I'm Sorry for It.

From: The Salvation of God: Volume 7 (1884)

I AM glad to hear it, especially if yours is the right sort of sorrow; for there are two kinds: godly sorrow, which worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of; and the sorrow of the world, which worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10¹⁰For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10).)

It makes me really glad to think your sorrow is towards God, not because of the consequences of wrongdoing; for everyone is sorry when something they have done brings results painful to bear. Even children are sorry when found out and punished. Such sorrow is merely selfish, and leaves God out of mind.

There are also two times to be sorry. In time to find pardon, or in time to be punished.

Let me tell you of a man who sorrowed after the world’s fashion, too late; and of a woman who sorrowed towards God, and in time.

A well-connected young man, possessed of the highest testimonials from former employers, was taken into a position of trust as cashier in a merchant’s office, but though liberally paid, soon began to steal, first small, then larger sums. Even as the vessel on the building-slip, when the supports which hold it are knocked away, first slowly, then rapidly, glides down into the waters waiting to receive it, so this young man, on the road to judgment, heeded in his downward course neither God conscience, nor the bitter reckoning-day.

The master’s suspicions being aroused, the fraudly were discovered, the thief was arrested, committed for trial, and soon stood, pale and awe-stricken, at the bar of justice face to face with the judge before whom he pleaded guilty. What a tale of sorrow his looks tell! Shall long years separated him from wife and children? What says the judge to the recommendation to mercy? “I canna listen to it.” There is no excuse; the public must be protected; and the horror-stricken culprit is led away to bear the full sentence of the country’s offended laws. Sorry, oh, how sorry, for it; but too late! Justice must take its course He said, “I often went to office in the morning determined to make a clean breast of it.” He never did, but missed his opportunity, and was only in time to be punished.

Unsaved reader, God says to you, “Thou art the man.” (2 Samuel 12:7⁷And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; (2 Samuel 12:7).) Have you pleaded guilty before Him at the bar of divine justice and confessed your sins? “What!” you indignantly rejoin, “I a thief!” Stay; I did not say so. Your moral character may be unblameable by man but you need not be a thief to be a sinner. Pride covetousness, loss of temper, even a foolish thought makes you a sinner. In His sight there is no difference; “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” God says you are guilty (Romans 3:19, 23¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)
²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).) God’s justice will have it way. He will not listen to excuses; and whether you think so or not, like it or not, if “Be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23²³But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23).) Then you must bear His just sentence on you, a sinner in the lake of fire forever; be separated, not for I time, but for eternity, from those you love who love the Lord Jesus Christ, whether wife, husband, children, or parents, and be sorry for your sins, oh, how sorry! Forever and ever.

Be sorry towards God, and in time to find pardon.

“THE SORROW OF THE WORLD WORKETH DEATH.” A poor woman lay dangerously ill, not knowing in how many hours even her disease might have a fatal termination. Some verses in 1 John 1, and especially verse 9, had been read to her: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

She believed she was a sinner in the sight of God. One night soon after she said, “I had prayed, but could not sleep, and lay ‘worrying about my sins.’ It came over me that nothing but ‘the blood of Christ’ would put my sins away, and that I must trust Christ. I have confessed my sins to God, and I trust Christ.”

“Then what about your sins?” was asked.

“They must be forgiven,” she replied.

“Why?”

“Because God’s word says so.”

She rested not in works, but where God rests for her and all who truly repent of their sins and believe in “the precious blood of Christ,” which cleanses the conscience from all sin, because Christ bore in their stead on the cross God’s sentence of death for their sins; so that His justice satisfied is their ground of “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).)