From Guilt to Repentance

“Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (II Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV)

The past several weeks have been difficult for me. The Lord has been dealing with me on several issues in my life that I have left unattended. The details are not important or proper for me to share, but I have found confessing those to the Lord and to others and changing my behavior has lifted a heavy burden from my shoulders. The result is, while not a pleasant experience, feeling an underlying joy of having this burden removed and being able to look ahead and not behind.

In today’s parlance, we would probably use “guilt” rather than “sorrow,” and guilt is viewed as negative by our culture.  It is not uncommon for some students to complain they “feel guilty” when I or one of our other staff teach from the Scriptures. They are accustomed to feeling good and prefer it.  Don’t we all? None of us likes to be corrected, but the truth, one that has been increasingly lost in the church, is this is one of the primary purposes of the Scriptures.

In this passage in his second letter to the Corinthian Christians, Paul is referring to a situation he addressed in his first letter to them. He commends them for their response. First, they were hurt by his rebuke; then they felt guilty (or sorrowful); and then they repented. Paul was overjoyed by their response because it was not typical, nor is it in our world today. Instead of merely feeling sorry or guilty and getting stuck there, the Corinthian believers responded by confessing and changing their behavior.  

How often do we really see this today among believers? In my experience, when confronted with sin by the Scriptures, most do feel guilty, but that is where they remain. They feel sad or angry, but do not move on to repentance. Paul refers to this as “worldly sorrow” because it does not lead to a change of attitude or behavior.  And he gives a warning: worldly sorrow leads to spiritual death.  

Repentance is essential to the Christian life, but we can only repent from that which is known to us as sin.  This is why it is so important to know the Scriptures and submit to their authority. But it will not come naturally to us. Rather, our natures will resist strongly repenting from sin. Yet that is what is needed if we are to experience the fullness and abundance of seeking to follow Jesus.  There are no short cuts.  

Today, have the Scriptures, or teachings from them, led you to feel guilty or sorry for something you are doing? If so, then recognize the next step is to repent from whatever it is. The guilt or sorrow is a prompting from the Lord that you need to change your behavior. And repentance lifts the burden of guilt from us, just as the Lord intended. You don’t have to carry it any longer.

© Jim Musser 2017