Dear Christians: Quit being so sad.
There is an attitude that I've seen in most churches that needs to change. It is the attitude of sorrow because of the reading of the bible and a realization of personal sin. You may know what I'm talking about. People read the bible and realize that they are sinners and then they mope about it. They talk about how the bible just keeps hitting them in the face with the truth of how wretched they are. They are always sad, seldom rejoicing, as if sadness in itself were a virtue. They focus on how sinful they are rather than how holy God is. They may occasionally and feebly sigh and say "But thank God for his grace and that he saved me," but deep down they are sad because they can't seem to stop sinning the same sins. They feel defeated all the time, so they have a hard time rejoicing. They feel as if they could never live up to God's standards.
Here is my thesis: Reading the bible should result in sorrowful repentance, but it should never end there. Paul said that there is a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation, and there is a worldly sorrow produces death (2cor 7:10). Watch out for this worldly sorrow! Here's how to identify it: Worldly sorrow doesn't ever result in rejoicing.
Reading the bible should result in sorrowful repentance. It did in Nehemiah's days. "For all the peple wept as they heard the words of the Law (Nehemiah 8:9)." But let's read the whole passage:
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
(Nehemiah 8:9-12 ESV)
As christians, [we do] not grieve as others ... who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV) There is a reality in the kingdom of God that we are "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2Corinthians 6:10 ESV)."
Pray to be filled again with his Holy Spirit. The fruit of that Spirit is joy. Our strength is joy. We do not grieve as those without hope. Christ is our hope. He rose from the dead. He has already won. He has made us more than conquerors.
Here is my thesis: Reading the bible should result in sorrowful repentance, but it should never end there. Paul said that there is a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation, and there is a worldly sorrow produces death (2cor 7:10). Watch out for this worldly sorrow! Here's how to identify it: Worldly sorrow doesn't ever result in rejoicing.
Reading the bible should result in sorrowful repentance. It did in Nehemiah's days. "For all the peple wept as they heard the words of the Law (Nehemiah 8:9)." But let's read the whole passage:
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
(Nehemiah 8:9-12 ESV)
As christians, [we do] not grieve as others ... who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV) There is a reality in the kingdom of God that we are "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2Corinthians 6:10 ESV)."
Pray to be filled again with his Holy Spirit. The fruit of that Spirit is joy. Our strength is joy. We do not grieve as those without hope. Christ is our hope. He rose from the dead. He has already won. He has made us more than conquerors.