哥林多後書7:8-16

7:8 我先前寫信叫你們憂愁，我後來雖然懊悔，如今卻不懊悔；因我知道，那信叫你們憂愁不過是暫時的。
7:9 如今我歡喜，不是因你們憂愁，是因你們從憂愁中生出懊悔來。你們依著上帝的意思憂愁，凡事就不至於因我們受虧損了。
7:10 因為依著上帝的意思憂愁，就生出沒有後悔的懊悔來，以致得救；但世俗的憂愁是叫人死。
7:11 你看，你們依著上帝的意思憂愁，從此就生出何等的慇勤、自訴、自恨、恐懼、想念、熱心、責罰（或譯：自責）。在這一切事上，你們都表明自己是潔淨的。
7:12 我雖然從前寫信給你們，卻不是為那虧負人的，也不是為那受人虧負的，乃要在上帝面前把你們顧念我們的熱心表明出來。
7:13 故此，我們得了安慰。並且在安慰之中，因你們眾人使提多心裡暢快歡喜，我們就更加歡喜了。
7:14 我若對提多誇獎了你們甚麼，也覺得沒有慚愧；因我對提多誇獎你們的話成了真的，正如我對你們所說的話也都是真的。
7:15 並且提多想起你們眾人的順服，是怎樣恐懼戰兢地接待他，他愛你們的心腸就越發熱了。
7:16 我如今歡喜，能在凡事上為你們放心。

⁸ Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— ⁹ yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹ See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹² So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³ By all this we are encouraged.
In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. ¹⁴ I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. ¹⁵ And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

*************

    保羅雖然為哥林多前書的語氣過重而懊悔，但是他看見哥林多教會的悔改與更新，讓他大得安慰，也讓他感受到聖靈真的在教會大大的動工，就覺得放心並且心裡喜樂！

    牧者對教會是愛的，才會勇敢責備教會，不要要跟大家過不去。責備的目的，就是要教會行在真理當中。牧者不可以為自己的去留擔心而不敢責備教會，這是不智慧的，是虧欠上帝的。牧者有一個重大責任，就是成為教會的監督。看教會是不是行在真理之中，是否有偏離主的真道，有教訓與督責的職分，不可以放棄自己該有的立場。

    當然要責備之前也要多禱告，願聖靈大大的動工，也願自己順服在聖靈的引導，能真正一針見血使教會得已見到自己的問題，願意順著聖靈引導而更新，牧者是教會的良心。