PART 3: GODLY SORROW
Godly sorrow is not something you probably have ever heard a sermon on. I haven’t.
Let’s set out to discover what it entails and how it contrasts to worldly sorrow.
Godly sorrow is about God’s ways – Fear of God, Word, prayer, counsel, action, and hope. It encompasses Repentance and Salvation, and there are No Regrets for having it.
Godly is translated God’s ways, in accordance with God’s works, in the way God wants, the way God uses, intended by God, according to the will of God, and after God.
2 Cor 7:10 in “The Message” bible translation calls it something more telling: Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.
With that, let’s talk about godly sorrow, distress that drives us to God and what it produces. But first, let’s talk about What Godly Sorrow is Not:
It is not just saying “I’m sorry” while making EXCUSES for our sin.
It is also not just saying “Please forgive us” without having a true change of” HEART and changing from inaction to action or making an about-face. This is unrepentance.
So, What Is Godly Sorrow?
Seeing our sin through GOD’S eyes, recognizing that it cost His Son His life
GRIEVING over our choice to sin.
Recognizing there is NOTHING we can do ourselves to make up for our sin.
And WHAT IS THE OUTCOME OF GODLY SORROW?
It brings REPENTANCE. It is not possible to truly repent without godly sorrow – Seeing through God’s eyes the damage done, the defrauding of ourselves or others by disobedience.
Repentance means acknowledging our part in this sin and confessing it before God and His people, without EXCUSES.
Repentance means having a forgiving SPIRIT toward all who have played a role in it.
Repentance leads to SALVATION. Certainly, eternal salvation the first time you repent, and daily, even moment by moment salvation every time you repent to God or others when you come up with fresh sin!
Let’s talk about WHAT IS REGRET?
The knowledge that what we’ve done can’t be UNDONE. A sense of loss, sorrow, remorse and disappointment. Regret plays into our inability to forgive ourselves. Does godly sorrow leave us with no regrets?
Godly sorrow does not change the regret we feel over our PART in the sin.
There is no regret in REPENTING of our sin and worldly sorrow that leads us to godly sorrow.
What Happens if the Church Does Not Repent?
You know the old adage, keep doing what you are doing, and you’ll keep getting the same results.
What would you call making no changes to obstacles in addressing the issue of abortion? INSANITY!
This situation is NOT going to change till we start taking purposeful measures to change it, as we are with this course. The insanity comes from timidity. God did not give us the spirit of timidity but of power, love, and a sound mind (self-discipline, self-control, sound judgment). 2 Timothy 1:7
What Would the Church’s Godly Sorrow Look Like in Regard to Abortion?
Let’s Read 2 Corinthians 7:11 again.
“See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.”.
Our hope, through ‘Get EQUIPPED’ is to help churches become INNOCENT in this matter from this point forward.
EARNESTNESS: Full seriousness, as of intention or purpose to change the way we address it.
EAGERNESS to clear oneself: We will no longer be guilty of perpetuating it.
INDIGNATION: Strong displeasure at abortion, which is unjust, offensive, insulting, or base; righteous anger.
ALARM: A sudden fear or distressing suspense caused by an awareness of danger; we finally see abortion for what it is.
LONGING: For all to know the truth, to heal if they have previously lost children to abortion, and to make it unthinkable for everyone else.
CONCERN: For all who have been wounded by abortion, and those who will be wounded if we don’t speak the truth to them and be willing to support them.
READINESS to see justice done: Because now we can speak with authenticity.
PROVED INNOCENT in these matters: Because we have fulfilled God’s role of the watchman in Ezekiel 3 and 33, warning of the danger so there is no more blood on our hands.
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