Godly Sorrow (1)

How must we understand what is meant by the sorrow after God? In 2 Corinthians 7:10, the Apostle Paul speaks about this specifically when he says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” With these words of the apostle, it is apparent that there is an opposite of godly sorrow, namely, the sorrow of the world.

Our basic starting point is, therefore, 2 Corinthians 7:10. One must not think, however, that mentioning of godly sorrow does not occur anywhere else in the Bible. We can read in several different places about the sorrow over sin and a longing for the living God. Think of Psalm 42, the psalm about thirsting for the Lord. Think also of Psalm 52 which speaks of sorrow about sin and the longing for forgiveness. When Augustine lay upon his deathbed, he desired that the seven penitential psalms, written down upon paper, would be fixed on the wall of his death chamber. He died with his eyes fixed on the seven psalms. When you read the seven penitential psalms, you will read there about godly sorrow (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). In the psalms we find all sorts of elements about experiencing godly sorrow.

There are also words in the prophets which make godly sorrow noticeably clear, such as Isaiah 66:2b, “…but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.”

Paul’s “sorrowful letter”

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, the apostle speaks to the congregation of Corinth. Corinth was a large harbor city with much wickedness and immorality, a city where Paul had preached the gospel for one-and-a-half years with much blessing. When Paul and Sosthenes had written the first epistle to the Corinthians, disturbing messages had reached them about the congregation. There was fornication, the people were swept along with the sinful lifestyles of the heathen around them, and there was a threatening of divisions within the congregation.

It is for this reason that Paul writes this letter which, however, causes many problems in the congregation. They do not accept what Paul had written, and they even became suspicious of him. A short visit by Paul to the congregation did not bring about any positive results. That is why Paul sends them another letter. This letter, which is unknown to us, has often been called the “sorrowing letter” because somewhere in it Paul writes that he has written it with many tears.

Paul waited anxiously and finally decided to travel in the direction of Corinth. Then, in some place along the way, encouraging messages reach him. The “sorrowful letter” had made deep impressions, not only because of their opposition to Paul but, above all, because of their opposition to the Lord. Their sorrow had led to reflection and repentance; there came a godly sorrow within the congregation. When Paul hears all this, he again picks up pen and paper to express his joy at these developments. It is in connection with this that the apostle says in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

More than just an outward show

The godly sorrow spoken of here contains a direction of purpose. It is a sorrow which is directed toward God and which drives a person out to God. The word “toward” also has the meaning of “subsequently” and of “agreement with.” Therefore, it is a sorrow according to God’s will, a well-pleasing sorrow, a sorrow which has God’s approval. The word “after” indicates that this sorrow not only goes out toward God but also comes from God. It is a sorrow which is worked by God Himself. When there are people who begin to sorrow after God, then it is His work alone, and that is only because He was first in their lives. This sorrow will point itself to God and drive people out toward God. It was a matter of great joy for Paul that he could notice some of this sorrow in the congregation of Corinth and that the Lord was willing to use the “sorrow letter” to that end.

(To be continued)

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