Jump Start # 832

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

In our Jump Start yesterday, we took a look at one of the kings of Judah. He was a wicked man who died a horrible and painful death caused by a disease that God sent. When he died, no one regretted it. The people were glad he was gone.

That thought of “regret” leads us to our passage today. Paul defines repentance and contrasts it with sorrow of the world. Let’s take a look at this:

• Repentance means changing. There are many reasons why people change. The first step of Biblcal repentance is “sorrow that is according to the will of God.” Sorrow is the key. A person who is happy with their life, the way it is going, the direction it is taking them, what it  is doing to them, will not change. They won’t see a need to change. It is when a person isn’t happy and things are falling apart that they seek a change. The prodigal didn’t come home when he had money in his pocket. It is when he ran out of money, a famine came upon the land and he was facing dinning with pigs that made him change. This is true in most areas of life. When a person is tired of the mess that their house is in, they will clean it up. When a person is tired of the way they look, they will go to the gym. When they are tired of being broke, they will make a budget and stick with it.

There is a difference between Godly sorrow and sorrow of the world. A person can be sorry that they got caught in a crime. They can be sorry that they have ruined their marriage by having an affair. Those sorrows can make a person stop. Some one sitting in jail cannot do drugs. They have stopped. They haven’t really changed, they simply are unable to get the drugs. Someone else may have the option of being tossed out of the house by his parents or mate if they don’t stop wrong behavior. They may stop. That is a change. The force behind is not the desire to do good, it is the fear of having to find a place to sleep that night.

The sorrow of the world produces death. Judas was sorry that he had betrayed Jesus. He returned the silver that was paid to him. His sorrow didn’t lead to life, it lead to his death.

• Godly sorrow is based upon God. A person stops wrong because God says it is wrong. This is a person who wants to be right with God. His ambition and motive is to please the Lord. God’s word has shown that his choices and lifestyle are sinful. Unless something changes, he will not go to Heaven. He repents. He changes. He embraces the Gospel message and learns from God.

• In his changing, he leaves behind his sinful choices. It is a repentance without regret. There is no looking back. There is no thinking about the “good old days” when I used to… He is ashamed of those days. Those were wrong and sinful things. He longs to be right with God and to clothe himself in righteousness. No regrets in being a Christian. No regrets in following the Holy One of Israel. No regrets in leaving habits, friends, attitudes and choices that were wrong. The one with godly sorrow would do things differently if he could go back are relive his life. He would have chosen God sooner. He would not have done the things he did. He regrets the wrong. He regrets hurting God. He doesn’t regret changing.

Living without regret. Living with peace, hope and joy. Living with God. Is that you? Do you have a foot still stuck in the world? Do you wish you could still do wrong? It’s time to side with God. It’s time to see that wrong doesn’t work. It’s time to leave without regret and run to the side of God. It is amazing being a Christian. It is amazing being able to worship the God of Heaven. It is amazing to not only hear God’s holy message, but to be able to own it for ourselves. It’s amazing to be included with the people of God. Dancing with the world or clinging to the side of God? Which is it for you?

No regrets…

Roger