Living Room Study

2 Corinthians 7

“Now I am rejoicing, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance.  For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.  For Godly grief produces repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.”  2 Corinthians 7: 9-10

Part of my job is to minister at funerals. It is a blessing to lead music at the funeral of a deceased believer. The great tragedy of our culture is that people have the freedom to receive eternal life, yet choose to reject it. There is no greater grief than at the funeral of an unbeliever.

We don’t have to experience the death of a loved one to experience grief. Grief comes whenever we suffer loss. Perhaps, the worst loss is the kind we bring about ourselves.

When I share the gospel, I usually begin with one foundational truth: God is perfect and His standard is perfection. I’ll follow that truth with another sobering fact: Nobody is perfect. It doesn’t take long to do the math on this equation. Mankind is in big trouble, unless some overwhelming external force intervenes!

I have seen people react to this information in several ways. I’ve seen them display denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. By the way, these symptoms are also known as the 5 stages of grief.

What does “grief” have to do with the gospel?

People who have believed the lies of the World, the flesh, and the Devil, have incurred GREAT loss. The gospel exposes that loss. Essentially, the unredeemed must realize their lives have been built on a faulty foundation. Thus, everything their lives had been built upon must be demolished. The proper foundation (Messiah Jesus) must be laid, and their lives rebuilt upon that firm foundation.

Healthy grief leads to acceptance. Are you yet to follow Jesus? You must accept the reality of your condition, and accept the grace offered, which leads to abundant, (even eternal) life.

“Though your sin would cost your soul, your debt was paid in full. His grace, comes without toll, to make the broken whole.” (me)

Blessings.

Steve Wiggins