Remorseful or repentant?

After Judas betrayed Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver, we can read in Matthew 27:3 that he was "seized with remorse" (NIV), "remorseful" (NKJV), and "regretted what had happened" (ISV). That's an interesting word right there--remorse! Dictionaries define remorse as a feeling of deep regret or guilt. When taken into spiritual context, remorse does not necessarily reflect a "repentant heart" (Psalm 51:17), and "godly sorrow" (2 Corinthians 7:10). That's why remorse was not enough to spare Judas from his sorrows that led him to take away his own life. And why do we even talk about a traitor and regret his decisions?

You see, many of the disciples of Jesus at the time of His crucifixion betrayed Him. One by one they started to disassociate themselves with Jesus at the moment of His arrest. The most famous "traitor" of them all aside from Judas is of course, Peter, one of His most trusted and closest disciples. Peter denied His Lord three times, at different instances, with increasing intensity. He also consciously and deliberately denied his Rabbi. But unlike Judas, Peter was not only regretful, he was repentant. He was overcome with godly sorrow and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:75).

The rest of the disciples also was seemingly absent during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. They were not there to fight for and stand with Jesus. They were overcome with fear for their own life. Just like Judas they had personal concerns when matters came to worst. But again, unlike Judas, all of them later repented as testified by their willingness to stay in one place even before the resurrection day. At the time of resurrection, Jesus sought to restore Peter and the rest of the disciples who remained. Jesus was there to extend His grace and redemption despite their betrayal.

How about Judas? Well, he was not restored simply because he wasn't there anymore. In fact, he too, had the opportunity to be restored upon seeing that he had made a mistake by betraying 'innocent blood". He had the chance to return to the disciples and repent over what was done, but he did not. He went his way and took matters in his own hands...and into the grave.

The bottomline? Repent, don't just regret! "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (2 Corinthians 7:10)