In this work he explores that curious place where we are sorrowing for our sins and
afflictions, a place where we can lose our way and confuse our sorrowing. It's not as complicated as it sounds but I wanted to post something to help those who consider reading this work get the most out of it.
We sorrow for sin and we sorrow for afflictions. One is not necessarily related to the other. As a matter of fact, one is easily confused for the other or embellished by the other resulting in just an unproductive sorrowing.
Let us first consider our sin. We always need to start by turning our minds and hearts to the cross where the penalty for our sins was forgiven. Then we need to look to the is empty tomb, the proof of His victory over sin and death for us. This is how we can grasp the seriousness of our sin and deeply appreciate His graciousness.
But - we can't afford to just stop there. It is a dangerous thing to be presumptuous concerning our being forgiven. Yes, He died once for all and the matter, in God's economy, is settled - yet we still sin. Since we still sin we need to still be convicted and brought to repentance. We're not "done" and we won't be done until He comes or we go.
Sin is never not serious. It impedes our usefulness to God, it dishonors God, it sullies His glory. This we need to have abhor and be repelled by. We need to sorrow for our sins - we need godly sorrow for our sins.
It is all too easy to sorrow simply for the consequences (here) of our sins. There is nothing wrong with this but if that is all we sorrow for - well, we need to repent of that. It is the sin itself we need to sorrow for.
The world, the flesh and the devil want us to minimize our apprehension of our sin. They want us to not see the terrible cost of them. They do this by playing upon our assurance and adding to that the easy and dismissive view of sin that is so very rampant in the "church" today. They want us to (as far as possible) hide our sins even from ourselves.
It is not fashionable in the church today to have the perspective of Paul:
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom 7:24)
Instead they want us to narrow our view to verses like:
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)
Indeed this passage is true and we can rejoice in it. But when it is used to corrupt and minimize our sense and conviction of sin we are severely damaged.
James tells us that in reference to sin we must:
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (Jas 4:8-10)
"Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom."
This should be the response to sin in our lives that drives us to the throne of grace in humility and gratitude. Ok - I'm not talking "shame" although a sense of it is never inappropriate when we are caught in a sin. But I would encourage you to develop a stronger sense of guilt than shame. Shame can focus our attention more on us than on Him. Since our "guilt" is before God it is a more effective way to really see and understand our sin and our forgiveness than shame could ever be.
Sorrowing for sin may well have some focus on ourselves but the main focus must be on the one against whom we have sinned. Not some mean, nasty, far off God who just waits for us to mess up so He can "get" us. But the loving and gracious Father who from the beginning has provided the remedy for our sin and claims us as His own at His own expense. In short we must go sorrowing to the One who has already forgiven us and acknowledge His grace and our faithlessness. We have His forgiveness, we must seek His empowerment - strength - insight - power ect. to "kill" our sin.
Sorrow for sin is central to our faithfulness. It is critical to our health. It is essential for our effectiveness in displaying His glory.
Father,
I have sinned, I do sin and i will sin. We both know that. Please give me such a heart for You and such a gratitude that I never dismiss or lightly engage my sin. Help me indeed to sorrow mightily and appropriately for each and every sin.
Do not allow me to continue insensitive to the sinfulness of sin. Do not allow my head or my heart to presume upon Your forgiveness. Rather may Your Spirit so convict me that I run to You as a small child confessing my sin and seeking the comfort of Your grace. Help me to weep for my sin as I remember to great cost of its forgiveness.
Amen
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