What Do We Do With Guilt?

What Do We Do With Guilt?
The passages today spell out the differences between godly and worldly sorrow and the different outcomes for each.

In our more modern times, the sorrow referred to is also known as guilt or remorse. So we can talk of godly guilt and worldly guilt.

"For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 AMP

Zacchaeus the tax collector responds to Jesus' invitation showing his godly sorrow and repentance in concrete terms.

"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:8-10

A good example of worldly sorrow or guilt is the reaction of Judas once he realised the full impact of betraying Christ - it brought him death by suicide. For others, worldly sorrow brings depression and other "mental" death and disconnection from life and God.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)