All Tears of Godly Sorrow Drop From the Eye of Faith
Godly sorrow is the fruit of evangelical faith, flowing from a look of faith upon a pierced Christ.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that all godly sorrow stems from evangelical faith, illustrating that true mourning arises from a heartfelt gaze upon the pierced Christ. He explains that the depth of one's sorrow correlates with the depth of faith, as the more one perceives Christ's wounds, the more one mourns for their sins. Brooks asserts that God's free love and mercy, revealed through Christ, is the source of all genuine sorrow, as it compels the heart to lament over sin. He contrasts the fear of condemnation with the transformative power of witnessing a bleeding Savior, which evokes sincere mourning in the believer's heart.
Text
"They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced--and
shall mourn." Zechariah 12:10
All godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of evangelical faith.
Godly sorrow flows from faith--as the stream from the fountain,
the branch from the root, and the effect from the cause. All
gracious mourning flows from looking, from believing. Nothing
breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith. All tears of
godly sorrow drop from the eye of faith. Godly sorrow
rises and falls--as faith rises and falls. The more a man is
able by faith to look upon a pierced Christ--the more his
heart will mourn over all the dishonors which he has done
to Christ. The more deep and wide the wounds are, which
faith shows me in the heart and sides of Christ--the more
my heart will be wounded for sinning against Christ.
The free love and favor of God, and His unspeakable goodness
and mercy manifested in Jesus Christ to poor sinners--is the
very spring and fountain of all evangelical sorrow. Nothing
breaks the heart of a poor sinner like the sight of God's free
love in Christ, the Redeemer. A man cannot seriously look upon
the firstness, the freeness, the greatness, the unchangeableness,
the everlastingness, and the matchlessness of God's free favor
and love in Christ--with a hard heart, or with dry eyes! It is
only such a love as this, which sets the soul a-mourning and
a-lamenting over a crucified Christ.
The fears of wrath, of hell, and of condemnation--works unsound
hearts to mourn. But it is the sight of a bleeding, dying Savior--
which sets sincere, gracious souls a-mourning.
Sermon Outline
- Godly Sorrow is the Fruit of Faith
- The Depth of Faith Determines the Depth of Sorrow
- God's Free Love is the Spring of Evangelical Sorrow
- Godly sorrow flows from faith, just like a stream flows from a fountain
- Faith looks upon a pierced Christ, breaking the heart of a sinner
- The more a man looks upon Christ's wounds, the more his heart will mourn
- Faith shows the depth and width of Christ's wounds, causing a deeper sorrow
- The sight of God's free love in Christ sets the soul a-mourning
- A hard heart cannot look upon God's free favor and love without sorrow
Key Quotes
“All godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of evangelical faith.” — Thomas Brooks
“Nothing breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith.” — Thomas Brooks
“A man cannot seriously look upon the firstness, the freeness, the greatness, the unchangeableness, the everlastingness, and the matchlessness of God's free favor and love in Christ--with a hard heart, or with dry eyes!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- As you look upon Christ's wounds, your heart will mourn over the dishonors you have done to Him.
- The sight of God's free love in Christ should set your soul a-mourning and a-lamenting.
- Faith in Christ's free favor and love should lead you to a deeper sorrow for your sins.