In Praise of Indignation

Not my praise of indignation, though I do praise it and see it functioning in many of the great men and women of the Bible e.g., Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah and John the Baptist. 

Jesus Himself is described as being indignant.

Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” (Mk. 1:41)

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mark 10:14)

But, no.  Not my praise of indignation.

Paul's.

2 Corinthians 7:2-16 is a remarkable passage in Paul's writings which reveals as aspect of living in Christ's body that is, as Alan Hirsch might say, a forgotten way.

Paul says that he had written to the Corinthians previously with "great frankness" about a serious (unspecified in the text) issue that was taking place within the Corinthian church. 

Paul says that, after he wrote the letter, he was distressed by his great frankness so much so that, while he was waiting to hear how the Corinthians responded, he felt regret over writing the letter.

However, when they received the letter, the Corinthians took it to heart and, after Titus returned to Paul with news of how the letter was received, Paul says that his distress and regret were now turned into happiness because his letter caused the Corinthians to be sorry.

Paul was actually happy that he'd made these people feel sorrow!

Why?

Paul states this fundamental and universal spiritual principle:

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (v. 10, NIV)

Paul is also clear, in writing to the Corinthians, that he knows that they really did repent and, through repentance, achieve salvation. 

How did Paul know that they had repented? 

Paul notes that the Corinthians displayed seven attitudes that people who repent display. 

To the shepherd culture, what Paul says must seem remarkable to the point of being unbelievable.

The ESV translates these attitudes from the Greek in a way that is artless but accurate.  It renders verse 11:

For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!

Note the seven fruit that displayed to Paul, even through Titus' second hand report, that the Corinthians genuinely had repented in a way that leads to salvation:

1. earnestness
2. eagerness to clear yourselves (Grk. apologia--see the English 'apology' there)
3. indignation
4. fear
5. longing
6. zeal
7. punishment

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Friends,

Having existed for nearly four decades in the lukewarm, mellow values of a shepherd-dominated CGGC leadership culture, I discovered this passage afresh about a year ago and I was stunned!

Paul actually knew that something good was taking place among the Corinthians because they demonstrated indignation.

Paul's distress in writing that letter was ameliorated and his regret turned into happiness because his letter had caused the Corinthians to feel godly sorrow and, from that godly sorrow, to exhibit fear and longing and zeal and to practice punishment.

By this standard, the mainstream CGGC culture is an unrepentant and godless culture!

In the CGGC these days, the person who feels indignation over the things that take place on the mountaintop is assumed to be in error. 

Those who fear for themselves and for the CGGC body because of the path the body is taking are dismissed. 

The CGGCers who experience longing--who hunger and thirst for righteousness as Jesus defines righteousness--are marginalized.

Those in the CGGC world who live with zeal in the face of shepherd-imposed moderation are the ones deemed to lack fruit of the Spirit.

We who would exercise discipline and exact punishment are the very people who are regarded as spiritually wanting.

The truth is that Paul praised indignation and fear and zeal and punishment but the CGGC is a culture that despises all of those attitudes.

None of those attitudes that the Corinthians displayed--and which brought happiness to Paul--are welcomed in the CGGC in the 21st century. 

However,...

...they were welcomed,...

...accepted...

...and even EXPECTED...

on the day we were formed in October 1830.

And, in the days that followed, the Church of God flourished.

Today, we decline.

Oh, how we haven fallen!

We must repent--and achieve the seven fruit of repentance that Paul praised.