Feel Sorry

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 ⁸ For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.  ⁹ 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.  ¹⁰ For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Sometimes on a school playground, two classmates will get into a fight. Many times a teacher will intervene to try to break it up, and then tell the students to apologize to each other. They might tell each other that they are sorry, but a genuine apology goes beyond just words. It’s more than just saying I’m sorry, because those words can be said without any heartfelt sincerity at all. 

Psalms 38:18 – For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

Someone can force you to apologize to another, but true Godly sorrow will cause you to feel bad about the person that you have wronged.  It will grieve you so much that it will result in you approaching them to confess faults. This is the same kind of sorrow that the prodigal Son possessed.  It was Godly sorrow, mingled with a humble heart, which resulted in him going back home and confessing his faults to his dad. Just the sight of him returning, he was greeted with open arms.  He was sorry enough that he went back home and apologized, and in that single act of repentance, he was completely forgiven for all that he had done.

Godly sorrow is contrite and penitent. It’s more than saying you’re sorry, it’s feeling sorry in your heart. This is the way the humble publican felt.  His heart was filled with remorse, the same feeling that we must possess towards God and others that we have wronged in the church.

Luke 18:  ¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  ¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  ¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Isaiah 57:15 – For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Contrition will cause you to mourn for what you have done towards others.

Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Luke 6:21 – Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

The Apostle James warned the church to humble themselves through contrition.

James 4:8-10 ⁸ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  ⁹ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 – Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Here is another example of someone who was truly sorry for their past sins.  Her heart was in the right place, and she found forgiveness with the Lord.

Luke 7: ³⁶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.  ³⁷ And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,  ³⁸ And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.  ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.  ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.  And he saith, Master, say on.  ⁴¹ There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

⁴² And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?  ⁴³ Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

⁴⁴ And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.  ⁴⁵ Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  ⁴⁶ My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

⁴⁷ Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.  ⁴⁸ And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.  ⁴⁹ And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?  ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Godly sorrow will result in a changed heart, causing you to take a different direction in your life. Works are the proof that God’s sanctifying grace is working in your heart, and the evidence of true faith.

James 2: ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?  ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  ²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?       

²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.  ²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Without contrition, it’s only religion. Without humility from the heart, it’s only words. Have you reconciled with God and others that you have wronged. Do you care for them enough to confess your faults to them? Do you truly….

…..Feel Sorry

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

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