Comments on: Is There Regret in Heaven? http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/ Thoughts on Theology and Technology Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:33:45 +0000 hourly 1 By: Phil Gons http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-26432 Phil Gons Thu, 08 May 2008 04:25:42 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-26432 Thanks for all the comments, guys. Some helpful thoughts. Thanks for all the comments, guys. Some helpful thoughts.

]]> By: Kenneth Ross http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-24546 Kenneth Ross Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:42:30 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-24546 "By and by, when I look on his face, I'll wish I had given him more" The song these words are from is in many old hymn books. But hymnology does not always equal good theology. John Piper's preaching does my heart immense good, but there are occasions when some of his writing leaves me with a 'rushed to print' feeling. Maybe this is one such case. I have heard the 'no regret in heaven' discussion before, and I think it is still an unsettled question in my mind. The verses I have heard used in the past to defend the position are Ecc. 1 v.11 and Ps. 9 v.6. However, I believe using them to support the present matter is to take them out of context. I think I look to another hymn writer to set my impression of heaven; 'Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.' “By and by, when I look on his face, I’ll wish I had given him more”

The song these words are from is in many old hymn books. But hymnology does not always equal good theology.

John Piper’s preaching does my heart immense good, but there are occasions when some of his writing leaves me with a ‘rushed to print’ feeling. Maybe this is one such case.

I have heard the ‘no regret in heaven’ discussion before, and I think it is still an unsettled question in my mind. The verses I have heard used in the past to defend the position are Ecc. 1 v.11 and Ps. 9 v.6. However, I believe using them to support the present matter is to take them out of context.

I think I look to another hymn writer to set my impression of heaven; ‘Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.’

]]> By: Richard http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-23674 Richard Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:53:55 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-23674 You pose a very interesting question. You would think in heaven there would be nothing but positive things, and something like regret would not be in heaven. But in the afterlife we will remember everything. We will remember our family, friends and everything we have done. If there is regret in heaven, the love that Jesus has for us will over power it. It is God's love that draws us to repentance. —Richard You pose a very interesting question. You would think in heaven there would be nothing but positive things, and something like regret would not be in heaven. But in the afterlife we will remember everything. We will remember our family, friends and everything we have done. If there is regret in heaven, the love that Jesus has for us will over power it. It is God’s love that draws us to repentance. —Richard

]]> By: Kevin http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-21147 Kevin Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:52:30 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-21147 "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death." 2 Cor 7:10 My experience has been that genuine repentance over my own sin and a deeper revelation of the mercy of God and His love for me demonstrated on the cross produces joy in God without any regret. He removes our sin and shame and brings us from glory to glory as we behold him. When I have regret over past sin it usually turns out to be that I truly haven't brought it to the cross. Also, often I think our regret is an inverted form of pride. "I should have done better or be more Christ like by now." “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Cor 7:10

My experience has been that genuine repentance over my own sin and a deeper revelation of the mercy of God and His love for me demonstrated on the cross produces joy in God without any regret. He removes our sin and shame and brings us from glory to glory as we behold him.

When I have regret over past sin it usually turns out to be that I truly haven’t brought it to the cross. Also, often I think our regret is an inverted form of pride. “I should have done better or be more Christ like by now.”

]]> By: Mike Johnson http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-20532 Mike Johnson Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:38:16 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-20532 Piper has a point. We will look to the One who is worthy and worship him on the basis of his worthiness. And we will worship the redeemer and rejoice in his gracious redemption. Inherent in that is an acknowledgment of one's own unworthiness and need of redemption. Will we forget why we are unworthy (our sin) and from what we were redeemed? If we will not forget that, then we would surely have to regret; for not regretting a rebellion against God would in itself be immoral. However, the focus will surely be on the redeemer. In the same way, Paul tells us to remember our past condition in order to fully appreciate the grace we have in Christ (Ephesians 2.11)—and in that teaching there is no sense of focusing on past sin or conjuring up regret. Piper has a point. We will look to the One who is worthy and worship him on the basis of his worthiness. And we will worship the redeemer and rejoice in his gracious redemption. Inherent in that is an acknowledgment of one’s own unworthiness and need of redemption. Will we forget why we are unworthy (our sin) and from what we were redeemed? If we will not forget that, then we would surely have to regret; for not regretting a rebellion against God would in itself be immoral.

However, the focus will surely be on the redeemer. In the same way, Paul tells us to remember our past condition in order to fully appreciate the grace we have in Christ (Ephesians 2.11)—and in that teaching there is no sense of focusing on past sin or conjuring up regret.

]]> By: James Steinbach http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-20214 James Steinbach Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:25:13 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-20214 According to your review, for Piper's "regretful joy" to work, redemption-based rejoicing must include the memory of sin. I don't think that's necessary. Under the New Covenant, God promises not to remember sin any longer (Jer. 31.34). It seems that in Scripture, God's remembering involves more than simply intellectual possession of facts, but a deliberate response to those facts. If God promises that He won't remember (respond to) forgiven sins, should we insist that rejoicing requires us to remember our sin and to respond emotionally to it? Respond to forgiveness, yes! To our security, of course! To our position in the Beloved, absolutely! To God Himself, without a doubt! But does joy require us to focus on sin? Not that I'm aware of. I see great joy over the destruction of sin's dominion (I Cor. 15.55-57), our repentance from sin (Lk. 15.7, 10) and the Savior's triumphant atonement for sin (Col. 2.13-15). In Revelation itself, the worship centers on who the Lamb is and what He has done - not what the worshipers formerly did (Rev. 4, 5, 7, 11, 19). We can rejoice in God's judgment of sin without dwelling on the details of the sins we committed. I strongly suspect that the glory of God's character is infinite enough that we can spend eternity rejoicing in it - we will see the brilliance of light without needing a dark background (Rev. 21.23). According to your review, for Piper’s “regretful joy” to work, redemption-based rejoicing must include the memory of sin. I don’t think that’s necessary. Under the New Covenant, God promises not to remember sin any longer (Jer. 31.34). It seems that in Scripture, God’s remembering involves more than simply intellectual possession of facts, but a deliberate response to those facts. If God promises that He won’t remember (respond to) forgiven sins, should we insist that rejoicing requires us to remember our sin and to respond emotionally to it? Respond to forgiveness, yes! To our security, of course! To our position in the Beloved, absolutely! To God Himself, without a doubt! But does joy require us to focus on sin? Not that I’m aware of. I see great joy over the destruction of sin’s dominion (I Cor. 15.55-57), our repentance from sin (Lk. 15.7, 10) and the Savior’s triumphant atonement for sin (Col. 2.13-15). In Revelation itself, the worship centers on who the Lamb is and what He has done – not what the worshipers formerly did (Rev. 4, 5, 7, 11, 19). We can rejoice in God’s judgment of sin without dwelling on the details of the sins we committed. I strongly suspect that the glory of God’s character is infinite enough that we can spend eternity rejoicing in it – we will see the brilliance of light without needing a dark background (Rev. 21.23).

]]> By: Sam Sutter http://philgons.com/2008/04/is-there-regret-in-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-20150 Sam Sutter Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:40:59 +0000 http://philgons.com/?p=248#comment-20150 calling Piper on semantics and word definitions? unbelievable. calling Piper on semantics and word definitions? unbelievable.

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