EPISODE 857 – UNDERSTANDING GODLY SORROW IN REPENTANCE 2

UNDERSTANDING GODLY SORROW IN REPENTANCE 2

“For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.” 

2 Corinthians 7:10 (Amplified Bible)

There are some who think true repentance is determined by how you put on a sackcloth and cry your eyes out in sorrow.

It is erroneous to think that people only show repentance when they grieve or are in painful anguish.

This does not necessarily prove repentance. Repentance is a change in mindset about what sin is, who God is and what He has produced through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

WHAT IS GODLY SORROW?

Godly Sorrow is basically the genuine regret, pain and discomfort you feel when you realise how you have fizzled out or fallen short. But it is not the regret or discomfort which makes it godly. It is what is produced out of the discomfort.

Godly sorrow is determined when the regret doesn’t move you away from God but rather makes you turn to the Lord in repentance through the supply of His grace.

Also, don’t assume it is the Holy Spirit who wreaks pain and anguish in your heart. The Holy Spirit only shines the light of truth in your heart. And you come into the realisation of the will and the way of the Lord.

It is this realisation that influences how you feel.

It doesn’t necessarily lead to tears and sorrow all the time. The focus is that you will have a total mind shift or change of mind when the light of the Spirit shines in your heart.

Godly Sorrow is not a feeling of condemnation. It is a feeling that comes from understanding who you are in Christ and how you have failed to live in that reality. You lift your hands to God for Him to pick you and set you up to continue in the reality of who you are in Christ.

Paul the apostle received a report about the various sins of the saints in Corinth. He then sent them a letter to rebuke, correct and address them. One such sin was the case of a man living in sexual sin with his stepmother. (1 Corinthians 5:1).

Paul the apostle showed displeasure at the various misconducts in the Church. And even instructed that they keep no company with such within the Church (1 Corinthians 5).
 
Was Paul condemning such a person? No!
He was condemning the deeds. Remember I have said before that God did not justify immorality, idolatry, extortion, but justified the believer (see 1 Corinthians 6:11).

In Chapter 6 of 1st Corinthians, Paul takes his time to expound on the reality of the believer. He didn’t just demand that they change their behaviour. He cultivated the consciousness of who they are in their minds. He didn’t just show displeasure. He didn’t zoom in on condemning them. He condemns the wrongfulness or sins and brings them to the realisation of who they are.

Take a look at what Paul said:

“Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary. You were God’s expensive purchase, paid for with tears of blood, so by all means, then, use your body to bring glory to God!” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (TPT)

 He was just demanding a behaviour change. Paul the apostle knew that without the shining forth of God’s revelational light, there cannot be true repentance.

Just as he was drawn to the Lord by the revelation of Jesus, he drew the Corinthian brethren from their weaknesses by reminding them of the fellowship they have with God.

Did this work? Yes, it did.

Read this from the second epistle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

“And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you’ve come out of this with purity of heart. And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. My primary concern was not for the one who did the wrong or even the one wronged, but for you—that you would realize and act upon the deep, deep ties between us before God. That’s what happened—and we felt just great.” 2 Corinthians 7:11-13 (MSG)

Oh, glory to God.

Godly Sorrow or distress does not drive you away from God. It turns you around from the path of defeat and leads you to enjoy the Salvation which you have in Christ.

Some decide to stay away from Church meetings (assembly of the saints), refuse to pray or read their Bibles because of their weaknesses or sins.

But that is not consistent with the word of God.

When your distress or sorrow, or remorse leads you away from God or keeps you hiding from God’s presence, it is ungodly.

God is a loving Father whose interest is that you continue in the reality of His life at work in you, through the supply of His grace.

Hallelujah!