#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 11/6/2017
11/6/2017 LESSON 2
BLESSINGS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOURNERS
Quarter’s Theme: CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE
Unit 1: Our Spiritual Condition (Lessons 1-4)
(RESPONSIBILITY MONTHS)
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 158, 159
Devotional Reading: 2 PET. 2:4-11
Topic For Adults
DON’T GET USED TO SIN
Topic For Youths
DON’T JOIN THOSE WHO ENJOY SIN
Topic For Intermediates
RUN AWAY FROM SIN
Scripture Lesson
PROV. 29:1; ISA. 1:5-6; PHIL. 3:18-19; MATT. 5:4; 2 CHRO. 30:9; HOS. 6:1
MEMORY VERSE
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Cor. 7:10 (NKJV)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 11/6/2017
Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance
2 Cor. 7:8-11
In the church at Corinth, a man was involved in sexual immorality and the church turned the other way. It took Paul’s letter condemning the sin in their midst before the church took action to discipline the offender. The man repented of his sin. Paul in his letter distinguishes between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is a form of regret for being found out and the shame or punishment that may likely follow. The offender does not have a change of heart concerning the sin, and he is likely to commit the sin again if only he can avoid being caught. On the other hand, godly sorrow is a process of genuine repentance which involves a change of heart such that the wrong act will not be repeated. It is godly sorrow that secures forgiveness from God. Pretence only brings greater condemnation.
POINT OF EMPHASIS: Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation.
PRAYER POINT: Holy Spirit, work out godly sorrow in everyone still struggling with sin in our congregation.
BACKGROUND
Jesus is still seeking those that are lost. Jesus is having concerns for those languishing in sins. This week’s lesson centres on another requirement for entering into the kingdom of God for those who are in God’s kingdom, must grieve their hearts over their own weaknesses in relation to God’s standard of righteousness. They must mourn over things that grieve God. The ideal characteristics of the members of God’s kingdom are spelt out.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: DANGERS OF IMPENITENCE (PRO. 29:1; ISA. 1:5-6; PHIL. 3:18-19)
Sin has become the norm and an acceptable thing to the average man on the street. He cannot see why anyone would feel bad about doing something that presumably everyone else does. Many boast about their exploits in things which the Bible describes as their shame, which is sin. The people have sold themselves to work uncleanness (1 Tim. 3:13). The hearts of so many people are no longer sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit; there is no desire to cry over sin, no repentant heart, no broken spirit.
When man persists in sin, he incurs God’s wrath and brings punishment upon himself. A large percentage of the disasters befalling man today come as a result of man’s sin. Self-inflicted disasters pile one upon another, there is hardly any facet of life that is not affected. These are judgments from God upon the impenitent. Before God sends His judgment upon a sinner, He would have warned him or her. But if the sinner refuses to repent, then the judgment comes upon him; he is likely to perish without a way out (Prov. 29:1). The hand of God is always heavy upon the impenitent and he cannot have peace (Ps. 32:3-4; Isa. 3:11); God is angry with him everyday (Ps. 7:11). Finally, the impenitent will end up in hell and be confined there eternally.
PART 2: BLESSINGS OF PENITENCE (MATT. 5:4; 2 CHRO. 30:9; HOS. 6:1)
A Christian must not allow his or her heart to become so hardened that it is not affected by the presence of sin in his or her life or people around him or her. Lot lived among very depraved people. As he beheld what lifestyle they lived, his heart was gravely distressed. He remained sensitive to what God demands and was keenly aware of the repercussion of sin. In some churches today, sin is allowed or tolerated while some sons of God behave as if it did not matter. It is high time we turned to God mourning for sin in our lives and in our society that God may look upon us with mercy.
God ever attends to those who mourn for sin to comfort them. They are indeed blessed because their sins are forgiven and there is, therefore, no condemnation in their hearts (Ps. 32:1,2; Rom. 8:1). They enjoy the mercy of God, restoration from whatever they have roamed and are given the privilege of enjoying the bounties of the Father. Those who mourn for sin are also given the privilege of partaking in the covenant blessings of Abraham.
CONCLUSION
Those whose hearts remain sensitive to God’s demand for holiness in their lives are bothered by the presence of sin either in their lives or in the lives of those around them. They are not happy, and in fact they mourn, because they know it is a terrible thing to fall into the hand of God; for our God is a consuming fire. God comes to them in their mourning to comfort them and grant them His salvation. Pray that the Holy Spirit will make your heart always sensitive to God’s demands.
QUESTIONS
- What is the reward of anyone who persists in sin?
- Before God judges a sinner, what would He have done?
- What is the fate of the sinner who refuses to repent?
- What should be the response of the church in respect of the lifestyle of her members?
- Explain what you understand by the term ‘Blessed are those who mourn’.
