Mourning That Brings Comfort
To what kind of mourners does this beatitude apply? What kind of mourning brings comfort and happiness? The beatitudes of Jesus are inseparably connected. They form link in a chain of spiritual growth; they constitute the steps of a ladder that leads into the kingdom of blessedness. Blessed mourning is that which comes as a result of a recognition of spiritual poverty; it is truth heart sorrow for sin. Those who feel poor in spirit and who recognize that in a spiritual sense they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and bling, and naked," will mourn over this condition: and such mourning brings comfort.
Paul thus describes the sorrow that brings comfort and happiness; "Now I rejoice, not in your grief, but because the grief let to repentance....For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, a repentance not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world finally produces death." 2 Cor. 7:9, 10, Weymouth's translation. The only road to comfortable happiness is by way of godly sorrow for the sins that destroy peace, and which caused the indescribable sufferings of the One who paid the redemption price. Comfort is needed only where there is grief. There can be no comfort unless there is first a sorrow: there can be no healing unless there is first a wound. Heart sorrow is the essential preparation for pardon, and pardon is the prerequisite to comfort and happiness. One has said, "whom Christ pardons, He first makes penitent." Penitence is a heart sorrow for sin: a brokenness of spirit because of conscious failure.
In the next verse Paul gives the happy results of godly sorrow: "Mark the effects of this very thing- your having sorrowed with a godly sorrow- what earnestness it has called forth in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what long affection, what jealousy, what meting out of justice! You have completely wiped away reproach from yourselves in the matter." Weymouth's translation. Because of the revival of godliness and reformation of life produced in the Corinthian believers through godly sorrow over sin, Paul was able to say, "I rejoice that I have absolutely confidence in you." We always have confidence in those who have tender consciences and who are sorry for their mistakes.
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Next week we will be looking at "Godly And Ungodly Sorrow"
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