GP10. Godly Sorrow brings about Repentance

Description

OUR OFFENCE DOES TWO THINGS. IT ANGERS AND GRIEVES GOD.

Godly Sorrow is a God-initiated, Holy Spirit conviction that we have offended God and grieved Him. We can only, at best try to describe this in words. It will move us to our deepest and most heartfelt response commensurate with the grief that we have caused against God. That is why as in 2 Cor 7:10, Godly Sorrow calls forth to God and He hears our genuine call in His abundant mercy (Ps 86:5-6). Without Godly Sorrow, He will not hear (Isa 59:2). We know that God is patient and longsuffering (Exo 34:6) and He deals with His anger for the moment within Himself but the grief that we have caused needs to be urgently addressed especially for our own sake.

Importantly, Godly Sorrow is accompanied by our desire to turn away from the sin we have committed and we do not wish to repeat this and grieve God all over again. It does not mean we will be rid of this sin but each time we are tempted or commit it, we are grieved and feel miserable. Paul described this struggle as a wretchedness (Rom 7:24).

For believers who walk closely with God, our personal pain of causing grief to God is in knowing that our sin forced God to have Jesus crucified. Jesus was innocent and yet He willingly took the pain of humiliation, torture and punishment upon Himself to bear the guilt and shame of our offence when we are the ones that deserve full punishment.

If anyone does not think that he has broken God's law, then he will see no need to repent. This is where the gap occurs and the separation from God will remain until it is repaired by Repentance. The responsibility to act obviously begins with us because God's forgiveness through Christ is already made available at the Cross to us some 2,000 years in advance and all we need to do is believe in Jesus as the propitiation for our sins.

WHY A HEARFELT APOLOGY DOES NOT SATISFY GOD

Whether we believe in God or we do not, when we offend someone or do something wrong, our conscience is pricked and it brings about 'worldy sorrow' which are natural human feelings of guilt, shame and regret. That is why "the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor 7:10) because our conscience bears witness of our offence.

• "14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;" Rom 2:14-15

Non-believers are without excuse. While here on earth before a court of law, can we plead innocence by virtue that we are unaware of every legislated law? What more, can non-believers plead innocence that they do not know God's legislated law as written in the Bible? Perhaps their only defence is that they don't accept the Bible to be God's Word but that does not nullify the Bible, just as earthly law is not null and void just because the offender does not know it.

Even if we sin only once in our lifetime, we have broken all of God's law (James 2:10). While we can correct the offence at a human level, which we should, it does not change the fact that we have sinned against God in entirety. Sin causes all types of problems and conflict in our lives but the most fatal consequence of sin is spiritual death (Rom 6:23). 

HOW DOES SOMEONE COME TO A POINT WHEN HE KNOWS HE HAS OFFENDED GOD?

God's grace comes to the rescue when God wills it. When a person causes offence and God decides to intervene, He sends His Holy Spirit to convict the offender (John 16:8-9).

The Holy Spirit's conviction lays charge that the offence cannot be simply brushed away with an apology to the offended party or to God. Godly conviction is not designed to be a guilt trip but it has an effect that goes deep into our soul. In the Greek, 'conviction' has a strong connotation and translates as a judgment of guilt. Conviction directs the offender to face the truth that his offence grieves God and he has to do something about it beyond just feeling sorry. Conviction is God's grace in making the first move to draw us to Him and bridge the separation.

This is the mystery of God's deep love. In the same way that Jesus went to the Cross while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8) and enemies of God (Rom 5:10), He initiates the reconciliation through the Holy Spirit.

HOW CAN WE TAKE THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS REPENTANCE?

Repentance requires human effort but it has to be Holy Spirit-inspired to be deeply genuine and acceptable to God. God searches the heart and knows the authenticity of the Repentance. God needs to accept it for His forgiveness to be imparted.

The practical first steps to engage God may seem 'procedural' but they are a helpful start and can be stated as follows.

1. Be aware that God hates Sin because it causes the separation between man and God (Isa 59:2)
2. Repent, confess and seek forgiveness from God for the offence (1 John 1:9)
3. Know that God sent Jesus as the atoning sacrifice and the only Name by which we can be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
4. Resolve to have a change of mind regarding Sin and turn to God to help us be stronger to resist temptation (Heb 2:18)
5. Seek God's righteousness and holiness to increase in us to help us reduce our sin nature with each passing day (John 3:30)

It is crucial to understand that Repentance is not a 5-step process that automatically results in Salvation just because we executed those steps. But we can genuinely try and take those steps and wait upon God for His response. No man can say that it is because of his actions (works) that obligates God to save him (Eph 2:8). Salvation can only happen when God draws the Sinner to Himself (John 6:44) and reveals Jesus as the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).

We pray that God will lead you to a revelation of His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

Version 23.1.0