Can You Define Remorse?

When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse.   Matthew 27:3

Remorse is a horrible thing.  It does not fill emptiness, it deepens it.  Judas was “filled with remorse.”  Remorse is the result of a life connected to “wickedness, evil, greed and depravity” (Rom 1:29), and is in sharp contrast to living as a follower of, or one who mirrors Christ, such a person is “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” 

Remorse fills emptiness with destruction, leaving more emptiness than was there before remorse entered.  But, the Holy Spirit fills emptiness with His fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). 

Thomas `A Kempis aptly said, “I would far rather feel remorse than know how to define it.”  Judas went beyond feeling remorse, he defined it.  Judas knew remorse meant “that Jesus had been condemned to die” through his greed, pride and what ever ate at his soul to allow Satan’s hate to enter him.  Being a disciple was too much to bear, in contrast,   Kempis knew that when you “Bear the Cross cheerfully … it will bear you.” 

Remorse is something you never want to define.  You will only find an empty pit, and like Judas, when you recognize your error, you will desperately want out of the pit.  But, others respond to your remorse as they did to Judas, when they said, “What do we care? … That's your problem” (Matt 27:4). 

Be attentive to you life, don’t define remorse, be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:11).

Owen <><

Can You Define Remorse? I hope not!