Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.
Saying, “I am sorry”, in a genuine way is difficult at times. It does require a genuine sense of guilt, compassion and humility. The Apostle Paul had written a letter to the church at Corinth. In that letter he scolded them for the sinful things they were doing (or not doing). In his second letter he talks about their response.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
A person can be sorry he did something wrong in a wrong way. The verse above helps make it clear. There is a godly sorrow and a worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is regret for being found out, for disappointing oneself or another, or for suffering the consequences of a wrongdoing. However, it does not lead to repentance. A good example of this is Judas, the betrayer of Jesus.
Matthew 27:3,5 (NKJV)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
If Judas had been sorry in a godly way, he would have directed that sorrow toward God. Instead, he hanged himself. What would godly sorrow have accomplished for him? He would have gone back to Jesus and asked forgiveness. He would have received that forgiveness and been restored, even as Peter was for denying the Lord three times (John 21:15-19). It would have led to life instead of death. It would have restored fellowship with the other disciples. He could have gone on to do great things for the Kingdom, perhaps. He could have had eternal life. 02-09-09
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