Friday, October 18, 2024

Of Godly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:8-12)

"For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted" (2 Cor. 7:10).

The Hebrew word for “sorrow” or “to be sorrowful” means “to have the soul, as it were, crucified.” It is a very powerful word and carries with it profound implications in the believer’s life. Paul refers to this kind of sorrow in writing to the Corinthians. He had written a strong letter of rebuke regarding their sin, and the letter had evidently produced feelings of sorrow among the Corinthian believers. Paul in this second letter explains that while he was sorry that they had to go through such grief, he was thankful that it led them to repentance. Paul recognized that godly sorrow is a necessary prerequisite to true repentance, and that true repentance is necessary for salvation.

In Psalm 38:18, David said, “I will be sorry for my sin,” and in Psalm 51 he says that God accepts those with a “broken” and a contrite heart. The assumption here is that if someone is truly penitent, he will be broken-hearted over his sin. True repentance involves not only a change of the mind, but a change of the heart, a turning from sin toward holiness. This involves seeing sin for what it is in light of God’s mercy and grace, that it is rebellion against a good and loving God.

The Corinthians grieved over their sin and this led them to repentance. Paul encouraged them in this difficult process, reminding them that godly sorrow had produced many good things in their lives: diligence in their Christian walk, spiritual cleansing, indignation over sin, fear of offending God, desire to pursue holiness, zeal for the truth. These are just some of the glorious effects of repentance that grow out of godly sorrow over sin.

If the heart is not broken, there can be no true repentance. Of course, there are differing degrees of sorrow depending on the person and the sin, but sorrow must be there nonetheless. This is true not only at conversion but throughout the Christian life. When we sin, we should be grieved by it. This does not mean that we wallow in that grief, for we have an advocate in Christ Jesus who forgives us our sins. But, just like the Corinthians, if we see sin for what it is, we can’t help but weep over the dishonor of it before our God and the shame of it in the life of one who has been redeemed.

What is your attitude toward your sin? If your heart is cold toward sin, you might still be unregenerate and impenitent. If this is the case, or if you are a Christian who has grown despondent, pray that God will cause you to see sin for what it is, as that which destroys life and holiness, and work in you godly sorrow which leads to repentance.