Regret is both natural and unnatural at the same time. It is profoundly human—a universal experience—yet also an outraged revolt against nature itself. We rail against the implacable, irreversible arrow of time. We desperately want to go back. But the going is always forwards. >
Essentially regret is the desire to recapitulate our history—that is, to go over old ground and this time do it right. Yet “recapitulation” is what *Christ* does in Ephesians 1:10 and it’s the word Irenaeus repeatedly uses to describe Christ’s way of salvation. >
Recapitulation is Christ re-doing Adam’s life and work. Where Adam, our representative, went to his tree to serve himself and bring curse to the world, so Jesus, our representative, went to his tree to bear our curse and so save the world, etc. Jesus recapitulates Adam for us. >
He goes over the old ground and redeems the old mistakes. So the very thing I long to do—go back and make it right—has been done, perfectly, on my behalf. What’s more I’m given Christ’s Spirit that he might continue to work his redemption in and through my current circumstances.>
God does not reverse the arrow of time. He’s the God of hope, moving things ever forward: from garden to city; wilderness to promised land; exile to New Jerusalem. Regret is anti-redemption and it’s a futile attempt to perform mentally what Christ has achieved actually. >
Repentance means turning from sin *and* turning from the conceit that I can atone. Given another chance I’d find another way of screwing it up! We leave it in the hands of the Son of God who has worked recapitulation for us and the Spirit of God who works redemption in & thru us>
“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me... One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.”
Phil. 3:12-14
Phil. 3:12-14
