by filthiness in flesh and spirit. Paul describes a ministry of taking filthy children and cleaning them up. Can we really clean ourselves? No, but the cleaning begins with our repentance. It is Christ who cleanses us, but we need a desire to do so. Paul had traveled to Troas and then to Macedonia, but Titus had not joined him, and Paul suffered through various afflictions. Finally, Titus came. The Corinth church had repented and been healed. Cleansing is difficult. Filth affects body and soul, but when we repent, things change. Our desires turn toward the Lord. One of the ministries of God is to cleanse us from defilement. Paul shows a pastoral concern for the church in Corinth. He demonstrates caring, bearing of burdens and sharing. We must love our enemies and hold them before the Lord. Paul is thankful for Corinth's repentance. None of us are home yet. We must confront and encourage one another. Discipline is part of caring. Pain leads to repentance. With restoration comes great joy. There is no change without repentance. This is our goal when ministering to a filthy brother. Cleansing is hard. There may be immediate pain, but the result is long-term peace with God. If we are not willing to confront, turmoil results. We must ask ourselves: are we complacent and simply drifting along?

Tags: Discipline, Encouragement, Holiness, Repentance, sanctification

About Rev. William L. Barron: Billy Barron is the pastor of North Greenville Church. He has pastored ARPC congregations in North and South Carolina and Florida. He has also been pastor to World Witness missionaries around the world. He was Mission Developer of Travelers ARP Church in Travelers Rest, SC.
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2 Corinthians 7 (Listen)

7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 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.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 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. 12 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. 13 Therefore we are comforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.

(ESV)

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