Sort Of Sorry

Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

2 Corinthians 7:10

Like a young child, the fledgling church at Corinth was doing a lot of things wrong. There were divisions, church members were suing one another, and they were misusing spiritual gifts. But the most egregious of their errors was tolerating a sexually immoral brother in the church. Paul told them in 1 Corinthians 5 in no uncertain terms not only that the sin was wrong but also that they were wrong to tolerate it.

He writes the church again in 2 Corinthians 7 to commend them for their repentance—for dealing with the problem. And he draws an important distinction between repentance and regret. Regret often means, “I’m sorry for all this trouble,” while repentance always means, “I’m sorry for my sin, and I purpose to turn from that path and follow God in obedience and holiness.” Regret says, “I’m sorry I got caught.” Repentance says, “I’m sorry I sinned.” If you have sinned and are vacillating between regret and repentance, read Paul’s full explanation and choose wisely.

The wrong path never turns into the right path. The only way to get off the wrong path is to go back to where you got on and take the right path.

To do so no more is the truest repentance.

MARTIN LUTHER