Two types of guilt or “Sorrow” as it reads in my Bible–

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” -2 Corinthians 7:10

All humanity is convicted over certain things…we often times call it guilt. I don’t like to use the word “guilt” in association with God, but for lack of a better term at this moment that is what we are going with. Guilt is often misunderstood but Paul here states very clearly what is a Godly “guilt” or conviction and what is a “guilt” conviction from the devil or the world.

If we feel “guilt” conviction and it leads us to repent…now remember repentance is not just saying sorry, or feeling bad, or regretting something. Repentance is all those things, but it is also TURNING AWAY from sin, we may have to turn away several times, but it is still turning away from it. But if we feel a “guilt” that leads us to repent then we are experiencing this in the Spirit of God.

If we feel a “guilt” conviction and we may say sorry, or feel bad, or even have regret, but it does not lead us to turn away from that sin or mistake it is not truly a God led conviction. Also though if we feel “guilt” and even after we repent we continue to feel miserable and like we want to die…then that guilt is a false guilt and it is from the devil! Jesus’ conviction will never lead us towards a desire to die. That is the persecution of the devil!

One other thought I had in this reading:

We see in chapter 8 another reason to give to God’s work here on earth monetarily. Not just in our labors or our words, but actual physical gifts. Paul starts off chapter 8 by sharing about a church that gave generously, even beyond their means.

He then ends chapter 8 with this:

“Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.”                          -2 Corinthians 8:24

Paul is challenging the church in Corinth to show that they are just as loving as this other church….how? Through their monetary gifts. In our modern culture Pastors can get in trouble for saying, “we need to prove our love through our tithes and offerings” and yet it seems like such a position is Biblical…oh and by the way we aren’t proving our love to God in this, this is not a work of legalism, we are doing it as a witness to our fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus and thus encouraging them to do the same.

Next Reading: Exodus 21-24