Distinguishing Marks of True Repentance

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
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Pastor Colin looks to 2 Corinthians 7 to explore the marks of true repentance.

Focusing on verse 10, he highlights that godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation without regret, while worldly sorrow brings death. The difference lies in their effect. Worldly sorrow can be full of regret without leading to change, whereas godly sorrow results in true transformation.

He contrasts King Saul’s worldly sorrow, which led to his downfall and death, with King David’s godly sorrow, which led to repentance and salvation. Saul’s sorrow was without light, leading to repeated failures and bitterness. In contrast, David acknowledged his transgressions and sought God’s mercy, resulting in real change.

Pastor Colin also discusses Esau’s story from Hebrews Chapter 12, where Esau’s worldly sorrow made him bitter and godless, causing long-term despair and no real change. Conversely, godly sorrow brings light, desire for God, and hope in God, exemplified by David’s prayers and repentance.

In conclusion, he urges believers to discern between godly and worldly sorrow, apply the marks of true repentance in their lives, and seek God’s light, desire, and hope to achieve true transformation.

1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,400 Well we’re resuming today our series entitled repentance the hidden path to a 2 00:00:07,400 –> 00:00:12,120 transformed life and we’ve been learning together from the Bible that repentance 3 00:00:12,120 –> 00:00:17,900 really is not beating up on yourself nor is it a kind of one-time admitting that 4 00:00:17,900 –> 00:00:23,000 you’re a sinner in order to be saved. Rather it is the continuing process by 5 00:00:23,000 –> 00:00:27,420 which a Christian believer is increasingly conformed to the likeness 6 00:00:27,620 –> 00:00:31,860 of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore it is a good and a wonderful thing 7 00:00:31,860 –> 00:00:36,680 continuing through the life of a Christian and being completed on the day 8 00:00:36,680 –> 00:00:42,340 when we will finally see Jesus face to face. And the Bible says when we see him 9 00:00:42,340 –> 00:00:49,220 then we will be like him. And we’ve used as a definition of repentance as some 10 00:00:49,220 –> 00:00:54,860 words from Dr. J.I. Packer who says that repentance is turning from as much as 11 00:00:54,939 –> 00:01:00,320 you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you 12 00:01:00,320 –> 00:01:06,699 know of your God and therefore in its very nature it deepens extends expands 13 00:01:06,699 –> 00:01:12,199 throughout the course of a Christian’s life. Now today we’re coming to a very 14 00:01:12,199 –> 00:01:19,419 important question. How do you know if you are on the path of repentance? How do 15 00:01:19,580 –> 00:01:25,699 you know if you have really repented? What are the marks of being on the 16 00:01:25,699 –> 00:01:32,699 hidden path to a transformed life? How could you recognize or discern true 17 00:01:32,699 –> 00:01:37,879 repentance in another person? These are very important and very practical 18 00:01:37,879 –> 00:01:42,980 questions and I want us therefore to look at the distinguishing marks of true 19 00:01:42,980 –> 00:01:48,300 repentance and that subject is addressed for us in 2nd Corinthians in Chapter 20 00:01:48,459 –> 00:01:51,919 7. So I do hope that you’ll have your Bible open at the passage that has just 21 00:01:51,919 –> 00:01:58,720 been read as we focused particularly on verse 10 together. Notice that Paul says 22 00:01:58,720 –> 00:02:06,820 here that godly sorrow brings repentance, that leads to salvation and leaves no 23 00:02:06,820 –> 00:02:14,940 regret. But he says worldly sorrow brings death. Straightway you will see 24 00:02:14,960 –> 00:02:22,080 from this verse that there are two very different kinds of sorrow. And the 25 00:02:22,080 –> 00:02:26,199 difference between them is seen most clearly in their effect or their result. 26 00:02:26,199 –> 00:02:32,380 There is worldly sorrow, Paul says, and that brings death. That’s telling us 27 00:02:32,380 –> 00:02:38,139 something very important. It is possible to be full of regret and yet never to 28 00:02:38,139 –> 00:02:44,259 change. You can be sorry without ever repenting. There is a kind of worldly 29 00:02:44,360 –> 00:02:49,520 sorrow that does not lead to repentance but just leads, Paul says, to death. Now 30 00:02:49,520 –> 00:02:52,839 that is telling us something important to grasp, that being sorry and repenting 31 00:02:52,839 –> 00:02:57,520 are two different things. They are not the same thing. And we’re going to see 32 00:02:57,520 –> 00:03:01,419 some examples from the Bible today of people who were very sorry about things 33 00:03:01,419 –> 00:03:06,820 that they had done and yet never really changed. And their sorrow did not heal 34 00:03:06,820 –> 00:03:11,440 them, rather it destroyed them. That is worldly sorrow. It just brings you down, 35 00:03:11,779 –> 00:03:17,440 it caves you in, and eventually brings you to death itself. It makes a person 36 00:03:17,440 –> 00:03:24,380 bitter, and angry, and living in the past and full of self recrimination and even 37 00:03:24,380 –> 00:03:31,360 despair. Now nobody here wants to be there. And so it is good news that there 38 00:03:31,360 –> 00:03:37,399 is a second kind of sorrow and Paul says here there is also godly sorrow. And it’s 39 00:03:37,399 –> 00:03:42,660 very very different in its nature and in its results. Godly sorrow brings 40 00:03:42,660 –> 00:03:48,380 repentance that leads to salvation and we’ll leave a man or a woman without 41 00:03:48,380 –> 00:03:55,460 regret. In other words, this godly sorrow leads to real and lasting change in your 42 00:03:55,460 –> 00:04:01,160 life. It takes you on to the hidden path to a transformed life, and it is the kind 43 00:04:01,160 –> 00:04:08,100 of sorrow that God wants all of his people to experience. He says it is a 44 00:04:08,100 –> 00:04:13,860 sorrow that will not harm you in any way. It’s a sorrow that’s redemptive. Verse 9, 45 00:04:13,860 –> 00:04:23,720 you became sorrowful as God intended, and so you are not harmed in any way. This 46 00:04:23,720 –> 00:04:29,579 godly kind of sorrow, though it is painful, it is obviously sorrow, it will 47 00:04:29,660 –> 00:04:34,399 not harm you, but it will be redemptive in your life, it will bring you to the 48 00:04:34,399 –> 00:04:41,279 path of repentance. And this is the path of salvation and will leave you without 49 00:04:41,279 –> 00:04:47,279 regret. So two kinds of sorrow that lead in opposite directions, one that takes 50 00:04:47,279 –> 00:04:52,920 you downwards to death and the other that brings you upwards to life. And the 51 00:04:52,920 –> 00:04:56,459 obvious question then is what is the difference between these two kinds of 52 00:04:56,500 –> 00:05:00,100 sorrow? The worldly sorrow on the one hand and the godly sorrow on the other 53 00:05:00,100 –> 00:05:04,739 hand and really it boils down to one word and that’s the word godly. The 54 00:05:04,739 –> 00:05:10,720 sorrow that is redemptive is God-centered. God is infused into it 55 00:05:10,720 –> 00:05:15,399 and I want us to see what that looks like from the Bible together today. I 56 00:05:15,399 –> 00:05:24,299 once suggest three distinguishing marks of godly sorrow. That is three evidences 57 00:05:24,339 –> 00:05:28,320 by which you may know with confidence that real and lasting change is going on 58 00:05:28,320 –> 00:05:33,899 in your life or in the life of another person. Very simply so that you know 59 00:05:33,899 –> 00:05:39,739 where we’re going, godly sorrow means first that you have light from God, 60 00:05:39,739 –> 00:05:48,260 second that you have desire for God and thirdly that you have hope in God. These 61 00:05:48,260 –> 00:05:52,600 three and we’re going to see them from the scriptures together. First then 62 00:05:52,760 –> 00:06:00,200 godly sorrow is distinguished by this mark that in it you have light from God. 63 00:06:00,200 –> 00:06:05,260 Let me try and paint a picture so that we can get a frame of reference here. 64 00:06:05,260 –> 00:06:12,600 I want you to imagine for a moment that you are in a darkened cellar. It’s pitch 65 00:06:12,600 –> 00:06:18,559 dark and you are struggling to find your way around. In the cellar there are large 66 00:06:18,679 –> 00:06:26,579 planks of wood, heavy filled barrels and large suitcases full of stuff. And so you 67 00:06:26,579 –> 00:06:30,579 find yourself stumbling over these various things that are strewn around 68 00:06:30,579 –> 00:06:35,640 the cellar though you think to yourself if I was here for long enough I could 69 00:06:35,640 –> 00:06:41,220 locate where all of these things are and I could find my way around safely. But 70 00:06:41,220 –> 00:06:47,500 there’s another problem. Someone else is in the cellar. You can’t see that person 71 00:06:47,700 –> 00:06:51,980 in the darkness and he never makes himself directly known to you. In fact he 72 00:06:51,980 –> 00:06:57,220 hates you and he wants you to stumble. And so he is constantly moving the 73 00:06:57,220 –> 00:07:01,760 barrels, moving the suitcases, moving the planks of wood, so that as you move 74 00:07:01,760 –> 00:07:07,399 around in the cellar you keep stumbling over the same things in different places. 75 00:07:07,399 –> 00:07:13,200 You don’t know where you’re going to encounter them next but you keep 76 00:07:13,220 –> 00:07:19,820 falling over the same obstacles and you hinder yourself on them again and again. 77 00:07:19,820 –> 00:07:23,880 Now I paint that picture because it really is, I think, a good picture of our 78 00:07:23,880 –> 00:07:30,760 natural human condition. In Ephesians chapter 4 in verse 18, Paul says that we 79 00:07:30,760 –> 00:07:36,160 are darkened in our understanding. That is by nature, that is our human condition 80 00:07:36,160 –> 00:07:40,480 to be darkened in our understanding. In other words our natural condition is 81 00:07:40,519 –> 00:07:48,720 simply that we do not see. We don’t see. We don’t see clearly. That’s why Jesus 82 00:07:48,720 –> 00:07:53,000 spoke in his teaching about people who are always seeing with their eyes, but 83 00:07:53,000 –> 00:07:58,380 never perceiving. They’re always hearing, they hear many truths in church and so 84 00:07:58,380 –> 00:08:02,320 forth, but they’re never really understanding. They just don’t get it. 85 00:08:02,320 –> 00:08:08,859 Because this is the natural condition of the human heart that in that inward way 86 00:08:08,899 –> 00:08:14,220 we just don’t see. We’re in the dark. That’s why Jesus spoke on one occasion, 87 00:08:14,220 –> 00:08:20,980 you remember, about a person who is able to identify a speck of sawdust in 88 00:08:20,980 –> 00:08:25,700 someone else’s eye, but using remarkable illustrations, Jesus said, even if there 89 00:08:25,700 –> 00:08:30,540 was a plank of wood in their own eye, they wouldn’t be able to see it. In other 90 00:08:30,540 –> 00:08:34,159 words, here’s a person who has very heightened sensitivity to failure in 91 00:08:34,159 –> 00:08:40,840 others, but no capacity to discern or see what really needs to be changed in his 92 00:08:40,840 –> 00:08:48,979 or her own life. Now, that is the natural human condition, and worldly sorrow is in 93 00:08:48,979 –> 00:08:53,000 the first instance sorrow that cannot see. It is like the man in the cellar who 94 00:08:53,000 –> 00:08:58,400 injures himself repeatedly by falling over the same things many times, because 95 00:08:58,419 –> 00:09:04,460 he does not know where he’s going to stumble against them next. Now, the 96 00:09:04,460 –> 00:09:10,859 obvious example of this from the Bible is King Saul, and let’s take a moment to 97 00:09:10,859 –> 00:09:17,359 think about what this looks like in the life of a real person. Worldly sorrow, the 98 00:09:17,359 –> 00:09:23,000 sorrow without light, the sorrow that doesn’t see. We’re told in the first book 99 00:09:23,000 –> 00:09:28,239 of Samuel that King Saul was given a special assignment by God and he didn’t 100 00:09:28,280 –> 00:09:35,140 do it. And so Samuel the prophet came to Saul and called him on his disobedience. 101 00:09:35,140 –> 00:09:40,520 When that happened, Saul came up with a whole list of evasions, excuses, a kind of 102 00:09:40,520 –> 00:09:45,960 spin we would say today to try and get out of his responsibility. But then 103 00:09:45,960 –> 00:09:49,979 Samuel spoke to him very directly because God had already revealed the 104 00:09:49,979 –> 00:09:55,599 hidden truth to Samuel as a prophet. When that happened, this is what Saul said, 105 00:09:55,900 –> 00:10:02,359 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 30. I have sinned, but, they’re very interesting these 106 00:10:02,359 –> 00:10:09,159 words together, I’ve sinned but. He says I’ve sinned but please honor me before 107 00:10:09,159 –> 00:10:14,479 the elders of the people. And before Israel please come back 108 00:10:14,479 –> 00:10:19,919 with me so that I may worship the Lord your God. Now, you see what Saul is 109 00:10:20,159 –> 00:10:26,159 saying here. He’s very sorry and rightly so because he has lost his 110 00:10:26,159 –> 00:10:30,919 kingdom on result of, as a result of his disobedience so he’s very sad about what 111 00:10:30,919 –> 00:10:36,539 has happened. He acknowledges that he’s done wrong I have sinned, but it is the 112 00:10:36,539 –> 00:10:42,059 kind of sorrow that does not see, which is why his instinctive result, his 113 00:10:42,059 –> 00:10:46,440 instinct rather is to say oh okay I’ve sinned but let’s just now put all this 114 00:10:46,440 –> 00:10:50,039 unpleasantness behind us and let’s go to worship and please will you come with 115 00:10:50,039 –> 00:10:52,979 me because I don’t want to be let down in front of the elders and all the 116 00:10:52,979 –> 00:11:01,580 people. So, he’s saying to Samuel, oh you’re right, I was wrong but now let’s 117 00:11:01,580 –> 00:11:04,659 just go to church and put all that behind us. 118 00:11:04,659 –> 00:11:11,820 Now that is worldly sorrow. There is no ownership here on Saul’s part of his 119 00:11:12,700 –> 00:11:18,520 actions nor of the problem within his heart that led him to these actions so 120 00:11:18,520 –> 00:11:22,919 what happens. Remaining in the darkness, he goes on through his life stumbling 121 00:11:22,919 –> 00:11:27,820 over the same heart problem that was never addressed in 1 Samuel chapter 15 122 00:11:27,820 –> 00:11:32,820 and stalks him and injures him again and again throughout the entire course of 123 00:11:32,820 –> 00:11:39,119 his life and you can read about it in the book of 1 Samuel. You see that 124 00:11:39,840 –> 00:11:47,520 he continued as king, but he never changed. And so he keeps stumbling up 125 00:11:47,520 –> 00:11:52,479 against this hidden rebellion that he’s never been able to see in his own heart. 126 00:11:52,479 –> 00:11:59,780 As he gets older, what happens? He becomes increasingly subject to dark moods that 127 00:11:59,780 –> 00:12:05,859 grip him. He becomes increasingly vulnerable to a pattern of outbursts of 128 00:12:05,880 –> 00:12:13,599 anger and rage that he doesn’t even understand himself. He spends the next 129 00:12:13,599 –> 00:12:19,080 years of his life harassing David, who is God’s anointed king, to succeed him. 130 00:12:19,080 –> 00:12:29,739 He becomes a pain to his family and a burden to the people of God. And he ends 131 00:12:29,739 –> 00:12:34,059 up, at the end of his days, consulting a witch in a place called Endor. Now that 132 00:12:34,059 –> 00:12:43,539 is tragic. Worldly sorrow leads to death because all it is, is sadness about, 133 00:12:43,539 –> 00:12:47,080 well, you know, I did wrong and it didn’t work out as I hoped. But it takes no 134 00:12:47,080 –> 00:12:51,539 ownership, and so there is no fundamental change in the person’s life. And they 135 00:12:51,539 –> 00:12:56,820 continue, Saul bumbled his way through life, neither knowing God nor knowing 136 00:12:57,780 –> 00:13:05,539 full of his own pain, full of self-pity, a misery to his family, and a burden to 137 00:13:05,539 –> 00:13:15,359 his people. Worldly sorrow brings death because it’s sorrow without light. 138 00:13:17,299 –> 00:13:23,539 Now, contrast that with David, who, of course, is the model of true repentance, 139 00:13:23,539 –> 00:13:29,859 especially in Psalm 51 where he lays out for us a pattern of what real and 140 00:13:29,859 –> 00:13:36,520 lasting change looks like. And in Psalm 51 where David asks God for mercy, he 141 00:13:36,520 –> 00:13:46,059 says this in verse 3, I know my transgression. I know it. Now that’s a 142 00:13:46,059 –> 00:13:52,320 different world from Saul. I know my transgression and my sin is all 143 00:13:52,900 –> 00:14:04,159 before me. See, here is a man who, unlike Saul, has faced the sin. He sees it. He 144 00:14:04,159 –> 00:14:08,460 doesn’t minimize it. He doesn’t blame it on other people. There are no excuses 145 00:14:08,460 –> 00:14:17,280 here. This is Godly sorrow. And it’s a painful thing, of course, but look at its 146 00:14:17,400 –> 00:14:24,859 result. It brings repentance, which leads to salvation, Paul says, and leaves 147 00:14:24,859 –> 00:14:31,820 no regret for God wipes away all tears from our eyes. And you look at the 148 00:14:31,820 –> 00:14:35,619 contrast between Saul and David, and it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? Would you want to 149 00:14:35,619 –> 00:14:44,880 be like Saul or would you like to be like David? Worldly sorrow leads to death. 150 00:14:44,880 –> 00:14:52,960 Godly sorrow, in which a man or a woman has light from above, brings repentance 151 00:14:52,960 –> 00:14:57,739 that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. 152 00:14:57,739 –> 00:15:03,859 Now I’m struck therefore by how often we find David in the Psalms asking God for 153 00:15:03,859 –> 00:15:09,039 light. Once you start spotting that theme, you’ll see it all over the Psalms. 154 00:15:09,479 –> 00:15:12,359 He says in Psalm 19, 155 00:15:16,299 –> 00:15:20,859 And so recognizing that there are things in ourselves that we just 156 00:15:20,859 –> 00:15:25,760 don’t see, what do you do? You pray to God for light. And so David says, 157 00:15:25,799 –> 00:15:32,020 Will you search me and try me and know me and show me? Will you shine your light 158 00:15:32,280 –> 00:15:36,700 upon my path? The entrance of your word gives light. 159 00:15:39,619 –> 00:15:42,940 The more I’ve looked at that them in the Psalms and then thought about how it 160 00:15:42,940 –> 00:15:44,580 relates to David’s experience, 161 00:15:44,599 –> 00:15:48,900 I’m sure that some of it must have come under the inspiration of the Holy 162 00:15:48,900 –> 00:15:53,140 Spirit through David’s long experience of observing Saul. 163 00:15:56,059 –> 00:15:56,599 Lord, 164 00:15:56,599 –> 00:16:01,599 I saw that man drift through his life without ever seeing what needed to be 165 00:16:03,359 –> 00:16:04,200 changed. 166 00:16:06,320 –> 00:16:09,159 I saw that in Saul and it’s death. 167 00:16:11,099 –> 00:16:14,539 Don’t let me be like that. Lord. 168 00:16:15,500 –> 00:16:17,000 Give me light. 169 00:16:17,940 –> 00:16:22,940 Let your word be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 170 00:16:23,400 –> 00:16:25,500 G-dly sorrow is marked by this. 171 00:16:25,559 –> 00:16:27,460 Distinguishing mark that 172 00:16:28,859 –> 00:16:31,299 there is light from G-d 173 00:16:32,559 –> 00:16:37,559 in which a man or a woman comes to see in the light of the Scriptures and by the 174 00:16:38,299 –> 00:16:39,640 work of the Holy Spirit, 175 00:16:39,900 –> 00:16:44,900 what needs to be changed and thereby to find the power to do it. 176 00:16:47,840 –> 00:16:49,000 First distinguishing mark, 177 00:16:49,000 –> 00:16:53,320 G-dly sorrow means you have light from G-d you’re not like Saul. 178 00:16:54,260 –> 00:16:56,260 Your light, David. 179 00:16:57,979 –> 00:17:03,159 Second distinguishing mark of true repentance is a desire for G-d. 180 00:17:03,679 –> 00:17:06,599 And it seems to me that that this feature is 181 00:17:07,020 –> 00:17:12,939 particularly clear if we contrast this time again David who’s the model of true repentance 182 00:17:13,180 –> 00:17:15,119 with on this occasion 183 00:17:15,119 –> 00:17:18,739 Esau who goes the other way of worldly sorrow. 184 00:17:19,239 –> 00:17:22,719 We may remember that we looked at Esau earlier in our series 185 00:17:22,719 –> 00:17:27,939 And you might like to turn over to the book of Hebrews and chapter 12 for a moment here 186 00:17:28,540 –> 00:17:30,619 Hebrews chapter 12 gives us the New Testament 187 00:17:31,619 –> 00:17:34,800 commentary on the life of Esau and 188 00:17:35,099 –> 00:17:39,800 In Hebrews 12 and verse 15 and 16 we read these words 189 00:17:41,380 –> 00:17:43,380 Hebrews 12 15 190 00:17:43,939 –> 00:17:45,939 See to it 191 00:17:45,939 –> 00:17:51,719 that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many and 192 00:17:53,140 –> 00:17:57,140 see that no one is sexually immortal or is godless like 193 00:17:58,060 –> 00:17:59,140 Esau 194 00:17:59,140 –> 00:18:02,939 Who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as? 195 00:18:03,780 –> 00:18:05,780 The oldest son 196 00:18:06,699 –> 00:18:12,400 Now the striking thing about Esau is that he was deeply sorry about 197 00:18:13,260 –> 00:18:15,260 About what happened in his life 198 00:18:16,040 –> 00:18:20,479 In fact, I think you could make a case for saying that no one was more deeply or longer 199 00:18:20,760 –> 00:18:25,119 Sorry in all the Old Testament than this character Esau 200 00:18:25,920 –> 00:18:28,579 The book of Genesis places particular 201 00:18:29,640 –> 00:18:31,319 emphasis on the 202 00:18:31,319 –> 00:18:33,439 intensity of his regret 203 00:18:34,300 –> 00:18:42,119 it talks about how he cried out when he discovered that he had lost the blessing that Isaac gave to Jacob he wept and 204 00:18:42,119 –> 00:18:46,680 Cried out with a loud and bitter cry. There’s a kind of an agonized 205 00:18:47,219 –> 00:18:50,079 shriek that comes from the core of this man and 206 00:18:51,119 –> 00:18:53,859 this remorse this regret this 207 00:18:55,099 –> 00:19:01,479 Churning pain as to what he had lost in his life went on and on and he never got over it 208 00:19:01,680 –> 00:19:03,680 Never got over it 209 00:19:04,560 –> 00:19:09,500 And I’m sure that if you could have met Esau he would have told you his story with deep feeling I 210 00:19:09,880 –> 00:19:10,880 I 211 00:19:10,880 –> 00:19:12,880 Was the firstborn, you know, I 212 00:19:14,180 –> 00:19:16,180 Could have been the father of the faithful 213 00:19:17,859 –> 00:19:24,619 But I lost it and it was all my fault and Esau blamed himself and he never got over it 214 00:19:26,579 –> 00:19:28,579 Full of remorse 215 00:19:28,819 –> 00:19:29,699 and 216 00:19:29,699 –> 00:19:34,319 Of course remorse, which always looks backwards repentance always looks forwards 217 00:19:34,520 –> 00:19:40,199 The difference remorse kills you it ties you to a failure in the past and 218 00:19:41,760 –> 00:19:43,760 And Esau never got beyond that 219 00:19:44,680 –> 00:19:47,020 grieving over what might have been 220 00:19:50,000 –> 00:19:52,000 And Esau lived a life of regret 221 00:19:53,760 –> 00:19:57,520 But here’s the tragedy he never changed and 222 00:19:58,500 –> 00:20:03,239 The New Testament tells us just two things about him here in Hebrews chapter 12 223 00:20:03,239 –> 00:20:05,239 The first is that he was bitter 224 00:20:05,800 –> 00:20:08,880 See to it that no root of bitterness grows up among you 225 00:20:08,880 –> 00:20:15,599 the writer to Hebrew says that will defile many like what happened with Esau so he was bitter and 226 00:20:16,099 –> 00:20:20,439 Then the second thing that we’re told in the New Testament about Esau is that he was godless 227 00:20:21,119 –> 00:20:25,500 See to it that no one becomes like Esau a godless man 228 00:20:26,719 –> 00:20:30,640 Now, you see that is what worldly sorrow will do to you 229 00:20:31,560 –> 00:20:33,560 It will make you bitter and 230 00:20:34,660 –> 00:20:37,160 It will distance you from God 231 00:20:38,680 –> 00:20:45,219 It’s what happened to Esau and the book of Hebrews uses this as a warning to Christian believers and says now don’t let that happen 232 00:20:45,219 –> 00:20:47,000 to you 233 00:20:47,000 –> 00:20:53,760 You see the pattern Esau faces this crushing blow in his life this personal failure in which he had particular 234 00:20:54,400 –> 00:20:59,599 Responsibility but from then on what happens is Esau became a man who as we would say today had 235 00:20:59,800 –> 00:21:01,800 issues with god 236 00:21:01,880 –> 00:21:08,280 He resented God he did not want God in his sorrow. He became a bitter and a godless man 237 00:21:09,219 –> 00:21:10,319 and 238 00:21:10,319 –> 00:21:12,319 That kills you 239 00:21:13,959 –> 00:21:15,959 Worldly Sorrow brings death 240 00:21:17,479 –> 00:21:23,599 Now I think this is reminding us of something very very important for us as Christian believers, and that is 241 00:21:24,540 –> 00:21:26,479 That sorrow 242 00:21:26,479 –> 00:21:28,479 for whatever reason 243 00:21:28,599 –> 00:21:30,599 is a 244 00:21:31,099 –> 00:21:33,099 dangerous passage in the 245 00:21:34,180 –> 00:21:36,180 Christian life 246 00:21:36,819 –> 00:21:40,459 Satan will always be active seeking to bring destruction 247 00:21:41,520 –> 00:21:48,239 Wherever there is deep sorrow for any reason in the life of a Christian believer. I 248 00:21:49,819 –> 00:21:55,300 Found in my reading this week a very striking statement from Charles Hodge 249 00:21:55,859 –> 00:22:01,660 Who was at one time the professor of theology at Princeton University in an earlier century and 250 00:22:02,660 –> 00:22:08,660 writing on this passage in Corinthians Hodge who had great spiritual insight writes these words 251 00:22:09,739 –> 00:22:11,839 He said it is a great mistake 252 00:22:13,380 –> 00:22:18,780 To suppose that the natural tendency of pain and sorrow is 253 00:22:19,219 –> 00:22:20,819 toward the good 254 00:22:20,819 –> 00:22:24,819 great mistake to think that it naturally moves in a good direction and 255 00:22:25,540 –> 00:22:27,540 The natural tendency of pain and sorrow 256 00:22:28,400 –> 00:22:30,040 rather is 257 00:22:30,040 –> 00:22:32,040 to excite 258 00:22:32,060 –> 00:22:34,060 rebellion against God and 259 00:22:34,439 –> 00:22:36,439 all evil feelings 260 00:22:37,619 –> 00:22:40,760 It is only then he says when these are 261 00:22:41,439 –> 00:22:42,619 sanctified 262 00:22:42,619 –> 00:22:46,479 That is made by the Holy Spirit to bring into exercise 263 00:22:47,579 –> 00:22:53,380 patience and faith in the sufferer that they then bring forth the good fruit of 264 00:22:54,380 –> 00:22:55,819 Righteousness 265 00:22:55,819 –> 00:22:58,040 Now see what he’s saying is very important 266 00:22:59,060 –> 00:23:03,060 the natural tendency of sorrow and pain is 267 00:23:04,140 –> 00:23:06,140 Not good 268 00:23:06,160 –> 00:23:09,839 the natural tendency of sorrow and pain is to 269 00:23:10,479 –> 00:23:16,780 Excite within you some resentment towards God to excite within you all kinds 270 00:23:16,780 –> 00:23:19,359 he says of evil feelings and 271 00:23:19,359 –> 00:23:21,140 And 272 00:23:21,140 –> 00:23:23,339 Therefore there is a particular need 273 00:23:24,199 –> 00:23:29,800 For a Christian believer to ask God to walk with us in our sorrow 274 00:23:32,079 –> 00:23:34,079 To sanctify it 275 00:23:34,699 –> 00:23:38,459 To cause it to go in a different direction to make it 276 00:23:39,000 –> 00:23:44,979 Godly sorrow that will not harm you in any way but rather will bring forth the fruit of righteousness 277 00:23:45,459 –> 00:23:47,459 as 278 00:23:48,020 –> 00:23:49,640 very strict just 279 00:23:49,640 –> 00:23:54,619 By one of the verses of the hymn that we sang earlier this morning which exactly 280 00:23:54,780 –> 00:23:58,420 Frames this prayer that the Holy Spirit would 281 00:23:59,140 –> 00:24:02,300 Sanctify our sorrow move it in a different direction 282 00:24:02,579 –> 00:24:10,520 From where it would naturally take us listen to this that we sang earlier when life’s dark maze I tread and 283 00:24:11,800 –> 00:24:13,979 griefs around me spread 284 00:24:15,040 –> 00:24:17,099 Be thou my guide 285 00:24:18,280 –> 00:24:25,260 Bid darkness turn today wiped sorrows tears away nor let me ever stray from Thee 286 00:24:25,699 –> 00:24:27,699 Aside you know what that’s saying 287 00:24:28,380 –> 00:24:30,380 It’s saying don’t let me be like Esau 288 00:24:31,300 –> 00:24:32,979 Save me from that 289 00:24:32,979 –> 00:24:36,439 Don’t let bitterness rise within me in my sadness 290 00:24:36,500 –> 00:24:41,819 Don’t let me distance myself from you and please O Lord do not distance yourself from me 291 00:24:41,819 –> 00:24:44,819 And you know where we have the model of that kind of praying 292 00:24:44,979 –> 00:24:52,040 That grief will be sanctified that it would be Godly rather than worldly sorrow. We see it in David right there in Psalm 51 293 00:24:52,780 –> 00:24:58,040 How does he pray? He’s asked for forgiveness? He then says create in me a clean heart 294 00:24:58,040 –> 00:25:05,160 Oh God what comes next? Do not cast me from your presence. Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me 295 00:25:06,000 –> 00:25:10,599 You see what he’s saying. I’m going through such sorrow right now, Oh God I 296 00:25:11,359 –> 00:25:14,040 I need you to walk with me 297 00:25:15,699 –> 00:25:21,479 He seeks God in his sorrow because he knows that if God walks with him he will make it through 298 00:25:23,920 –> 00:25:26,579 That’s a distinguishing mark of 299 00:25:28,300 –> 00:25:30,300 Godly sorrow 300 00:25:31,280 –> 00:25:34,900 That leads to life and leaves no regret 301 00:25:37,739 –> 00:25:39,739 Light from God 302 00:25:40,979 –> 00:25:42,979 Desire for God 303 00:25:45,280 –> 00:25:49,280 And here’s the third thing hope in God 304 00:25:51,140 –> 00:25:51,839 Now again 305 00:25:51,839 –> 00:25:58,140 If we’re to look for a contrast that will show us the difference between worldly and godly sorrow at this point 306 00:25:58,140 –> 00:26:04,079 I think the very obvious contrast is again between David who’s our model of godly sorrow on the one hand and 307 00:26:04,760 –> 00:26:06,880 Judas who is the 308 00:26:07,560 –> 00:26:14,439 Example given to us in the Bible of a man who gave way to despair and let go of hope with tragic consequences 309 00:26:15,479 –> 00:26:17,479 now you remember that Judas 310 00:26:18,020 –> 00:26:20,800 Betrayed our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 311 00:26:22,180 –> 00:26:25,180 that was a terrible thing to do and 312 00:26:26,420 –> 00:26:31,439 let’s just earth that before we go further because there will be some in the congregation today and 313 00:26:32,300 –> 00:26:37,000 You have done a terrible thing and it plagues your conscience 314 00:26:38,619 –> 00:26:43,219 You think about it at night, and it’s there with you in the morning 315 00:26:46,739 –> 00:26:49,260 Now the gospel tells us that when Judas 316 00:26:50,500 –> 00:26:52,500 had betrayed Jesus and 317 00:26:53,500 –> 00:26:55,800 Then saw that Jesus was condemned 318 00:26:56,020 –> 00:26:58,479 He was seized with remorse 319 00:26:59,420 –> 00:27:03,719 Notice that word remorse that looks backwards very different from repentance that moves forwards 320 00:27:04,599 –> 00:27:11,560 He was seized with remorse and he returned the 30 silver coins to the chief priests and to the elders 321 00:27:12,520 –> 00:27:16,099 At first sight you think well this kind of looks like repentance. He’s giving the money back 322 00:27:16,660 –> 00:27:22,579 You must be really really sorry yeah, but it was only worldly sorrow, and we know that for this reason 323 00:27:22,739 –> 00:27:24,739 That although Judas 324 00:27:25,699 –> 00:27:32,699 experienced great sadness and great remorse that was very intense within him yet. It was not the sorrow that led to life 325 00:27:34,099 –> 00:27:36,099 Here’s what happened 326 00:27:36,780 –> 00:27:39,319 Judah says to himself look what I’ve done I 327 00:27:41,319 –> 00:27:43,599 Have betrayed the Son of God 328 00:27:46,339 –> 00:27:48,719 There’s no hope for a man like me now 329 00:27:48,719 –> 00:27:53,339 not after what I’ve done and 330 00:27:55,339 –> 00:27:59,359 So the Bible tells us he went out and he hanged himself 331 00:28:00,420 –> 00:28:02,199 worldly sorrow 332 00:28:02,199 –> 00:28:06,859 Leads in the ultimate case here of Judas to death I 333 00:28:08,160 –> 00:28:14,239 Want to suggest to you that the greatest tragedy of Judas life was not that he betrayed Jesus 334 00:28:15,380 –> 00:28:17,680 the greatest tragedy of Judas life 335 00:28:18,479 –> 00:28:24,119 Was that he gave way to despair when he could have found hope in Jesus Christ 336 00:28:25,380 –> 00:28:27,380 see think about this if 337 00:28:27,500 –> 00:28:33,479 He had sought after God the blood of Jesus Christ could have covered for his sin also 338 00:28:34,540 –> 00:28:40,459 There could have been cleansing and hope and forgiveness and life even for Judas there was for Peter who denied the Lord 339 00:28:41,359 –> 00:28:43,359 but 340 00:28:43,680 –> 00:28:46,400 the tragedy of Judas life is that he 341 00:28:46,699 –> 00:28:52,839 followed the path of worldly sorrow that is without light and without God and ultimately without hope and 342 00:28:53,079 –> 00:28:56,819 Therefore he gave way to despair rather than seeking the path of repentance 343 00:28:57,380 –> 00:29:00,119 Which is saturated with the presence of God 344 00:29:03,260 –> 00:29:07,339 So I want to say this to whoever in the congregation 345 00:29:08,280 –> 00:29:11,859 May be feeling near to despair today 346 00:29:14,260 –> 00:29:18,619 You have become consumed in your sorrow and it weighs upon you 347 00:29:18,619 –> 00:29:23,300 And you feel that there is no way out of the darkness in which you find yourself. I 348 00:29:24,939 –> 00:29:26,939 Want to ask you some questions 349 00:29:30,839 –> 00:29:32,839 Where are you going with this sorrow? 350 00:29:33,699 –> 00:29:35,699 How 351 00:29:36,140 –> 00:29:38,619 Sorry, do you think you have to be? 352 00:29:41,540 –> 00:29:48,000 What are you accomplishing by this pattern of beating up on yourself that 353 00:29:49,560 –> 00:29:51,560 Continues 354 00:29:53,959 –> 00:29:57,280 Being sorry won’t cleanse you 355 00:29:57,479 –> 00:29:59,479 You 356 00:30:01,020 –> 00:30:02,780 See that was 357 00:30:02,780 –> 00:30:08,380 Grasped most clearly by Augustus toplady. What a name Augustus toplady 358 00:30:08,619 –> 00:30:11,140 His middle name was montague just for good measure 359 00:30:11,760 –> 00:30:17,239 but he wrote a marvelous hymn called rock of ages that some of us know, I think reasonably well and 360 00:30:17,920 –> 00:30:22,239 In that he has these lines that are deeply perceptive 361 00:30:23,040 –> 00:30:25,040 he 362 00:30:25,459 –> 00:30:27,459 Says could my zeal 363 00:30:27,520 –> 00:30:29,520 No respite no 364 00:30:29,920 –> 00:30:36,479 You know could I be passionately committed with everything within me with all my zeal to the work of Christ for the rest of my 365 00:30:36,479 –> 00:30:40,660 Life without a single moments break night or day could my zeal no respite no 366 00:30:41,939 –> 00:30:48,520 Could my tears forever flow if I were to cry over my sins and my failure forever 367 00:30:48,839 –> 00:30:52,780 So that my tears never stopped 368 00:30:54,380 –> 00:31:01,760 Could my zeal no respite no could my tears forever flow all for sin could not atone 369 00:31:03,420 –> 00:31:05,420 You must save and 370 00:31:06,459 –> 00:31:13,500 You alone you see what he’s saying the intensity of your sorrow the length of your sorrow 371 00:31:14,219 –> 00:31:16,219 Cannot cleanse you 372 00:31:17,099 –> 00:31:24,020 It is the blood of Jesus Christ that can cleanse you and that is why in the very next verse top lady says 373 00:31:24,719 –> 00:31:26,719 Nothing in my hand I bring 374 00:31:28,280 –> 00:31:30,800 Simply to your cross I claim 375 00:31:31,959 –> 00:31:36,359 Naked I come to you for dress, and helpless run to you for grace 376 00:31:37,040 –> 00:31:42,939 Foul I to the fountain fly the picture of being washed by the blood of Jesus Christ 377 00:31:42,939 –> 00:31:45,560 I come there washed me Savior 378 00:31:47,040 –> 00:31:48,739 or I 379 00:31:48,739 –> 00:31:50,479 Die now. You see the movement 380 00:31:50,479 –> 00:31:57,160 He he has realized it is not the length or the intensity of sorrow that will bring newness of life 381 00:31:57,780 –> 00:32:04,239 It is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that will bring light and the presence of God and hope 382 00:32:04,760 –> 00:32:10,339 Into my life and therefore from my sorrow I must now embrace him I 383 00:32:10,819 –> 00:32:17,239 Must with an open hand and an empty hand nothing in my hand, I bring I must receive grace 384 00:32:18,800 –> 00:32:19,880 Forgiveness 385 00:32:19,880 –> 00:32:26,000 Which is what Peter did and Judas did not do it’s what David did and Judas did not do 386 00:32:26,719 –> 00:32:29,119 And you see it in David in Psalm 51 387 00:32:31,619 –> 00:32:34,459 Restore to me the joy of your 388 00:32:34,500 –> 00:32:38,979 Salvation you see what right does David have to pray like that after what he’s done 389 00:32:40,180 –> 00:32:47,859 Restore to me the joy of your salvation. That’s how a man or a woman prays when you believe the gospel 390 00:32:48,819 –> 00:32:52,479 When you know that there is grace and Mercy in God 391 00:32:53,979 –> 00:32:57,540 You don’t stay in a life of sorrow 392 00:32:57,540 –> 00:32:59,540 Godly sorrow 393 00:33:00,040 –> 00:33:02,979 Godly sorrow brings us to repentance 394 00:33:02,979 –> 00:33:07,520 that’s why it’s infused with hope and there’s all the difference in the world from that and 395 00:33:07,719 –> 00:33:11,459 The kind of sorrow that leaves you in despair 396 00:33:13,380 –> 00:33:15,380 So two kinds of sorrow 397 00:33:16,339 –> 00:33:21,719 Worldly sorrow which is sorrow without light sorrow without God and sorrow without hope 398 00:33:23,260 –> 00:33:25,260 it leads to death it kills you 399 00:33:26,020 –> 00:33:28,420 Just as death all through it and 400 00:33:31,099 –> 00:33:35,339 Then there’s godly sorrow in which you have light from God and a 401 00:33:35,819 –> 00:33:41,439 desire for God and hope in God and that godly sorrow brings you to repentance and 402 00:33:43,079 –> 00:33:48,520 Therefore to salvation and leaves you without regret 403 00:33:49,300 –> 00:33:51,300 All 404 00:33:51,739 –> 00:33:56,520 The difference in the world between these two things thank God for the second godly sorrow 405 00:33:58,400 –> 00:34:00,400 That brings repentance 406 00:34:01,880 –> 00:34:03,900 Now I want in these last moments 407 00:34:05,079 –> 00:34:08,000 To give three very simple and practical 408 00:34:09,000 –> 00:34:13,959 Applications of what we have been learning together from the Bible here asked the question now 409 00:34:13,959 –> 00:34:18,360 What is the use of knowing this why do we apply this and I want to suggest? 410 00:34:18,520 –> 00:34:25,159 Three very different and distinct ways in which these distinguishing marks of true repentance may be useful to us 411 00:34:27,399 –> 00:34:31,000 The first is that we may use these marks as a guide 412 00:34:31,739 –> 00:34:36,120 for discerning true repentance in another person 413 00:34:38,760 –> 00:34:42,760 Now none of us likes to be in a position where we have to make judgments 414 00:34:42,760 –> 00:34:48,159 But all of us are called upon in very practical ways sometimes in ordinary life to do this 415 00:34:49,080 –> 00:34:56,659 I doubt that there is ever a month that goes by without one of our pastors being asked a question that goes something like this 416 00:34:58,679 –> 00:35:00,679 He says he’s sorry 417 00:35:01,800 –> 00:35:05,020 But how do I know if he has really changed? 418 00:35:06,879 –> 00:35:12,060 That’s a real question for a person who’s wanting to know whether it is safe to trust 419 00:35:12,100 –> 00:35:19,800 Shesays she’s come back to the Lord, but how do I know if her repentance is real? 420 00:35:22,520 –> 00:35:29,379 Now what are the criteria that you would use for answering questions like that how do you discern and 421 00:35:30,100 –> 00:35:33,500 these are important questions not just for us as individual Christians 422 00:35:33,500 –> 00:35:39,459 They’re important questions for elders of the church in relation to issues of church discipline and 423 00:35:39,899 –> 00:35:43,139 restoration and trust with regards to responsibility 424 00:35:43,860 –> 00:35:48,139 There are important issues on the national scale for denominational leaders 425 00:35:48,620 –> 00:35:51,639 dealing with such issues of trust in relation to 426 00:35:52,300 –> 00:35:56,379 Responsibility, how do you measure true repentance? I 427 00:35:57,739 –> 00:35:59,739 mean, do you count the number of tears? 428 00:36:00,979 –> 00:36:07,439 We have all seen people go with extensive performances of tears that may or may not mean anything 429 00:36:08,439 –> 00:36:14,679 Do you simply count the number of months since a particular sin has been committed? I mean no 430 00:36:16,520 –> 00:36:22,500 What you do is you look for the distinguishing marks of true repentance and 431 00:36:23,280 –> 00:36:26,379 They will guide you in the kinds of questions to ask 432 00:36:27,860 –> 00:36:30,439 Does this person have light from God? 433 00:36:31,320 –> 00:36:33,320 With regards to what they have done 434 00:36:34,120 –> 00:36:36,620 Does he or she see it clearly? 435 00:36:37,600 –> 00:36:39,159 Is there ownership? 436 00:36:39,159 –> 00:36:45,840 Have they faced it without excuse or evasion? Without blaming other people, without trying to trivialize or minimize it 437 00:36:46,620 –> 00:36:51,679 Does this person hate not only what came as a result of their actions 438 00:36:51,679 –> 00:36:56,600 But hate the sin itself. Is this person’s focus on their own pain? 439 00:36:57,300 –> 00:37:01,199 Is their focus simply on their own reputation like soul’s was? 440 00:37:02,040 –> 00:37:07,020 Or is this person taking genuine ownership of what he or she has done 441 00:37:08,040 –> 00:37:12,699 Do we see in this person a desire now to walk with God more closely? 442 00:37:12,719 –> 00:37:16,699 Is that evidence of a new hunger for the Word and new commitment to prayer? 443 00:37:16,699 –> 00:37:22,300 Are there changing patterns that we see that reflect a drawing near to God in this person’s life? 444 00:37:22,300 –> 00:37:27,540 is this person laying hold of the grace of God as one who evidently and 445 00:37:27,659 –> 00:37:29,780 Deeply is believing the gospel? 446 00:37:30,679 –> 00:37:33,300 Now you see when you see these things 447 00:37:34,239 –> 00:37:37,760 The distinguishing marks of true repentance you have every reason 448 00:37:38,479 –> 00:37:44,219 To be joyfully confident that real and lasting change is happening 449 00:37:44,219 –> 00:37:48,800 And will continue to happen in the life of another person 450 00:37:49,659 –> 00:37:51,360 So that’s the first application 451 00:37:51,360 –> 00:37:56,020 it’s a very important one that the marks distinguishing marks of true repentance are 452 00:37:56,340 –> 00:38:03,780 Useful to us as a guide for discerning true repentance in another person something you will have to do in different situations of life 453 00:38:05,820 –> 00:38:08,639 Second and more immediate and I think more importantly 454 00:38:10,060 –> 00:38:16,860 These distinguishing marks are useful to us as a guide for deepening repentance in our own lives 455 00:38:18,560 –> 00:38:21,459 Now here we come again to another very practical issue 456 00:38:21,459 –> 00:38:27,139 What are you to do about the sin that 457 00:38:28,479 –> 00:38:33,060 You’ve fallen into again and again and again the repeated sin 458 00:38:34,419 –> 00:38:35,600 the 459 00:38:35,600 –> 00:38:42,580 Thing that you have stumbled over at different times many times in different places and it keeps happening 460 00:38:44,199 –> 00:38:47,199 now evidently at that point if that is the situation 461 00:38:47,580 –> 00:38:52,459 your repentance needs to be deepened at this point and 462 00:38:53,659 –> 00:39:00,000 The distinguishing marks of true repentance will give you a guide as to how to pursue that you may like to ask yourself 463 00:39:00,239 –> 00:39:04,820 Questions like these have I’ve really seen this sin as 464 00:39:05,580 –> 00:39:07,580 God sees it 465 00:39:08,800 –> 00:39:14,379 Have I felt the weight of this thing that I keep doing as 466 00:39:14,379 –> 00:39:21,560 Jesus felt the weight of it when he died for this sin of mine on the cross 467 00:39:22,239 –> 00:39:24,239 Because he felt his weight 468 00:39:24,300 –> 00:39:26,300 have I 469 00:39:27,320 –> 00:39:32,179 Do I hate this sin honestly as much as God hates it or 470 00:39:33,600 –> 00:39:39,219 Is there a part of me that still secretly cherishes and holds on to it 471 00:39:40,860 –> 00:39:44,159 Have I really faced the darkness in my own soul 472 00:39:44,379 –> 00:39:50,040 That makes me keep behaving like this am I therefore sincere in my desire to walk with God 473 00:39:50,040 –> 00:39:54,479 And am I now ready to embrace the gospel in this regard? 474 00:39:55,760 –> 00:39:59,000 to trust Christ for forgiveness 475 00:39:59,840 –> 00:40:05,060 Not as some kind of cheat grace that allows me simply to go out and easily do the same thing again 476 00:40:05,159 –> 00:40:12,639 but recognizing that this forgiveness flows from his pierced hand to me for this sin and 477 00:40:13,379 –> 00:40:20,100 And do I in embracing the gospel therefore believe and trust in the power of his spirit that I may 478 00:40:20,360 –> 00:40:24,379 Overcome it and gain victory over it in the days that lie ahead 479 00:40:26,580 –> 00:40:29,379 And that brings me to the last application that 480 00:40:30,820 –> 00:40:32,020 that these 481 00:40:32,020 –> 00:40:38,199 distinguishing and wonderful marks of true repentance may help us not only in discerning where it exists in other people and 482 00:40:38,540 –> 00:40:40,760 deepening true repentance in ourselves 483 00:40:41,639 –> 00:40:49,000 But directing our prayers also in times of great sorrow, how should you pray? 484 00:40:50,219 –> 00:40:54,500 How should you pray when you find yourself in great sorrow? 485 00:40:57,179 –> 00:40:59,679 Well ask God to deliver you 486 00:41:00,340 –> 00:41:02,340 From worldly sorrow 487 00:41:03,020 –> 00:41:09,959 Ask him to direct your sorrow away from where it otherwise might naturally take you 488 00:41:11,219 –> 00:41:13,520 Ask him to give you light as 489 00:41:14,120 –> 00:41:16,020 You examine your own heart 490 00:41:16,020 –> 00:41:22,080 Ask him to walk with you by his spirit as you commit yourself to the path of obedience 491 00:41:22,080 –> 00:41:29,280 Ask God to give you hope as a person who truly now in your sorrow embraces 492 00:41:29,899 –> 00:41:31,899 the Gospel 493 00:41:32,540 –> 00:41:35,199 Godly sorrow brings repentance 494 00:41:35,979 –> 00:41:41,639 this is what gets you on the hidden path that so many never find to a 495 00:41:42,040 –> 00:41:44,719 Transformed life and it leads to salvation 496 00:41:45,199 –> 00:41:49,919 Paul says and because God wipes all tears from the eyes of his people 497 00:41:50,580 –> 00:41:52,580 It will leave you 498 00:41:53,260 –> 00:41:55,260 without regret 499 00:41:55,600 –> 00:42:02,040 Now let’s bow in God’s presence in prayer together. Shall we and ask him to apply these things in our lives 500 00:42:05,639 –> 00:42:11,320 Perhaps you’d like to make these very simple words your own in this moment 501 00:42:13,760 –> 00:42:20,399 Heavenly Father shine your light into my life so that I may see what is happening in this fragile heart 502 00:42:25,919 –> 00:42:31,199 Deliver me from bitterness and place within me a deep desire to walk with you 503 00:42:36,179 –> 00:42:44,260 save me from the temptation to despair as I embrace the gospel of your son 504 00:42:44,260 –> 00:42:48,419 Jesus Christ my Savior and Lord 505 00:42:49,500 –> 00:42:56,300 Lead me on the hidden path to a transformed life through your Son my 506 00:42:56,300 –> 00:43:04,280 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in whose name I now pray 507 00:43:04,280 –> 00:43:07,139 Amen

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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You want to change, but you don’t know how. Real and lasting change can happen in your life by the grace of God. That’s the hope-filled message of this series. Explore the meaning of repentance and see how God wants to use it as a continual agent of change in your life. Discover God’s hidden path

Colin Smith

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