Jessie had been riding the fence, as he called it, for quite awhile. He wanted to do what he wanted to do. He wanted to live the way he wanted to live. He didn’t want anyone to tell him what to do, whether it be his parents, his pastor, or even God. He wanted to live life his way, and by his rules. He still believed in God, but he was tired of all of the rules and regulations of what he could, and couldn’t do. Now that he was in college, and away from home, he was going to do what he wanted, and come what may. No regrets.
After a few months of living life with “no regrets,” he found that he did have regrets. Quite a few regrets.
We hear a lot these days about living with no regrets. Now, this can be a good thing, or also maybe, a not so good thing. One thing, to say “No Regrets” can imply a lack of repentance for past mistakes, and not recognizing the need for God’s forgiveness.
We all make mistakes, or I should probably say, sin. We are not alone. Some of the most prominent people in the Bible sinned. Look at David. He committed adultery with another man’s wife, got her pregnant, tried to cover it up, and then had the husband killed. When this sin was presented to him by the prophet Samuel, though, David repented, and through the grace of God, he was forgiven.
This life of “no regrets” may not recognize our need for God’s grace. We cannot live without relying on His forgiveness. The only was we, as Christians, can live a life of “no regrets” is through the saving power of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
What is “Godly sorrow?” It’s regret, with the understanding of how one’s actions have offended God, leading to a desire to repent, and change one’s character. It is motivated by a desire to please God. It is driven by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It is different from worldly regret in that worldly regret focuses on personal consequences of the action, and is often driven by things like social pressure or fear of consequences.
So salvation without regret is the idea that turning away from sin, and following Jesus leads to a life free of regret. That is the kind of “No Regrets” life that I want to live.