Repentance Not Regretted

When people are guilty of having done wrong, those who have been wronged or are tasked with administering justice often look for signs of contrition in the guilty.  Judges pronouncing sentence upon a convicted felon and children alike look with discerning eye to judge the sincerity of others to see if they recognise their guilt.  We can reject apologies given by people who do not sound sorry at all.  What this can lead to is the development of the hypocritical skill of sounding or appearing "sorry" that is not indicative of our hearts.  As children we learn looking and acting sorry can be the required currency to be exchanged to sweep our transgressions away, and it is a small price to pay.  Others feel guilty for doing wrong but are too proud to admit it.  Rather than humble contrition when confronted, they can become agitated and angry, offended anyone would suggest they are worthy of blame.

It is remarkable how different people respond to correction and how our feelings and thoughts impact our reactions to the same event.  Correcting one person humiliates them and they want to hide, and another is glad to be set right and shakes hands gladly.  After their sins are exposed one person is carefree to the point you wonder if they understand plain words, and another is so wracked with guilt they visibly weep.  A passage I read this morning reminded me of Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes, that to everything there is a season and for every purpose under heaven.  There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.  Jesus explained it was the appropriate time to celebrate and feast when the bridegroom was present--not a time for fasting.  There is a time and season for feasting as well as fasting, and nature as well as scripture teach us it is God who determines what season it is.  Whenever we have sinned it is the season for repentance, and like summer brings heat repentance results in rejoicing.

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra the priest and scribe along with Nehemiah and other leaders in Israel, gathered the people together to read and teach from the Law of Moses.  As the people stood and heard the words of God explained to them, their understanding of the Law prompted them to weep because they realised their sin before their holy God.  Nehemiah 8:9-12 says, "And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰ Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." ¹¹ So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved." ¹² And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them."  It was good the people sorrowed over their sin, but the Levites explained the people were not to remain perpetually sorrowful:  they were called to rejoice, feast and bless one another with good things.  Sorrow and feelings of guilt were not God's demand upon His people but that repentance for past sins lead to joyful obedience presently.

Isn't this a good exhortation for God's people today?  What would it have benefitted God's people to lament their previous ignorance of God's Law and wallow in shame as those without hope, to fast when commanded to feast?  Should they mourn perpetually their disobedience to God or how miserly they had been toward one another when God called them to obey God with rejoicing and giving that very day?  Sorrow for sin does not constitute repentance as Paul wrote to believers in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10:  "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."  Being made sorry in a godly manner leads to gain for it produces repentance leading to salvation that is never regretted.  True repentance frees us from the pangs of grief and sorrow that drag a soul down to hell, for Jesus has provided the atonement and salvation with His own blood.  In Christ regardless of our past sins we always have cause for rejoicing--and all by His grace.