Your accuser may say, “You are only sorry for what you’ve done because you were caught.” How do we understand this challenge?
The Bible portrays Esau as one sorry for what he did because he was caught. His lament was not for what he did in giving up his birthright, but for the consequences that followed.
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 13:15-17)
If there were no consequences he would not have been sorry. So preachers extrapolate, “Better contrition is for the sin itself, not because of the feeling the consequences.”
This is absolute self-righteous hubris nonsense! There a clear relationship in feeling sorry between the sin and the contrition that feeling the consequence produces. The consequences bring home the impact of our sin and sinfulness. Let me demonstrate.
Have you ever stolen anything at work? Ever taken a pen, or paper? Ever used the copy machine to copy your tax return or some other personal use? Have you ever answered a personal phone call, or did an email search for some personal issue and thereby stolen time that was due your employer. Do you feel the pain of the sin from your theft? Have you even ever confessed this as sin? Have you ever stood before your employer and begged for forgiveness for your thievery? Unlikely! Why? Only because you were not caught. But if you were caught, and brought in before your superior or the HR Director for a reprimand, you would certainly then be sorry. If it went into your permanent employee file that would affect your opportunity for promotion or advancement in your career you would be real sorry! Being known as a thief would be serious in your professional career. But that is what you are! Oh Thief, is it the sin that pricks your conscience, or the consequences that you feel bad about? God uses the consequences of public exposure to bring home the significance of your sin. Only those who re-write “sin” accuse Esau of something short of sincere contrition by feeling sorry only for the consequence. It turns out you are just like Esau.
Need another example?
Do you lie or always tell the truth? You no doubt will assert that you are a truth teller. Have you ever told a lie? Of course; everyone has. More than once? Of course. Twice? Countless times. How about at work? How about stretching the truth; what we call little white lies or “sales puffing” to your clients? How about not telling someone the truth, the “whole truth” which causes them to reach to a false conclusion that they would not necessarily reach if you did not withhold information? You are a liar, deceiver, and manipulator of others. You are certainly not to be trusted. Should we put that in your employee file too? Are you Esau, or have you felt remorse for your sin apart from the consequences? Maybe if you had to feel some consequences it would make you realize how twisted you are, oh Liar.
How about one more. Have you ever lusted for a woman? Of course you have. More than once? Certainly. Have you lusted for her at church? Perhaps the woman singing the solo? The woman in the row in front of you? Or at work? Do you think of her when you make love to your wife? How about when you take a shower? And you hold yourself out as a trusted church member, or employee. You lust, and are a mental adulterer. You pervert. Whose wife is safe from your gaze? What woman at work can feel comfortable around you? Have you felt enough remorse for your sin, Esau, or does it take some consequences for you to feel its sting? What if we posted in next week’s church bulletin a detailed description of your lust? Or should we post it on your company’s website, or have it distributed on an interoffice memo? Or have you repented enough, and adequately demonstrated to everyone’s satisfaction the sincerity of your contrition? I don’t think so, oh Adulterer.
You may never face any consequences for most of your acts, thoughts, or words of sin. Too bad. You have missed a tremendous blessing — the sting of consequences grants the opportunity for intimacy with the Lord. May God expose you, Esau.
Jay A. Quine, J.D., Th.M., Ph.D. 