The first expression of godly sorrow comes when the person whose life was ruled by an ungodly focus outside of Christ is converted to God through Christ.
We should be impressed with the fact that all that occurs in coming to God through Christ is the result of the conscious, knowing decision [choice] made by the one who comes to God through Jesus Christ. The decision is not made for that person by anyone else. The decision [choice] is made by the person for himself/herself. The decision to believe in Jesus' identity as God's son is made by the person (Romans 10:8-15). The decision to believe God's accomplishments in Jesus' death is made by the person (1 Corinthians 1:30). The decision to believe God's accomplishments in Jesus' resurrection is made by the person (Philippians 3:8-11). The decision to believe the resurrected Jesus Christ's role as mediator before God on the convert's behalf is made by the person (1 Timothy 2:3-6). The decision to redirect one's life through repentance is made by the person (Luke 13:1-5; 15). The decision to confirm covenant with God by being baptized thus participating in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is made by the person (Romans 6:1-11).
A person believes in Jesus as the Christ of his/her own decision. A person redirects life through repentance by his/her own decision. A person enters covenant with God through baptism by his/her own decision. Thus conversion to Jesus Christ is the direct result of the person's decisions.
What is the driving inner motivation throughout the entire decisions of conversion? Godly sorrow! When a person understands (1) who Jesus is (Matthew 3:13-17) and (2) the injustice inflicted on the suffering, crucified Jesus because of the person's evil attitudes and behavior, he/she is moved to godly sorrow (1 Peter 2:24,25). He/she genuinely regrets the grief he/she caused God. He/she genuinely regrets the suffering made necessary for Jesus. He/she deeply appreciates the unbelievable grace and love expressed by God in Jesus (Romans 5:8).
This sorrow is so deep, so genuine the person desires to do more than feel it. That is not enough! This sorrow must be expressed in actions as well as feelings! Thus he/she feels the sorrow and acts because the sorrow is there. It is not enough to inwardly believe! He/she is compelled to act in a manner that expresses this sorrow! His/her response is far more than a sense of duty! This response is an act of privilege! It is more than what he/she has to do. It is what he/she wants to do.
The second expression of godly sorrow occurs continually as Jesus' disciple makes his/her pilgrimage toward God's holiness.
Conversion to Jesus Christ does not end the reality of evil in the disciples' life. It merely begins the reality of forgiveness. This is one of the paradox's of being a Christian: the more mature a disciple becomes in Christ, the closer to God's holiness he/she grows, the more conscious he/she becomes of the evil within him/her (consider Romans 7:7-8:2; 1 John 1:5-10; Philippians 3:12-14.)
The disciple who makes his pilgrimage toward God's holiness knows he/she exists in a saved relationship with God only because God's incredible grace expresses itself in divine love and forgiveness (Ephesians 2:1-10). The disciple knows he/she is forgiven, not sinless. Conversion to Christ resulted in him/her being clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:26,27). Just as God looked on Jesus' body as he died on the cross and saw it covered with sin (1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:20, 21), God looks at the person who has entered covenant with God and sees the righteousness of the sinless Jesus (Galatians 3:27; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus wore our sins so we could wear his righteousness!
No matter how "good" we become as disciples, we are never of ourselves "sinless!" It is only by God's grace expressed in the redemption made possible by Jesus' death (Ephesians 1:7). Disciples are forgiven on a continuous basis! Every disciple (man and woman!) would wither in the glare of the sinlessness of God's holiness any moment of his/her physical existence. Our finest expressions of holiness are woefully inferior to the absolute holiness of God! The supreme arrogance is the conviction of any disciple [in this life] that he/she does not need the continuing forgiveness of God! To hold such a conviction makes God a liar; Jesus' death unnecessary, and the disciple self-deceived! (See 1 John 1: 8, 10.)
The disciple's pilgrimage toward God's holiness is filled with "midcourse corrections." The journey is begun as a new born spiritual infant (1 Peter 2:1-10). The more this disciple matures, the more he/she becomes aware of (1) what evil is and (2) what godliness is. With every advance made by spiritual development, he/she becomes more aware of his/her inner evil and more aware of God's holiness. As maturity increases, he/she frequently discovers personal evils [in heart, emotion, attitude, motive, insensitivity, unconcern, and behavior] that he/she previously did not see or understand.
With each new awareness, there is godly sorrow. With godly sorrow, there is repentance. Repentance produces "midcourse corrections" in the pilgrimage. These "corrections" do not produce the arrogance of self-produced righteousness. They produce the joy of knowing God's forgiveness. The promises John made Christians are incredible! If disciples (1) walk in the light God makes available to us in Jesus [see John 1:4, 5] and (2) maintain supportive, encouraging relationships with others in Christ, the blood of Jesus CLEANSES such disciples from ALL sin (1 John 1:7). If disciples confess their sins [to God], God forgives (1) the confessed sins and (2) CLEANSES from ALL unrighteous. That is the perfect solution for those in Christ! If godly sorrow moves a disciple to confess his/her failings to God when he/she realizes the failing, God will not only forgive the failure he/she is aware of, but will also forgive all the failures he or she is not aware of! That is the only way we flawed people can be in relationship with a flawless God. Through the combination of human repentance and divine forgiveness we unholy people can be in a continuing, living relationship with the Holy God!
Thought Questions Regarding Godly Sorrow In Those Out of Christ and Those in Christ:
Thought Questions Regarding Disciples and Godly Sorrow:
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 9