No Hand but a Divine Hand
True repentance involves godly sorrow, a supernatural principle that mourns over the evil of sin and is a gift from God.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that true repentance involves a deep, godly sorrow for sin, which is a gift from God that transforms a hardened heart into one that is soft and tender. He explains that this sorrow arises from a profound understanding of God's displeasure with sin and the serious consequences it brings, rather than merely mourning worldly losses. Brooks contrasts the godly sorrow exemplified by Peter, who mourned for the sin itself, with Judas, who only regretted the punishment he faced. Ultimately, he asserts that only a divine hand can cultivate such heartfelt repentance in a believer.
Text
"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16
Sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance.
A sincere mourning is a deep mourning; it springs from
serious and deep apprehensions of the great anger and
deep displeasure of God, and of the woeful nature, demerit,
burden, bitterness, vileness, and filthiness of sin. Oh the
sighs, the groans, the sobs, the tears, which are to be
found among repenting sinners.
No man is born with godly sorrow in his heart, as he is
born with a tongue in his mouth. Godly sorrow is a plant
of God's own planting; it is from God, and God alone. The
spirit of mourning is from above; it is from a supernatural
power and principle. There is nothing that can turn a heart
of stone into flesh, but the Spirit of God, Ezek. 36:25-26.
Godly sorrow is a gift from God. No hand but a divine
hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight
and sense of sin. Nature may easily work a man to mourn,
and melt, and weep, under worldly losses, crosses, and
miseries; but it must be grace, it must be a supernatural
principle, which must work the heart to mourn for sin.
"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16
Godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin. Godly sorrow is a
mourning rather for sin--than for the trouble which sin
brings; it is not so much for loss of goods, lands, wife,
child, credit, name, etc., but for that a holy God is offended,
a righteous law violated, Christ dishonored, the Spirit grieved,
and the gospel blemished, etc. Peter's sorrow was godly, but
Judas' sorrow was worldly; Peter mourns over the evil of sin,
but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment.
Sermon Outline
- I. True Repentance Involves Sorrow for Sin
- A. Sincere mourning is a deep mourning
- B. It springs from serious apprehensions of God's anger and displeasure
- C. It involves a deep understanding of the nature and demerit of sin
- II. Godly Sorrow is a Gift from God
- A. It is a supernatural principle that turns a heart of stone into flesh
- B. It is not something that can be worked by nature, but by the Spirit of God
- III. Godly Sorrow is a Sorrow for Sin as Sin
- A. It is a mourning for the evil of sin, not just its consequences
- B. It involves a deep sense of offense against a holy God
Key Quotes
“God makes my heart soft.” — Thomas Brooks
“There is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh, but the Spirit of God, Ezek. 36:25-26.” — Thomas Brooks
“Godly sorrow is a gift from God. No hand but a divine hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Recognize that godly sorrow is a gift from God and cannot be worked up by nature.
- Understand that true repentance involves a deep sorrow for sin, not just its consequences.
- Seek the Spirit of God to turn your heart of stone into flesh and make it soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin.