Regret is an interesting word. The first part of the word is the Latin prefix “re” meaning “again,” and the second part of the word is the base word “gret” which comes from the very old Germanic word “graetan” meaning “weep.” So, the word literally means “weep again.” Regrets are things that we have done or that have happened to us that make us “weep again.”
It is best to go through life avoiding doing things we will regret later. However, since the beginning of the human race, not a single man or woman has lived their lives so as to have no regrets.
We have all done things that we should deeply regret. We have all sinned. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). Sin is deeply regrettable because it brings dishonor to God. Sin also goes hand in hand with death. “The wages of sin is death,” reads Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).
Although men and women might excuse their sins in their own minds as if they were no big deal, or they might accuse those around them as if others were responsible for the sins they have done instead of themselves, the terrible fact remains — each one of us has sinned.
Sin is also highly regrettable because it incurs the debt of eternal punishment. In ourselves we have no way to pay off that terrible debt.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,” has made a way for that debt to be paid off that restores His honor (Ephesians 2:44But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)). God came to earth in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and gave His life at Calvary. As a man, the Lord Jesus could die. His death has the infinite value to cancel the debt of sin for all who believe.
Because of His sacrificial death, those who believe in the name of Christ will have their sins forgiven. Their sins are removed from them as far as the east is from the west, and they are cast, so to speak, into the depths of the sea.
We have all sinned and done things we deeply regret. The Lord Jesus shed His blood so that the stain of sin may be washed off our souls so we may live united to Him through faith.
All sin is deeply regrettable. But one type of sin will be more regrettable than all others. It occurs when a person never returns to God. Those who die in their sins will be cast out of God’s presence and will have no opportunity of ever being readmitted into His love and favor again. In hell’s darkness, lost souls will weep, and their weeping will never cease. “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” the Lord Jesus said (Matthew 25:3030And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)).
The time to repent and believe in the Savior to avoid that fate is now! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Don’t continue to live a second longer in unbelief. If you die in unbelief, it will be forever too late to be right with God. You will end up suffering forever from your choice to delay coming to Christ. Come to the Savior today!