2Cor. 7:10 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.
2Cor. 7:10 For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death].
The second quote is from the amplified version which is so descriptive. Remember that this section of scripture is written to Christians and not to the lost. Paul is celebrating the fact that the Christians in Corinth had finally repented of their carnal behavior and divisions. Therefore when he speaks of salvation he is not talking about lost people getting saved, he is talking about saved people moving forward and advancing in their salvation experience.
Paul says that true repentance, which comes from a Godly sorrow, brings you back into the flow of life, but the work of the Devil is to steep you in a sorrow over sin that leaves you in a state of perpetual regret. You will never advance in your salvation if having confessed and repented of your sin, you stay in a perpetual place of regret and self hatred over your failure. This is one of the strongest works of the Devil. Perpetual regret, guilt and shame is never of God.
There has to be a place, without being irresponsible, when you’ve truly repented, where you are able to move forward in your life without forever looking back over your shoulder, constantly regretting past failure. You can’t move on in Newness of Life if you are always dragging around the regrets of the past. It will suck the life out of you, mentally and emotionally, and cause you to believe you don’t have the right to be blessed and happy in anything you do.
I know it doesn’t seem fair that we can actually, having genuinely repented, MOVE ON in The Lord, but guess what? Grace isn’t fair, it’s simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!