As we consider the context of this next blessing, we must understand that Jesus is not pronouncing an indiscriminate blessing on all forms of sorrow and mourning. Just as the previous blessing was reserved for those who are poor in spirit, so this blessing is for those who spiritually mourn. Christ teaches us: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (v. 4). One of the immediate things we should notice about this passage is that Christ is teaching us to live outside our present sensations. Mourning is present, but coming is the comfort of God. In this case, one who has a godly sorrow over sin will be comforted.
There is such a thing as unspiritual mourning. It is easy to copy the outside of a thing. Consequently, we must guard ourselves in two ways. The first necessity is to guard our hearts against a false and deceptive sorrow. “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10). There is a kind of mourning we are to avoid. Do not be like:
1. Ammon, who mourned when he could not fulfill his lust for Tamar (2 Sam. 13:2), or Ahab, who could not have the vineyard he coveted (1 Kings 21:4).
2. Pharaoh, who grieved over the fact that he had done right in letting the Israelites go (Ex. 14:5).
3. Judas, whose mourning was full of despair (Matt. 27).
4. The hypocrites, who loved to mourn externally, and for show (Matt. 6:16).
5. Cain, who mourned over the punishment rather than the sin (Gen. 4:13).
6. The merchants of the book of Revelation, who mourned over their loss of profits (Rev. 18:19).
The second necessarity is to guard ourselves in the opposite direction. We must also guard against the temptation which rejects mourning altogether, and drifts into hardness of heart. The modern insistence that we all be “happy, happy, happy all the day” knows nothing of deep gospel mourning, and consequently nothing of the deep joy which comes to the comforted. The stony heart is insensitive, doltish, and spiritually stupid, and cannot feel the force of God’s Word.
But when mourning is understood properly, there will always be certain evangelical characteristics.
1. Godly sorrow grieves when God does (Is. 63:10; Eph. 4:30).
2. Godly sorrow is over the sin, not merely over the consequences (Luke 15:18,21).
3. Godly sorrow includes particular sins (1 John 1:9; Ps. 51:4).
4. Godly sorrow includes self-loathing for the pollution of sin (Ez. 20:43)
5. And, God be thanked, godly sorrow brings comfort, as our text promises (Matt. 5:4).
There is also a godly mourning for others. Those who mourn over their own sins cannot fail to see the hardness around us — both in the church, and in our culture.
Christ was grieved in this way (Mark 3:5); so should we be. The psalmist was troubled by prevailing lawlessness (Ps. 119:136); should we be at home with it? We usually count ourselves better than Lot, but at least he was vexed by what he saw (2 Pet. 2:7).