This episode unpacks 2 Corinthians 7:10, in which “sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret.” Arguably the reason why many repent only superficially is that sorrow according to the will of God is missing. Sorrow over sin and missing the purpose of God is necessary for lasting repentance. So when an evangelist is not comfortable with a would-be convert’s squirming under conviction, he may interrupt the Holy Spirit’s convicting work by minimizing or dumbing down the need for repentance. Many churches, in a sincere desire to bring people to Christ, unfortunately gloss over repentance in rushed alter call settings. It may result in recitation of the sinner’s prayer, but since genuine sorrow leading to a repentance without regret is rarely possible in a five-minute alter call, many either return to the world (seed sown in rocky ground) or vacillate in their commitment to Christ. Their “repentance” came with regrets because real SORROW was never experienced. The evangelist then needs to be attentive to the Holy Spirit and allow His work of conviction to proceed uninterrupted, until it produces a sorrow that leads to repentance without regret.
