The title of this article sounds like something a naughty child might say after being commanded to apologize. Can you feature it coming from the lips of the apostle Paul? Actually it came from his pen, but the effect is the same. Why would he say such a thing?

"For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it" (2 Cor. 7:8a). In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he took them to task for a number of errors and abuses. I like the way my friend and fellow-preacher David Harlow (Sylvia, KS) put it, that Paul wasn’t very "warm and fuzzy" in that letter. He hurt their feelings with such words as "you are still carnal" (3:3), and "I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?" (6:5). For a time Paul wondered if he might have come on too strongly. In the final analysis, however, Paul had done what the Corinthians needed. His letter produced within them a godly sorrow for their sins, which led to their repentance (2 Cor. 7:9).

Have your children ever cried after you scolded them? Maybe it broke your heart; you wondered if you had been too severe. Later, though, their changed behavior and attitude demonstrated that you were right to scold them.

Confronting people with their sins has never been pleasant. Our feelings-oriented culture multiplies the difficulty. Hurting someone’s feelings gets you labeled "mean-spirted" and "extreme." (Such labels hurt people’s feelings, but then who ever said political correctness was consistent?) Piercing a sinner’s heart by convicting him of sin contradicts the world’s warm, fuzzy mis-definition of love. Indeed, the theme song of the old movie "Love Story" says, "Love means you never have to say you’re sorry." But that certainly isn’t what God said! "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance . . . For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (2 Cor. 7:9, 10).

Until and unless people understand the gravity of their sins and feel godly sorrow, they have no motive to repent; and unless they repent, they cannot be saved. May we, like Paul, be bold in confronting sin forcefully in hope that godly sorrow will produce repentance unto salvation. Biblical love will not stand by and let a soul be lost because we were afraid that confronting him might hurt his feelings.

Our hearts go out in sympathy to the family and friends of Betty Pearson who passed away this past Wednesday evening. Sister Pearson had suffered from many health problems since falling and breaking her hip a few months ago. Funeral services were held yesterday (Oct. 9th) at Crisp-Coon in Winter Haven.

"It's easier to save face if you keep the lower half shut."

Personal Work "A"
Visitation Team "A" is scheduled to meet this morning after the AM worship in Assembly Room "B". Members of that group are encouraged to attend.

The Pantry
The pantry is in need of canned meats and canned fruits. Please leave these items on the back table of the annex in front of the pantry.

A couple of items to make note of are as follows.
» There will be a Men’s Pancake and Sausage Breakfast on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004. Come and enjoy a time of fellowship, prayer, and devotion.
» Will you do your part to make Orange Street a congregation where 100% of its members are Daily Bible Readers in 2005?
See Bob Bauer for more details.

It is easier to blow up a building than to construct one. It is easier to destroy our leaders than to develop them. It is easier to cast stones at our neighbor than to cast beams out of our own eye. (Matthew 7:3)