Godly Sorrow. 2
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Third, it is such a sorrow as leads to God. All sin is a departing from God, and while the guilt of it remains upon the conscience, we cannot be easy in His presence. Witness Adam, who as soon as he heard the voice of the Lord God, sought to hide himself (Gen. 3:8). But when godly sorrow is wrought in the heart by God—it is the means of recovery to Him, for it makes us conscious of our distance from God and of our having dishonored anddispleased Him. Necessarily so, for godly sorrow is "to repentance," and repentance is a forsaking of sin so as to walk in newness of life. A contrite heart instinctively turns unto God, for it is the only one which possesses any title to His mercy: "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). Indeed He will not, for His promise is, "To this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word" (Isaiah 66:2). Such a sorrowing to repentance is approved by God, for it is the product of His own grace and accomplishes its end by restoring to Himself.
It is by carefully noting the contrasts pointed by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, that we learn to distinguish between things which radically differ. Sometimes these contrasts are implied by a qualifying term, at other times they are more expressly stated. Thus we read of "faith which works by love" (Galatians 5:6). That is—an unselfish faith, which springs from a spiritual affection, which is in contrast from a self-seeking faith which proceeds from the flesh. Romans 5:5 tells of a hope which "does not disappoint," which is the opposite of the hypocrite's hope, which "shall perish" (Job 8:13). Another discriminating expression is "sincere love" (2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Peter 1:22), which denotes there is a fictitious love, such as was displayed by Judas when he betrayed the Savior with a kiss. In like manner the Apostle speaks of the Corinthian saints being "made sorry after a godly manner" (2 Corinthians 7:9), which suggests there is another kind of mourning over sin, which has its roots in nothing higher than mere nature.
"For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world works death" (2 Corinthians 7:10). Here the contrast implied in the former verse is definitely stated, "godly sorrow" being placed over against the "sorrow of the world." Before we consider the latter, let us offer a few more remarks upon the former.
We pointed out that this "godly sorrow" is such a one as is required by the thrice holy God, which He produces, and which leads the soul to Him. Godly sorrow, then, is the badge of all the heirs of Heaven—and God Himself produces it in the hearts of His people. It needs to be pointed out that He uses means in bringing it to pass—means suited to employ with moral agents, for so far from treating with us as stocks and stones—He ever draws with the "cords of a man" (Hosea 11:4).
First, "godly sorrow" issues from a broken and contrite heart, which is something that no man possesses by nature. On the contrary, the heart of the unregenerate is like "the nether millstone." A miracle of grace has to be wrought—before "a heart of flesh" is imparted. This is accomplished by means of the Word, under the immediate operations of the Holy Spirit. "Is not My Word like as a fire? says the Lord; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces!" (Jer. 23:29). This speaks of a humbling and painful experience—the travail preceding the birth.
Every genuine conversion is one in which the Word is received "in much affliction" (1 Thessalonians 1:6). That "affliction" is caused by the Truth enabling the soul to view sin as God sees it—its true nature, its heinousness, its infinite ill-desert. As sin is viewed in God's light, the soul is overwhelmed with sorrow and shame, for having offended against the Divine Majesty: "against You—You only, have I sinned!" (Psalm 51:4). An illustration of this is found in Acts 2. Under the faithful preaching of Peter, applied by the power of the Spirit, his hearers were "pricked in their heart" and said "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
Second, "godly sorrow" issues from spiritual considerations. As the Spirit applies the Truth to the conscience and understanding, the soul is brought under the power of due apprehensions of God's perfections, and of his relation to Him. Horror and grief fill the heart—when there is the recognition that a gracious God has been offended, a righteous Law violated, a precious Christ dishonored, the Holy Spirit grieved. This it is, which overwhelms the soul with shame, and bows it into the dust. This it is which causes the renewed to be "pricked in their heart"—the realization that they have displeased Him whose favor they account more than life. Therefore when it is said, "the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4), it means not only that it is His gracious operations which produce the repentance—but also that it is the heart's piercing consciousness of having sinned against such goodness—which results in a radical reformation of our ways. David and Manasseh, Peter and Paul are examples of those possessed of godly sorrow.
Third, "godly sorrow" always springs from an evangelical faith. Godly sorrow proceeds from faith—as the stream from the fountain, as the branch from the root. Proof of this is found in "they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced—and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son" (Zech. 12:10). All gracious mourning and repentance, proceeds from believing. Nothing breaks the heart of a sinner—like trustful looking to the Cross. The tears of godly sorrow—ever drop from the eyes of faith. The more we are enabled to look by faith upon a pierced Christ—the more shall we mourn over our sins for having nailed Him to the tree. No one can stand under the shinings of dying Love—with a frozen heart. Well did Luther ask, "What are all the palaces of the world—compared to a contrite heart?" In the former reside the princes of the earth, in the latter dwells the Prince of peace.
This spiritual mourning for sin is evidenced by its effect: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation." In this verse "repentance" signifies reformation or walking in newness of life. Godly sorrow humbles the mind, meekens the heart, bends the will, causing the soul to turn from sin with horror and hatred—unto God. Unlawful imaginations and wrongful actions are unsparingly judged in the light of God's Word, and there is a consequent turning from the paths of folly—to walk in the ways of righteousness. Thus the outcome is—conversion in the case of an alien sinner, restoration for a wandering saint. "Godly sorrow" is not only one that is concerned for the Divine glory and is grieved where God is dishonored—but it is also one which has a dependence upon His mercy, counting upon His pardoning grace, and therefore does it humbly but trustfully plead such a promise as, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
"For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of." This last clause "not to be repented of" tells of the durability of that which issues from this spiritual mourning, and as no effect can be greater than its cause—it announces the lastingness of "godly sorrow." Godly sorrow is apermanent grace. So long as a real Christian continues sinning—he cannot but continue grieving: "my sin is ever before me" (Psalm 51:3) must be the language of one with a quickened conscience. Not until he reaches Heaven—shall all tears be removed from the saint's eyes. Nor does any believer ever regret repenting, no matter what anguish of soul may occasion and accompany it, for true repentance is a turning from sin—the cause of all disquietude—to our true Resting-place. The sorrow of a worldling is of short duration—but the streams of spiritual contrition last as long as sin indwells the believer!
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