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Genuine Repentance
Seven fruits or effects of repentance[i]
Introduction
- Last week we spoke on "sinful security." This is a false security that believes in a Historical Jesus and assumes that since Jesus died for their sins that they can live in the old Adamic nature without repentance from that old nature and truly not having been born again are consequently still lost and in their sin.
- The Truly Born again have been changed and abhor the old man and his ways.
- Last week we spoke on "sinful security." This is a false security that believes in a Historical Jesus and assumes that since Jesus died for their sins that they can live in the old Adamic nature without repentance from that old nature and truly not having been born again are consequently still lost and in their sin.
- The Truly Born again have been changed and abhor the old man and his ways.
Our Text
2 Corinthians 7:10-11King James Version (KJV)
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
10 For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. 11 For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
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- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
1. Earnestness.
4710. spoude spoo-day' from 4692; "speed", i.e. (by implication) dispatch, eagerness, earnestness:--business, (earnest) care(-fullness), diligence, forwardness, haste.
The Greek word signifies a solicitous diligence or careful shunning all temptations to sin.
The true penitent flies from sin, as Joseph did from Potiphar's wife. Genesis 39:12
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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2. Eagerness to clear yourselves.
The Greek word is "apology". The sense is this: though we have much care-yet through strength of temptation we may slip into sin. Now in this case, the repenting soul will not let sin lie festering in his conscience but judges himself for his sin.
He pours out tears before the Lord. He begs mercy in the name of Christ and never leaves until he has gotten his pardon. Here he is cleared of guilt in his conscience, and is able to make an apology for himself against Satan.
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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3. Indignation.
He who repents of sin, his spirit rises against it, as one's blood rises at the sight of him whom he mortally hates.
Indignation is fretting from the heart with sin.
The penitent is vexed with himself. David calls himself a fool and a beast (Psalm 73:22).
God is never better pleased with us, than when we fall out with ourselves, for sin.
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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4. Alarm / fear.
A tender heart is ever a trembling heart.
The penitent has felt sin's bitterness. This hornet has stung him and now, having hopes that God is reconciled, he is afraid to come near sin any more.
The repenting soul is full of fear. He is afraid to lose God's favor which is better than life. He is afraid he should, for lack of diligence, come short of salvation. He is afraid lest, after his heart has been soft, the waters of repentance should freeze and he should harden in sin again.
"Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord" (Proverbs 28:14). A sinner is like the leviathan who is made without fear (Job 41:33).
A repenting person fears and sins not; a graceless person sins and fears not.
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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5.Longing / what vehement desire.
As sauces sharpens one's appetite, so the bitter herbs of repentance sharpens desire.
But what does the penitent desire?
He desires more power against sin and to be released from it. It is true, he has got loose from Satan-but he goes as a prisoner that has broken out of prison-with a fetter on his leg. He cannot walk with that freedom and swiftness in the ways of God.
He desires therefore to have the fetters of sin taken off.
He would be freed from corruption.
He cries out with Paul: "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). In short, he desires to be with Christ-as everything desires to be in its center.
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
6. Zeal.
Desire and zeal are fitly put together to show that true desire puts forth itself in zealous endeavor.
- How does the penitent stir himself in the business of salvation?
- How does he take the kingdom of heaven by force? (Matt. 11:12)
Zeal quickens the pursuit after glory. Zeal, encountering difficulty-is emboldened by opposition and tramples upon danger.
Zeal makes a repenting soul persist in godly sorrow against all discouragements and oppositions whatever.
Zeal carries a man above himself for God's glory.
Paul before conversion, violently opposed the saints (Acts 26:11), and after conversion, he was judged mad for Christ's sake: "Paul, you are beside yourself" (Acts 26:24). But it was zeal, not frenzy.
Zeal animates spirit and duty. It causes fervency in religion, which is as fire to the sacrifice (Romans 12:11). As fear is a bridle to sin-so zeal is a spur to duty.
- 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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7. Readiness to see justice done
A true penitent pursues his sins with a holy malice.
He seeks the death of them as Samson was avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes. He uses his sins as the Jews used Christ-he gives them gall and vinegar to drink. He crucifies his lusts (Gal. 5:24).
A true child of God seeks to be revenged most of those sins which have dishonored God most. David defiled his bed by sin; afterwards by repentance he watered his bed with tears.
Israel had sinned by idolatry, and afterwards they defiled their idols: "You will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, and call them filth!" (Isaiah 30:22).
Closing
- These are the blessed fruits and effects of repentance, and if we can find these in our souls we have arrived at that repentance which is never to be repented of (2 Cor. 7:10).
[i] Ref: The Doctrine of Repentance
By Thomas Watson, 1668
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