We find ourselves in an era where the message proclaimed from many pulpits is one focused on the love of God. A message that paints a picture of God only wanting His people to always be happy. He wants them to have a good life on earth. Even some going as far as to say God wants his people to be wealthy and to obtain great possessions on Earth. In some aspects these messages are correct and filled with Biblical truth. Because our God is a God of love and He wants the best for His creation. But we must not overlook the fact that at times God wants us to be sad. He wants His people to be sorrowful and filled with remorse.
I know that many that read this may be shocked that someone would make such a claim. Because it flies in the face of what is taught in many churches today. But turn the pages back two thousand years to the first church and you will find that causing new converts to be sad was common. The Apostle Paul actually said he was glad to cause the recipients of one of his letters to be upset.
2 Corinthians 7:8-9 (ESV)
8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
Paul was not just proud to cause his audience to be sorrowful because his words had a great impact. He was glad that the sadness they experienced led them to repentance. And that is the thing God really does want people to be sad. Not because He is mean or wicked but because it is only from a heart filled with remorse that one can truly repent of their sins.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (ESV)
10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
In verse eleven Paul even points to what the grief they felt for their sin inspired them to do. They worked even harder to come back to God. To prove themselves innocent and to leave their sins in the past. It is so important that those coming to Christianity today feel this same sorrow. They must truly understand the severity of their situation.
Understanding they have sinned against the Lord of lords the King of kings the creator of all things. And that due to the life they had been living they were headed towards an eternity spent in hell. Which should not bring feelings of joy but should cause them to feel sad. Because without this kind of sadness they will never truly understand why they need to repent or why it is so important.
Present the truth to them in its fullness. Don’t try to cover the severity of sin or its punishment with God’s love. It is better to cause someone to be sad for a time if it leads to salvation. Then to lead them happily to destruction. And when you lay out the truth in its fullness just as Peter did on the day of Pentecost. People being convicted of their wrongdoing and will ask what they must do to be saved. Allowing you to lay out the plan of salvation and lead someone to true repentance brought on by remorse.
Acts 2:37-38 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Do not fall into the trap of believing that God only wants people to be sad at the moment of salvation. Because the truth is for most Christians we should experience sadness multiple times throughout our walk with God. Sadly Christians today choose to excuss their falls to sin. By attempting to cover their return to sin with the love and grace of God. By saying things like God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. Or God knows my heart and understands my situation. Some just sweep it under the rug of well I know so and so still sins too.
The truth is we should never be content when we slip back into sin. Even if it seems like the most minute sin one can commit. We should not be able to sin and just go on as if nothing happened. And should truly never make a practice of living in sin after receiving salvation. When Christian sins they should mirror the instruction laid out by James. Which he gave to a group he knew had turned from God and back to sin.
James 4:8-9 (ESV)
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Really take a second to let verse nine sink in. James is saying that the Chrisitan who sins should experience some pretty strong emotions. That they should mourn and weep. Not laughing and experiencing the joy they may have just moments before they sinned.
This is what it should be like when a Christian sins. It should not just be par for the course or another part of your day. Sinning as a follower of Christ should have an impact on you emotionally and should cause you to try and draw closer to God. Because sinning is not just an empty action it is a direct insult toward God. And if sin is allowed to grow in life it will cause lead hell. No matter if you lived a whole life saved and only turned to sin at the very end. This should worry us and cause us to feel something every time we slip and fall to sin.
Ezekiel 18:24 (ESV)
24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
See that even though God is love He still wants his people to be sad at times. Because it is for our own good. Sadness leads us to repentance and opens the door to salvation. Our sins should cause us to feel great remorse for our actions. Showing the reverence we have for the Lord we claim to serve. I pray that those who read this will not allow false teaching to lull them into a place of contentment. Instead, wake up to the truth that is in the Bible. There is true joy in serving the Lord just not when it comes to the issues of sin in our lives.
Romans 15:13 (ESV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
I hope this article has helped you in some way. Being sad for the right reasons is always a good thing. If you feel remorse when you sin it is okay that should be how you feel because you have done something wrong. If you don’t pray about it and study out what it really means to sin in the Bible. The same came to be said for the person who came to God without feeling any sadness. Go back and reflect on your actions and pray again to God. And please be sure to teach others that you lead to God that they should feel remorse for their past life.
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