Remorse
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Remorse is a profound feeling of regret or guilt for a wrong committed. In the biblical context, remorse is often associated with the recognition of sin and the emotional response that follows. It is a critical aspect of repentance, which involves not only feeling sorry for one's sins but also turning away from them and seeking forgiveness from God.

Biblical Instances of Remorse

1. Judas Iscariot: One of the most notable examples of remorse in the Bible is Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver. After realizing the gravity of his actions, Judas was filled with remorse. Matthew 27:3-4 states, "When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,' he said." Despite his remorse, Judas's response did not lead to true repentance, as he ultimately took his own life.

2. David: King David's remorse is vividly depicted in the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David acknowledged his sin and expressed deep sorrow. Psalm 51 is a poignant reflection of his remorse and desire for forgiveness. In Psalm 51:3-4 , David declares, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight."

3. Peter: The Apostle Peter experienced remorse after denying Jesus three times. Luke 22:61-62 recounts, "And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly." Peter's remorse led to genuine repentance and restoration, as he later became a foundational leader in the early Church.

Theological Significance

Remorse is an essential component of the process of repentance. It involves a heartfelt acknowledgment of one's sins and a sincere desire to seek God's forgiveness. The Bible emphasizes that true repentance goes beyond mere remorse; it requires a transformation of the heart and a commitment to turn away from sin.

2 Corinthians 7:10 highlights the distinction between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." Godly sorrow, characterized by genuine remorse, leads to repentance and ultimately to salvation.

Remorse and Forgiveness

The Bible assures believers that God is merciful and ready to forgive those who come to Him with a contrite heart. 1 John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Remorse, when coupled with confession and repentance, opens the door to God's grace and forgiveness.

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to examine their hearts regularly and respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit with genuine remorse for their sins. This involves not only feeling regret but also taking active steps to make amends and seek reconciliation with God and others. Through prayer, confession, and a commitment to live according to God's will, believers can experience the transformative power of repentance and the joy of restored fellowship with God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) The anguish, like gnawing pain, excited by a sense of guilt; compunction of conscience for a crime committed, or for the sins of one's past life.

2. (n.) Sympathetic sorrow; pity; compassion.

Greek
3338. metamelomai -- to regret, repent
... Word Origin from meta and melo Definition to regret, repent NASB Word Usage change
his mind (1), feel remorse (1), felt remorse (1), regret (2), regretted (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3338.htm - 7k
Library

Love and Remorse
... THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL LOVE AND REMORSE. ... Saul's burst of passionate remorse is
morbid, paroxysmal, like his fits of fury, and is sure to foam itself away. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/love and remorse.htm

The Remorse of Judas.
... FRIDAY"THE DAY OF SUFFERING THE REMORSE OF JUDAS. Then Judas, who betrayed
him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the remorse of judas.htm

Letter xvii. --Remorse and Rebellion.
... Letter XVII."Remorse and Rebellion. To Sister Marie-Anne-Th??r??se de Rosen.
On remorse of conscience and the rebellion of the passions. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter xvii remorse and rebellion.htm

Remorse and Suicide of Judas.
... Last Week of Our Lord's Ministry, the Fourth Passover, the Crucifixion. CXXXII.
Remorse and Suicide of Judas. (in the Temple and Outside the Wall of Jerusalem. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxxxii remorse and suicide of.htm

Repentance and Impenitence.
... 2. Repentance is not a phenomenon of the sensibility: that is, it does not consist
in a feeling of regret or remorse, of compunction or sorrow for sin, or of ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxxiv repentance and impenitence.htm

True Repentance
... For the dark uneasy feeling which comes over every man sooner or later, after doing
wrong, is not repentance; it is remorse; the most horrible and miserable of ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xii true repentance.htm

Whether the Damned Will ever Think of God?
... Objection 2: Further, the damned will have remorse of conscience. But the
conscience suffers remorse for deeds done against God. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the damned will ever.htm

It was a Clear Morning and the Tenth Day Before the Kalends of ...
... Shame and sorrow and remorse were racking him down. King and kingdom were now swiftly
changing. ... Again remorse and age had flung their weight upon him. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 22 it was a.htm

The Christian and the Scientific Estimate of Sin
... 2. Next, we turn to the witness of conscience, of our moral reason. The main point
here is that so often brought forward, of the uniqueness of remorse. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/beibitz/gloria crucis/iii the christian and the.htm

Of the Custom of Set Appointed Retreats for Meditation...
... extroverted course of life to be brought to discern the foulness of his soul, the
peril of his state, &c., and from thence to procure remorse, contrition, and ...
/.../chapter iv of the custom.htm

Thesaurus
Remorse (2 Occurrences)
... one's past life. 2. (n.) Sympathetic sorrow; pity; compassion. Multi-Version
Concordance Remorse (2 Occurrences). Matthew 21:32 For ...
/r/remorse.htm - 7k

Repentance (28 Occurrences)
... (1.) The verb metamelomai is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret
or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. ...
/r/repentance.htm - 31k

Prick (2 Occurrences)
... a skewer. 2. (n.) The act of pricking, or the sensation of being pricked;
a sharp, stinging pain; figuratively, remorse. 3. (n.) A ...
/p/prick.htm - 11k

Sting (5 Occurrences)
... into it. 3. (vt) Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as,
the stings of remorse; the stings of reproach. 4. (n.) The ...
/s/sting.htm - 10k

Remote (17 Occurrences)

/r/remote.htm - 12k

Conscience (36 Occurrences)
... Especially has the remorse of an evil conscience impressed the human imagination,
in such instances as Cain and Judas, Saul and Herod; and the poets, those ...
/c/conscience.htm - 37k

Wormwood (10 Occurrences)
... noted for its intense bitterness (Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15;
Amos 5:7). It is a type of bitterness, affliction, remorse, punitive suffering ...
/w/wormwood.htm - 13k

Worm (22 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) Same as Vermes. 7. (n.) An internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts
one's mind with remorse. 8. (n.) A being debased and despised. ...
/w/worm.htm - 21k

Faint (76 Occurrences)
... a root which signifies the sickness produced by exhaustion from loss of blood, is
used in Isaiah 1:5 for the faintness of heart, the result of remorse for sin ...
/f/faint.htm - 38k

Felt (40 Occurrences)
... Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned,
felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief ...
/f/felt.htm - 18k

Resources
What does the Bible say about repentance? What does it mean to repent? | GotQuestions.org

What is penitence? What does the Bible say about penitence? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Judas Iscariot? | GotQuestions.org

Remorse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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