This passage is a goldmine for the preacher who wants his sermons to bring about repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. Paul’s instruction to this train wreck of a congregation was aimed to produce godly sorrow, what we might call “conviction,” not worldly sorrow, which we can certainly call “guilt.”
Did you notice all the results conviction brings about? Earnestness, eagerness, indignation (over sin, presumably), alarm, longing, concern — wow, one of these could keep most pastors motivated for months. Guilt, on the other hand, is said to produce only one result: death.
Whenever we preach for life change, we tread on dangerous ground. Like Paul, we must address people in their sin, but like Paul, we must be instruments of grace, leading them to move forward in their walk with Christ.
Three Ways To Tell The Difference Between Grace and Guilt
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Since I have often been a champion of guilt, I have ample material to pull from for this section. Don’t get me wrong, I was usually not aware of how much guilt used to be a part of my preaching. After all, guilt knows how to put on its Sunday best just like the rest of us. From this point I will refer to conviction as “grace,” since conviction is a life-giving force (plus the alliterative beauty of guilt versus grace is too irresistible for preachers).
1. Guilt focuses on failure. Grace focuses on the future.
It had been a long summer. Vacations and summer outings had brought tithing to a record low. For my Labor Day sermon I would “serve” the congregation by “gently” pointing out this deplorable example of giving. Surely we were capable of better. Looking back, I could have briefly mentioned that, like most churches, summer giving is always a little thin, but we had a huge opportunity in front of us. We had several autumn outreaches planned and I could sense the excitement in the air. What a joy to think about how we could give of our time, energy and resources to what God might do in the future. Had I spent more time focusing on what God could do in the future than what we did not do in the past, wow — who knows . . .
It has always struck me than when Jesus restored Peter that day when they strolled the beach, the Savior never mentioned Peter’s failure. It was there by implication, no doubt, as Jesus gave Peter three chances to declare his love for his master just as Peter had denied Christ three times. But the Savior’s focus is always on what lies ahead, “Peter, feed my sheep.” (John 21). I wonder how our congregations would respond if they sensed our excitement for what the future might hold.
2. Guilt focuses on deficiencies. Grace focuses on growth.