Repentance versus remorse can make the difference between being forgiven or not. Remorse is being regretful that you did something. Repentance is turning away from your sin and toward God to receive forgiveness. To truly change, I must repent as God molds and shapes me to be a transformed person.
David gives us insight. Psalm 51:7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. [1] There is something that happens when I truly repent of my sins because, as I do, the Lord purifies and washes me. In a figurative sense, we are like dirty garments that go into the washer and come out clean when we repent of our sins.
When I am remorseful, I am sorry I got dirty, but don’t go further, and my garment remains stained. A person who goes through life only regretting their actions never really changes. A person who truly repents is constantly under construction by the Lord and becomes a changed person over time.
Peter vs Judas
When Peter denied Jesus three, he was filled with regret. Luke 22:61At that moment, the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. [2]
Judas was also filled with regret after he realized Jesus was to be executed as a result of his betrayal. Judas and Peter wished they had made different choices, but we can’t undo what we did. They both were confronted with how they would move forward. How could God possibly forgive them for what they did to Jesus? Along our spiritual journey, we, too, face the same dilemma in our sin.
Going to the Cross or Not
Will we humble ourselves and go to the cross of Jesus, or will pride and unbelief keep us away? Peter responded to his sin by experiencing brokenness and humility. Judas believed he was beyond forgiveness and took his own life. How tragic it was that Jesus came for sinners, including betrayers like Judas.
There is nothing wrong with regret if it leads to the next step of repentance and surrender to Jesus. When I repent, it leads to life, but being remorseful leads only to a dead end where there is no hope.
Repentance is a decision that I want to change. If I am genuinely repenting, it should produce a behavior change, which is the fruit. Peter changed as he walked through his failure and became a productive disciple. There is hope in repentance. Jesus can forgive and restore us. This truth played out in Peter’s life. This can play out the same way in your life as you let the Holy Spirit lead you to the cross.
To learn the difference between repentance versus remorse, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/blind-ignorance
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.