Jump Start # 3406

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the 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.

One of our Jump Start readers wants to know “What is the difference between being actually sorry because of a sin committed, from being sorry because of the consequences of that sin?” That’s a great question and I think our passage shows us the difference.

You’ll notice that there are two sorrows. One is according to the will of God and one that is based upon the world. And those sorrows lead to two different conclusions. One leads to salvation and the other leads to death. How do I know which one I have? Can a person know?

First, Godly sorrow is based upon God. One realizes that he has sinned against God. Now, it may be that no one else knows about this sin. It may be that he has never faced any consequences because of this sin. It may be that he could go on with his life and no one would ever know. But God knows. And, he realizes that God knows. He is sorry because he has let God down. He has broken God’s law. He has disappointed God. God made him for better things. He ignored God and did what he wanted to do.

This sorrow comes from a good and honest heart intersecting with the word of God. The word that Peter preached pricked the hearts of the audience. It cut them to the core. When Stephen preached, those words cut the audience to the quick. That will happen when someone has an honest heart and a good heart.

Jesus began His powerful sermon on the mount with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” That has nothing to do with bank accounts, homelessness or physical poverty. It has EVERYTHING to do with spiritual bankruptcy. It’s realizing you are destitute spiritually. You are hopeless. You have sinned and you are in trouble with God.

Immediately, Jesus moves to, “Blessed are those who mourn.” Again, this has nothing to do with funeral homes, cemeteries, and physical death. It is about a person realizing their spiritual condition. Here is where sorrow begins. Godly sorrow, our passage says, produces a repentance. That godly sorrow leads to change. That’s what repentance is. It’s changing based upon God. And, that changed life leads to salvation.

Second, the sorrow of the world is not God based. A person may have gotten caught doing wrong. As I was driving in to the office today, I saw a man along side the road being handcuffed by the police. You can just be sure that he is sorry that he got caught. His day has changed. It will begin in jail, courtrooms and not the way he had planned. One might be expelled from school. A person may lose their job. They may be arrested. They may be facing a divorce. They may be disciplined by the church. The consequences of getting caught doing wrong brings sorrow. It’s not based upon God. Those are the consequences wrong being found out. A person may be sorry but he is sorry that he got caught. He is not sorry that he did wrong. He is only sorry that he has gotten into trouble. It’s the punishment that he is sorry for and that he is now receiving.

Likewise, a person may be told by their doctor that unless he changes his lifestyle, such as drinking, smoking pot, abusing drugs, that he will likely be dead within a year. So, this person stops the wrong. It’s not based upon God, but a fear of dying.

Or, a person could be told that unless he stops his behavior, the marriage is over. So, a person might straighten up. He hasn’t repented because of God. He doesn’t want to be tossed out.

Worldly sorrow can be filled with guilt and shame. But it doesn’t bring a person any closer to God. Judas had worldly sorrow. He realized that Jesus was innocent. He returned the money given to him. He then committed suicide. His sorrow led to his death.

So, back to our initial question, how can one know if I am sorry because of God or because of the consequences? The pricking of the heart, the conscience bothered, the longing to be right with the Lord (hungering and thirsting for righteousness) are going to compel you to do what is right. Your motive, your drive is wanting to stand right with the Lord. You want to please the Lord. You’ll take whatever punishment comes your way. You won’t be pleading not guilty when you know you are guilty. You want to stand pure and right before the Lord.

This person will apologize to the people he has hurt. This person will let others know that his behavior has changed. This person will not hide behind excuses, blame others, or play the victim card. He is wrong and he is honest about that. His prayers are to the Lord for mercy and salvation. His desire is to do what the Lord wants.

When a person is only sorry because of the consequences, once the consequences are gone, so is this person’s sorrow. He has not changed from the inside and he is likely to repeat what he has done wrong, but with a greater desire to avoid the consequences this time.

Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow there is a difference. When a person says, “I am sorry,” it is fair to ask him, “Why?” Just why are you sorry? Is it because you are in trouble? Is it because you hurt someone’s feelings? Or, is it because you sinned against the Lord?

Two sorrows…two outcomes. It helps us to understand the difference.

Roger

Jump Start # 1955

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the 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.”

“I’m sorry.” That seems to be in vogue these days. It’s good to recognize wrong and to be sorry for it. But, it seems too often, a commentator, comedian, politician or sports figure can say anything that they want, no matter how thoughtless, cruel or offensive it is, and then when they are called on the carpet for what they said, out comes, “I’m sorry.” Often the damage has been done. Would they have apologized had they not received such a backlash from the public? Are they truly sorry or only sorry that they got in trouble for what they said?

Saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t fix all things. It doesn’t repair broken trusts. Confidence in a marriage, the bond of friendship, the relationship between parents and their children can be shattered by poor decisions, careless words and actions without thinking. Just saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t magically restore and repair these strained relationships. One wonders why a person said what they said in the first place. And we are not just talking about what people say, but what they tweet, put on Facebook or text.

Saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t keep the consequences of wrong and sinful choices from coming. A kid, on a dare, chooses to shoplift a dvd from a store. He’s caught. Parents are called. The police are called. He’s in big trouble now. He says, “I’m sorry,” but there are consequences that he will have to face. A college student chooses to plagiarize. It’s a long paper. The professor won’t catch it. There are too many papers to read. It is found. And now there are consequences. The student says, “I’m sorry,” but that may not stop all the punishment he’s about to face. A wife finds out that her husband is having an affair. She confronts him. He says, “I’m sorry.” The marriage may be over. He’ll have to move out. How will he tell his parents? What happens when the church finds out? “I’m sorry,” doesn’t stop consequences.

Hiding our sins, like Adam and Eve hid from God, is a common human response. This is our default mode. We keep things hidden and hope that no one finds out. Cover-up. Cover our tracks. Make excuses. Denial. Dodge the questions. We’re pretty good at this stuff. When caught, we are quick to point fingers. It’s been a long day. I’m under a lot of pressure and stress. I haven’t been myself lately. But all of this smoke to cover what we really know is going on, never fools God. The Lord is not deceived. We can hide things from others. We can after awhile, start believing our own lies, but the Lord knew all along.

This is where our verse comes in. Godly sorrow is different than sorrow of the world. A person can be sorry for many reasons. He can be sorry that he got caught. He can be sorry that he lost his job or is kicked out of the house. He can be sorry that he is in jail. None of this points a finger back to his heart. Is he sorry that he even did or said what he did? Caught or not, is he sorry? Consequences or not, is he sorry?

Godly sorrow is based upon God. It’s not based upon what I did to others or the punishment I now receive because of my choices. One is sorry that he has shamed God. He is sorry that he has disappointed God. He is sorry that he did not bring glory and honor to God. This sorrow, is based upon the will of God. It’s Biblically based. It doesn’t come from the outcry of the public. It’s not the result of being suspended by the owner of the company. It comes from heart that wants to please God. When he has not, he is sorry, very sorry.

This godly sorrow leads to repentance. It leads to changes. Thought is given as to how I got myself into that situation. Thought is given to what should I have done differently. Prayers are sent Heavenward. Pleas for God’s mercy are beseeched. Lessons have been learned. Changes will take place. A heart is drawn even closer to the God of love and mercy. A renewed desire to walk closer to the Lord takes place.

This is seen in the story of the prodigal. Life got so desperate for that rebellious kid that he desired what the pigs were eating. He came to his senses. Godly sorrow. He decided to go home and apologize. Repentance. He said, “…I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight.” No excuses. No fingers pointing to anyone else. A broken heart that wants to be loved and mended by God. His father accepted him. There was a celebration. A feast. Music and dancing were heard coming from the house. But what about the next day? The party was over. The food was eaten. Now what? The obnoxious brother was still obnoxious. The father wasn’t changing any of the rules to keep the prodigal home. What was expected of the prodigal didn’t change. One thing changed. The heart of the prodigal. He was different. He had repented. He saw things differently now. He was a new person.

Had he come home with a “I’m sorry,” but no change in his heart, it would only be a matter of time until he hit the road again. What changed was his view of things. What changed was his view of self. Godly sorrow leads one to God.

In a perfect world, we would never do anything wrong. The world is not perfect and neither are we. We sin. Hiding the fact, blaming others, and waiting for someone to demand an apology, is what the world does. Their sorrow leads to death. The death is the death of their heart and soul. Judas seemed to be sorry that he betrayed Jesus. He returned the money. His sorrow did not lead him closer to God. He took his life. Sorrow of the world leads to death—physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.

It’s great to recognize that you have done wrong. It’s important to understand that others have been hurt by you. Now, when you say, “I’m sorry,” what are you doing with that? Are you making changes? Are you better because of this? Are you closer to God? Are you showing that you mean what you say? Or, is this just a quick band aid to cover up a deeper problem? Is this being said, only to keep the job, the marriage, and to hold off any embarrassment or consequences that may come your way?

I’m sorry—are you? What are you going to do with that now?

Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow—they can say the exact same words, “I’m sorry.” But the intent, purpose and aftermath is totally different. One is driven by the need to be right with God, the other is driven by the fact that one wants to save face. One is more concerned about God than anything else. The other is concerned about self more than anything else.

I’m sorry…give that some thought!

Roger

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

Jump Start # 241

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the 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 this section of Corinthians Paul is brings up the subject of sorrow and repentance. The word “sorrow” (or “sorrowful’) is found seven times in three verses (8-10). The subject of sorrow doesn’t excite us. I know it doesn’t me. If you were to ask me, “What makes you sad,” UGH! Now, ask me what I’m passionate about..what thrills me, and I can talk you legs off. We try to hide our sorrows. We want to bounce back from sorrow as fast as we can. Many deny they are sad, when asked. Not Paul. He wants to talk about it and he does.

  Paul has a specific sorrow in mind. In fact, he realizes that he caused the church to sorrow. He said in verse 8, “For though I caused you sorrow by my letter…” He is referring to 1 Corinthians and specifically,  his rebuking the church for not practicing discipline upon a wayward brother. But that sorrow led the church to change. It eventually led to the sinful Christian to repent of his sins. Sorrow can do that.

  Paul is careful to qualify what he means. Sorrow that is according to the will of God leads to changes, or repentance. Sorrow itself, may not do that. Sorrow without the word of God can lead to drinking, drugs and even suicide. Case in point is Judas. He was sorry. He returned the money he was given for betraying Jesus. His sorrow wasn’t founded nor supported by the word of God. It ate him up. Guilt, shame, and sorrow led him to desperation and then death. Those same steps are followed by some today. This kind of sorrow can bring changes, but they don’t last. These changes are not based upon God and are not true. A guy in jail may have stopped using drugs. But he hasn’t really changed. He just can’t get to his supply. A person may be sorry that they got caught and got in trouble. But if they weren’t caught, they wouldn’t be sorry. Some have stopped bad behavior because a mate or a parent threatened to leave or kick them out if they continued. So they stopped, not because of God, but for fear of having to sleep on the street.

  The sorrow Paul has in mind is based upon the will of God. This person is sorry because He has disappointed God. It matters not if anyone else found out about it, God knows. He doesn’t stop because he got caught, he quits before he gets caught because it’s not right with God. This sorrow brings lasting changes. It is the truest form of repentance. It is a change without regret.

  I like that expression that Paul uses, “without regret.” You live long enough, there are plenty of regrets. But one you don’t have is repenting and turning to God. Living without regret. Not viewing the old sinful days as the glory days—no you changed and you are glad you changed. No bragging about the sinful days of college. Those were wrong. You changed, and boy, you are so glad that you did. You wouldn’t do those things again in a million years. God reigns in your heart and you love the Lord too much to view those sinful actions as fun. They weren’t. It’s by the grace of God that you didn’t die that way.

  It seems that this spirit is missing some these days. Folks are glad to be a Christian but they seem to be missing that godly sorrow. Wrong isn’t really all that wrong to some. Well, it is to God, and always has been. According to the will of God is just how we ought to be living our lives. It’s more than going to church, it’s having God’s will become my will. God’s way becomes my way. Not only does a person love God, but they learn to love what God loves and hate what God hates. They become filled with God and His ways. Looking back over one’s life, the regrets you have is that you didn’t come to Christ sooner.

  A good dose of godly sorrow can do us much good.

Roger