James H. Cagle
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorry worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Corinthians 7: 9-11 KJV).
I remember my dad saying, “If you’re truly sorry for what you did, you won’t do it again.” Sadly I was not truly sorry for some of the things I did, and for which I said I was sorry, because I found myself doing them again. I’ve discovered that true sorrow, which is godly sorrow, leads to real repentance which is a changed mind that results in a changed life.
Paul tells us there are only two types of sorrow. A godly sorrow that is good because it leads to repentance and delivers us from our sin as we confess and forsake it. A worldly sorrow that is bad because it does not lead to repentance and deliverance from sin. The Corinthian Christians had a godly sorrow which turned them against their sin and caused them to deal with it until they had cleared themselves or wiped their hands of the whole matter. Instead of hiding their sin they openly opposed it. Paul’s previous accusations against them in 1 Corinthians made them ashamed and caused godly sorrow which worked the right kind of repentance and they cleared themselves of all Paul’s accusations.
It’s clear that some people say they’re sorry and mean it and some say they’re sorry and don’t mean it. True heart-sorrow results in a change of heart and a changed life that will no longer do that sin which caused them and others so much sorrow and grief.
We may be convicted of sin and become ashamed of it and say we’re sorry for it, but if it doesn’t lead to repentance and a changed life our sorrow is of the worldly sort and will lead to our moral and spiritual ruin.
