REPENTANCE WITHOUT REGRET

Tim Keller (1950-2023) pastor and author wrote:

“Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin.”

As I read this, I thought of some phrases from 2 Corinthians 7:
“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (7:9-10)

Repentance (turning from sin and going the other way toward right living) can be a difficult road to travel. We are made sorrowful by this by our conception of the Father. That is the ‘fear-based’ idea above from Keller. The joy of restoration sometimes takes a while. It is long after lots of tears, slobbers, self-depreciation. But by grace…the day comes: repentance without regret.

“But while he (the prodigal: a reckless, rebelling son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Jesus