Brief on regrets (Sermon)

Nov 11, 2007

Once again I review the notes from a sermon from Grace Baptist Church and provide the link to the sermon, above.
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Spiritual Depression #4: Regrets

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What causes spiritual depression? A great many things do. Some are in the future, others in the present, but the most common causes-and the hardest ones to cure-are in the past.

This is because the present and the future are open to us. Today's problem may be gone tomorrow. And the future things I fear so much may not happen at all. The past, however, is fixed and unchangeable.

These are wise words. I have noted online that I consider myself finite and sinful. Theologically, this will mean that I have thoughts, acts and actions that have occurred or not occurred, in my life, that would be mistakes, and at times, even sins.

I can at times, not think of the right thing to do because of my sinful nature and tendencies...

A corrupted fallen nature (Genesis 3, Romans, Galatians) means my nature and universally, human nature, is not perfect and holy. The atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, applied to believers remedies this nature and the sinful choices that result, through sanctification is this present realm and eventual resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) to finite perfection, and the restoration of creation (Revelation 21-22).

Examples:

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 3 For I delivered to you [a]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Footnotes: 1 Corinthians 15:3 Lit among the first

Romans 5:6-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; [a]though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [b]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [c]by His life. Footnotes: Romans 5:7 Lit for Romans 5:9 Or in Romans 5:10

Michael Phillips sermon continued...

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Or in I did what I did or I didn't do what I didn't do, and now what's done cannot be undone and what was left undone cannot be done. Dwelling on the failures of the past is a major cause of depression. 

Some of these failures are sinful, and they produce guilt. We talked about this last week, and I won't rehash it. But there's another kind of failure. It is caused-not by sins, but by mistakes-and it produces-not guilty feelings, but regrets. This is the topic of today's sermon: Regrets as a cause of spiritual depression-and how to get rid of them.

It is better to repent of sin, and in the gospel work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, embrace the atoning and resurrection work applied to the chosen believer (Ephesians 1)  by grace through faith (Ephesians 2).

I repent of mistakes too, as in anything that hinders an effective, good life for me.

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God has planned your life-including the mistakes. Many verses can be cited to this effect, but the one I like best is Ephesians 1:11. It says believers are- Predestined, according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. 'Predestined' simply means God has an eternal plan for His People, and that it cannot be hindered because it includes every last detail (showing God's wisdom) and is backed by His Almighty and Irresistible Power. Your mistakes are part of the plan. How they fit in, I do not know and will not guess. Submit to the Word of God and to its mystery.

Being regenerated in Christ (Titus 3, John 3) there is a future, even with present mistakes and sins. Everlasting life is what needs to be embraced. Rather than dwell on mistakes and worse, sins of the past, it is better to prayerfully ask God, for better and that I (we) can do better.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1985)(1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.