Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance

Godly sorrow produces repentance.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31



1. God wants us to change our hearts and lives.

The inspired writers wrote in Greek. Note how the translators use words to bring out the meaning of the original text.

"When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." Acts 11:18 (NKJV)

"When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, "We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life." Acts 11:18 (NLT)

"Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, "So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life." Acts 11:18 (CEV)

[Campbell said to repent meant to reform.]

2. Godly sorrow brings us to God.

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'" Luke 18:13 

Some mistakenly think of repentance as the sorrow of the mourner’s bench and confuse it with James 5:1. One young man said if you did not weep and howl your baptism was not valid.

"For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." 2 Cor 7:10

"For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." 2 Cor 7:10 (NLT)

"Feeling sorry is not enough. Heartfelt godly sorrow produces repentance and diligence. True repentance (change your heart and mind) cleanses us from sin and alienation, and diligence zealously pursues holiness and reconciliation. We hereby continue on the path of salvation to eternal life. The sorrow of the world is feeling sorry we were caught. It centers upon ourselves (selfishness), our embarrassment over the predicament we find ourselves in. It stops short of repentance and reconciliation with God." Wallerstedt

3. Confident Desperation.

"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:24-25

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." Gal 5:16-18

"By the flesh, Paul does not mean the body. The flesh here is a general term for evil actions, the depraved will, the slothful and careless soul - things that are under one’s control, not part of human nature. The flesh is crucified with Christ (verse 24). It is not human nature that is mortified, but its evil deeds." Wallerstedt

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:1-2

"So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:12-13

Wallerstedt on James 2:8-13. "The true standard of judgment is perfect faith manifested in perfect works. The royal law (verse 8), the law of liberty (verse 12), is the second great commandment of Christ: love your neighbor (John 13:34). The standard by which we judge is that by which we will be judged. The mercy we give will be the mercy we receive."

4. God’s Great Plan.

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." John 6:37

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." John 6:44-45