“Godly Sorrow Worketh Repentance”
by Micky Galloway
One of the most neglected subjects in preaching is repentance. Because repentance is not understood, some have been baptized without repenting. Without repentance there is no salvation (cf. Acts 2:38). All have sinned (Romans 3:23), therefore all must repent. Paul said, “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent” (Acts 17:30). The command to repent is universal because sin is universal.
Repentance involves three elements. 1) A change of mind. 2) This change of mind produces a change or reformation of life. 3) This change of mind is motivated by godly sorrow. Thayer tells us, “Repentance …” means “to change one’s mind for the better, heartily TO AMEND with abhorrence of one’s past sins.” W.E. Vine in his Dictionary of New Testament Words says, “… This change of mind involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God.” Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament suggests that repentance involves turning away from evil. A.T. Robertson in Word Pictures in the New Testament said that when John called upon his hearers to repent, “John did not call on people to be sorry, but to change their mental attitudes AND CONDUCT.” What produces this change and how is it seen?
Paul wrote, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, (a repentance) which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (II Corinthians 7:10). In this Paul contrasts “godly sorrow,” with “sorrow of the world.” We must know the difference.
What is “godly sorrow” which works repentance unto salvation? Godly sorrow begins with the understanding that all sin is against God. He above all others is grieved by our sin. When King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite (one of David’s most honorable and valiant soldiers), he sinned against God. Nathan rebuked David saying, “Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? … Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme …” (II Samuel 12:9,14). David later wrote, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Psalms 51:1-4). David’s sin had insulted the holy name of God. Until we realize that our sin is an offense to God who gives us “life, breath and all things” (Acts 17:25), we have not begun to repent! When David realized what he did to God, his heart was broken. Psalms 51:16-17 continues, “For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” The apostle Peter demonstrated this attitude when he was confronted with his sin of denying the Lord three times. “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, Before the cock crow this day thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62).
What is the “sorrow of the world” which brings death? This sorrow for sin, brings regret, but for the wrong reasons. One may feel sorry for themselves and others, may shed tears because of the consequences of their sin, but not because the sin is an offense to God. King Saul, though willing to acknowledge his sin in not killing Agag and not destroying everything that pertained to the Amalekites was concerned about saving face before the elders of the people of Israel. Therefore he said to Samuel, “I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God” (I Samuel 15:30). Judas, no doubt regretted his betrayal of the innocent blood of the Lord, but went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3). Though he expressed regrets or even remorse, his actions demonstrated no effect toward forgiveness of his sin.
Genuine repentance comes from the recognition that the law of God has been broken. Just as an unfaithful husband causes deep grief to his offended wife, his children, and his parents, even so all sin is an offense to God. Sorrow that our sin has caused God grief not only results in an effort toward restitution, but restoration of the relationship with God and a reformation of life. Jesus illustrated repentance in the parable of the two sons, “But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in the vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I (go), sir: and went not. Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him” (Matthew 21:28-32).
The Corinthians had exemplified repentance, a change of mind involving action in accord with God’s will. Paul said, “For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter” (II Corinthians 7:11). Please note that where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed too! Those who truly repent are willing and anxious to do everything possible to make the wrong right.