2 Corinthians 7:9 (ESV)
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.
Paul is addressing the Corinth church about a previous letter he wrote to them. In that letter (we identify that letter as, “1st Corinthians” in our Bible) he told them that a person in their church (a son) was having open sexual relationships with his step mother. At that time, Paul not only condemn the boy, but also the church for closing their eyes to that outrages sin.
However, it was not just that sin that Paul confronted. He also spoke to them about other areas of their spiritual walk. The church at Corinth was no example of how the church should be. That brought Paul’s attention and although he loved them, he sent a letter by the hand of Titus to correct them.
Upon Titus’ return to him, Paul now knows that the letter brought them grief. No one likes to be called out for their sins. No one ever wants to be called out for their sins in front of others. Paul did that in his letter and that brought them grief. Today, Paul would be shamed for calling them out. But, Paul, although regretting their were caused grief, did not regret the grief, because the grief led to repentance. That was the point of the letter. We cannot hold back our correcting bad behavior simply because we do not want to cause grief to those who are living out that sinful behavior. Augustine wrote:
“As severity is ready to punish the faults which it may discover, so charity is reluctant to discover the faults which it must punish”
We think that in “love” we should not call others out for their sin. But, it is “in love” that we do that. Paul loved these believers. He did not hesitate to call them out. It did cause grief. But the grief brought on a repenting spirit and renewed them with Christ. That is the point of Christians correcting other Christians. That is a healthy grief to cause in the lives of other believers.
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