Sometimes responsibility had an uncomfortable fit, like a right boot on a left foot.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Day the Cowboys Quit)
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
–1 John 1:7 (NKJV)
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“O the bliss of the man whose heart is broken for the world’s suffering and for his own sin, for out of his sorrow he will find the joy of God!”
–Matthew 5:4 (Barclay)
As we continue looking at this beatitude I want to first take a look at false mourning. Crocodile tears–they mean a false or fake heart. As a principal I was used to seeing crocodile tears, especially from female students. I remember one time, this girl was sent to my office, boo-hooing. I let her go on for a spell, then sharply spoke, “Stop, it!” The tears stopped flowing and it was as if she had not been crying. It was a good show, but I was wary and on to her.
Thomas Watson warns us about those false mourners. You may have noticed them at some point in your life, or, shame, you might have done one or more of these yourself. The first is the false mourning of despair. We see this in Judas. Matthew tells us that he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver. We see remorse, and perhaps some sorrow, but no real repentance. Tears may have flowed and we could suggest several reasons but not one of those tears brought him to repentance; he could have been saved.
The second false mourner is that of the hypocrite. We see this in Saul when he is confronted by Samuel. He looks like a mourner; he even says the right things. However, he does not take the shame for himself, and makes excuses and does not repent. The kingdom is lost to his heirs, and it seems that like Judas, his soul was lost as well, for he continued on a downward course.
The third mourner is the force mourner. We can almost hear the boo-hooing of Cain as he stands before the Lord in judgment. “My punishment is greater than I can bear!” Notice that his punishment bothered him more than his sin. As Watson relates, “The tears of the wicked are forced by the fire of affliction.” How many have promised, with tears flowing, when caught in a crime or a sin that their punishment is unfair, unjust, and that they cannot bear it. Again, no repentance, just feeling sorry for themselves, that the consequences of their actions are unfair, and that they got caught.
One more type of mourner is that of the external. This is the one that does all of the outward motions of mourning. We see this in Ahab. He was sorry to the extent that he put on a good show to the prophet and the people around. His sorrow was not from the heart, but lay only on the outside. He tore his clothes, but his heart was not torn. Jesus speaks of this type of mourner when He says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.” (Matthew 6:16, NIV) They put on a good show and they present themselves as if in mourning, but the reality of it was not real.
All four of the above cried their crocodile tears, but they were deceptive, manipulative, and had unclean motives. This is not true mourning for sin. Those who are truly mourning will recognize that sin is an action of hostility and enmity against God. They know that it is the highest form of ingratitude against God, and that it hinders any communion with God except to repent. See true gospel-mourning is a soul quest for God. It is mourning over particular sins and self-loathing (which we are not supposed to do anymore in our more enlightened society) because of sin. This repentance is purifying and there must be an honest hatred of sin, theirs and the sins of the world. There may be restitution if possible and it will be speedy, it is not put off. David Wilkerson reminds us that, “Conviction is not condemnation.” Take care of the sin immediately, repent. And I will say this, that the need will be perpetual. In saying that I don’t mean for the same sin, but we need to walk closely to the Lord so that we know immediately if we have committed any transgression against Him. “The closer the Christian lives to God, the more he will mourn over all that dishonors Him.” (Arthur Pink)