July 5 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 7:8–10

Devotional

Many people question whether they have true godly sorrow. Paul in this text gives a beautiful characteristic of godly sorrow. This sorrow leads to repentance. Repentance consists of three things: loathing of sin, self-examination, and a returning to God. Loathing, searching, and returning are the three characteristics of true repentance. Repentance is a dying of the old man; it is a hating of sin; it is grieving because of sin; it is fleeing from sin, and it is also rising up in a new life. True repentance works like a pair of scales. As the old nature goes down, so does the new man go upward. And as much as the old nature goes upward, so much does the new man go downward.

Paul says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of.” Repentance is not bondage or servitude. No one ever regrets repentance. Those who know this true repentance speak well of God, because this repentance is from the heart. It is motivated by love for God. They who say with Ruth, “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God,” have never regretted it. Hebrews 11:15 says, “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.” But they never did so. They never wanted to go back. They, with Moses, would rather choose to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

We must still say this of the life of repentance: This repentance is not just a matter of being, but of becoming. No one could ever say, “I am fully converted and I am spiritually where I should be.” No, it is a matter of becoming. Repentance is perpetual. It lasts throughout one’s life. Especially those who know conversion in their lives will complain about their lack of conversion to the degree they desire.

Do you know this godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of? Do you want to know if this sorrow is genuine? Ask yourself where your sorrow has brought you. Do you have a sorrow because of sin? Do you have a deep love for God? Is yours a life of loathing of sin, searching of self, and a returning to God? If you do not have a godly sorrow, there may still be much spiritual strife and struggle in your life because of indwelling sin, but that sorrow will not be accompanied by a true love for God. Ask of the Lord, as with the psalmist in Psalm 86:11, “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.”

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.