Remorse is “a strong feeling of sadness, shame and regret about something wrong that you have done.” But it doesn’t stop there. “Remorse involves admitting one’s own mistakes and taking responsibility for one's actions. It creates a sense of guilt and sorrow for hurting someone else and leads to confession and true apology.” Having remorse is much more than just speaking it, as you could say you are remorseful but continue without doing anything about it. Mark 7:6 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain.” People can say they are sorry but not really mean it when there is no action involved. Remorse involves sincere confession and action that follows.
Yesterday we looked at the church prostituting itself to other gospels. This is a serious offense and is a rejection of God. This rebellion has brought on the abomination that causes desolation which has decimated the church, leaving only a remnant remaining. Over and over the people of God down through the ages have been told to obey. Scripture tells us, Leviticus 26:3 “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,” then blessings would follow. They were also told 14 “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you,” and curses would follow. Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’” Since they did not listen, everything that the prophets told them would happen, happened. 2 Chronicles 36:15 “The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. 20 He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.”
Because God’s people refused to obey, they ended up in captivity. Daniel was a faithful servant of God who took responsibility and confessed before God. We are also told in Leviticus, Leviticus 26:40 “‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. 44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God. 45 But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’” Daniel confessed. Daniel 9:2 “In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed.” We know from Daniel’s life that he was sincerely confessing and not just paying lip service. He was saved from the lions because he trusted God with his life. Daniel 6:23 “When Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Not only did God save him and respond to His confession, but God also showed him what was going to happen to the church in the future. Daniel 10:14 “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
The church cannot say it was not warned, but instead of obeying God’s word, God’s people, now the church, rejected Him just as Israel did and prostituted themselves to other gospels. Instead of repenting, the church continues to follow their own wicked ways without remorse, nor with any fear of God. A refusal to acknowledge this sin of rebellion leads to a lack of repentance. Most people think they have done nothing wrong. Jeremiah 8:6 “None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.” Jeremiah 6:15 “Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.” You do not want to fall with those who have no shame. But for those who do feel ashamed for how the church has rebelled against God, we respond as Daniel and say, Daniel 9:7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.” And we cry out as David said 1 Chronicles 16:35 “Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” Daniel concluded his prayer and said Daniel 9:17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
Today the church is desolate with very few feeling remorse, but for those who do, Joel 2:15 “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. 16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. 17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” This means stop what you are doing, take your eyes off this world and yourself and commit your life wholeheartedly to God. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” But God is not looking just at your lips but your heart. If your confession is sincere, then this promise will apply to you also. As Peter said, Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Lamentations 5:1 “Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. 19 You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.”
