REGRET OR REMORSE?

REGRET OR REMORSE?

Rom 6:17-22

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

          Merriam-Webster says that regret is “sorrow caused by something beyond one’s power to remedy.” Remorse is “a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs.” It is important not to confuse these two. We often berate ourselves for things that are beyond our power to remedy. This is especially true with broken relationships. We can’t control the thinking or actions of others no matter how hard we try. However, we too often exonerate ourselves of guilt we actually should own. We have made choices and acted wrongly and the guilt we feel is very real and justified. This is regret.

          What confuses me is the church member who wants to “serve iniquity and uncleanness” without feeling any remorse. The counseling room is filled with those who want relief from guilt but who will not make the necessary changes to remove it. When counseling fails the subject soon turns to medicine or alcohol but the guilt still persists. Guilt and the remorse that accompanies it can only be relieved by a change in behavior.

          Paul, in verse 21 asks “what fruit had ye” in those things that now bring you shame? Two verse down the page Paul explains that the “wages or fruit” of serving sin is death. We can hope for no other result. Quickly he also explains that eternal life is a gift because the whole apparatus of our service and works is broken. We can’t work our way out of our dilemma. The wages are always the same. We must rely upon the gift of God by grace.

          Notwithstanding, once we have become believers and have received the gift of life, the same rule is still in force in our life. Wrong actions still produce shame and remorse.

O God! O God! that it were possible

To undo things done; to call back yesterday!

That Time could turn up his swift sandy glass,

To untell the days, and to redeem these hours.

Thomas Heywood (C. 1574-1641)

Dear Lord, wash me from my iniquity and create a clean heart in me. AMEN