Historical Posts

Brought About by Godly Sorrow

“I’m Sorry”

People say, “I’m sorry” all the time, but with varying degrees of meaning. Some say it to express sorrow for having been caught in wrongdoing. Next time, these people will be more carful, so they do not get caught. Some say it with no expression of meaning, at all. They are merely saying what they believe others want to hear, in order to appease them. Then, there are those who say it as an expression of deep and meaningful sorrow for the wrongs they have done. This is “godly sorrow.”

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10

Godly sorrow will prompt us to fully repent.

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, “godly sorrow” is said to be the underlying cause of repentance. It is the kind of sorrow that Jesus indicated we must feel as we “mourn” for our sins (Matthew 5:4). It is the kind of sorrow Peter felt, as he “wept bitterly” over having denied the Lord (Luke 22:62). It is the only kind of sorrow, which will prompt us to repent – fully repent – of all our sins (Acts 17:30).

Worldly sorrow hardens the heart.

The text in 2 Corinthians 7:10 also mentions “the sorrow of the world,” which is said to be the underlying cause of spiritual “death” (Romans 6:23a). This is the kind of sorrow that Pharaoh expressed, as he hardened his heart against the Lord (Exodus 9:27-28, 35). It is the kind of sorrow that Judas expressed, when he tried to give back the silver he earned, when he betrayed Jesus Christ to His enemies (Matthew 27:3-5). Worldly sorrow does not result is repentance. It hardens the hearts of men and women, until the message of the gospel no longer has any effect upon them (Hebrews 3:12-13).