Many years ago, preachers of the Word mainly focused on people's inner experiences. They preached sermons and wrote books about the condition of repentant sinners and what they felt before finding peace with God. They were strict in identifying true repentance and evidence of regeneration but didn't directly say, "Believe and live." As a result, many awakened individuals remained in bondage and didn't experience the freedom Christ offers. However, this preaching style produced sturdy Christians but often caused people to focus too much on themselves instead of Christ.
Nowadays, ministers of the Gospel more openly declare to sinners the message, "Believe and live." This declaration is widely heard in many parts of the land but only in some places. There is a concern that there may be too much preaching of the remedy without acknowledging the disease or that "Believe and live" may replace the important Truth, "You must be born again." It's not right for people to think they're healed without realizing they're sick or to trust Christ without recognizing their need for Him. Ideally, preaching would combine the deep experimental teaching of the past with the straightforward delivery of the Gospel.
The two Truths of God, "Believe and live" and "You must be born again," are in Scripture and don't conflict. It'sPreaching both to avoid running the train on a single rail is essential. Often, there are multiple Truths closely connected, like a trinity. It's challenging to reconcile them, but they both should be preached.
Sorrow for sin is often misunderstood and is often mistaken for repentance. However, it is important to note that mere sorrow for sin is not repentance but an agent employed in producing repentance. Some may have sorrow for sin due to its temporal or eternal consequences, but this is not genuine repentance. True repentance involves a complete change of mind, a deep hatred of sin, and the thought of ever committing it again. There must be sincere sorrow for transgressing against God and the possibility of doing so again. Some may think that a certain level of wretchedness must be reached to be considered apologetic, but this is not true. There is no set measure for the level of sorrow or brokenness of the heart required for repentance. It is important to understand the genuine nature of repentance, which involves a thorough change of mind and deep sorrow for sin.
A Christian should be grieved by sin and continue grieving until it's gone. This sorrow for sin is not a miserable feeling but a sweet one that lasts a lifetime. The source of sorrow could be anything from neglecting to read the Word to mixing with bad company to not forgiving others. A Christian who is not joyful is not true to himself or his Master. A backslidden Christian can regain joy and gladness by confessing their sin and returning to Christ. Confessing sin does not spoil happiness but leads to it.
Godly sorrow leads to salvation from sin, according to the text. Salvation means freedom from the power of sin, the temptation to sin, and punishment for sin. This type of sorrow leads to a change of mind, resulting in freedom from the bonds of sin. It leads to perpetual perseverance in God's ways and repentance that will never be regretted. This is the kind of sorrow we should cultivate. It is a salvation that cannot be regretted and leads to eternal life within us, kept there by the Spirit of God.
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to enable us to indulge in godly sorrow for sin. Our sin is already forgiven and forgotten forever. How could we have sinned against such a forgiving God? Let us ask ourselves this question and burst into tears, realizing the love and forgiveness of God. This thought can cause us to feel godly sorrow.
"Godly sorrow" is a term used to describe a type of repentance or regret that is characterized by a deep, heartfelt sense of remorse for one's actions, along with a sincere desire to make things right. This sorrow is often seen as a spiritual experience in which the individual realises their wrongdoing and feels a deep sense of guilt and shame. Here are a few biblical examples of godly sorrow:
- David's repentance in Psalm 51: "Create a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit."
- Peter's repentance in Matthew 26: "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' And he went out and wept bitterly."
- The prodigal son's repentance in Luke 15: "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you."
These are just a few examples, but the Bible contains many more instances of individuals experiencing godly sorrow and turning back to God in repentance.