Scripture suggests that a man or woman will regret nothing about the circumstances of their lives but will rue their decisions in response to them.  In this post, I examine what God would have us know about eternal regret.

The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.  Genesis 6:6

The Hebrew word that is translated ‘regret’ is נָחַם nacham (Strong’s 5162) and it means to ‘console oneself’ but also to ‘change one’s mind’ or ‘repent’.  The Lord’s decision is a product of an autonomous being, one that can that review, regret and then act to rectify.

Humans are made in God’s image, so regret is part of every person’s being, which suggests all carry this capacity into eternity.  But does this contradict the Apostle John’s revelation of the New Kingdom?

‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ (Revelation 21:3b-5)

The Bible understandably focusses on mortal life, its nature, purpose and meaning rather than the hereafter, because eternity cannot be contemplated meaningfully without the informing mortality.  The more eternally focused a man or woman becomes, the more likely they are to accept the assurances of God.

But as they turn their eyes on eternity, questions arise as to the manner of it.  Some clues can be gleaned from considering Eden.  The essential question is always, how will humankind’s relationship be with God be characterised?

For Adam, it was works-based.  God gave him tasks and from innocent obedience he undertook them – until he rebelled, of course.  For those redeemed and reborn in Christ, the relationship is necessarily founded on grace. This suggests perpetual gratitude, requiring all to continue to dine at the Lord’s table, if not from remembrance of Him, as He will be present (Matthew 26:29) but in ongoing thankfulness, an everlasting feast of Eucharist.

Adam was autonomous and wilful; but there is no reason to think that the redeemed shall not take their will, like regret, into the New Eden.

God desires the glorification of more than pre-programmed automatons, note the difference in the eternal encomia.  The Four Beasts that represent creation apart from man chant:

‘“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,” who was, and is, and is to come.’       (Revelation 4:8b)

whereas the 24 elders, who represent humanity extol:

‘You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.’  (ibid 4:11)

The elders provide a commentary, a reason why God is worthy; they are knowing witnesses to God’s glory, not mere reflections of it.  The first chant is a mirror, the second an observation; the first voices belong to cyphers, the second to those who discern and declare their findings.  Only with free will can the latter voices be distinct and independent; only autonomous individuals can be in true relationship.  And does not Scripture attest that it is fundamental to God’s character to desire relationship?

But that begs a question for eternity.  For with free will comes liberty to exercise it contrary to God – or the will is not free; therefore, is it possible to sin in the New Kingdom of Earth?

The answer has to be yes for meaningful relationship exist; so what will stop anyone doing so?  That suggests the need for memory and/or regret.  Adam was innocent, but before the Fall, he did know right from wrong – he was told it.  He heard God say ‘if you eat of the fruit of the tree that I forbade you to eat, you surely die’ and knew this to be a thing not to be desired, for how could a just God punish any ignorant of consequence?  However, he could not ‘know’ in full those consequences.  Adam had sufficient information to be blamed for the Fall, but he was not experientially prepared for the nature of his fatal mistake.  Those that are saved in Christ and dining with Him, already know the difference between a life set apart God (mortality) and the eternal experience, one of complete intimacy with Him.  Adam had perfection then learned regret; sinners to whom God reconciled by Jesus sacrifice know first imperfection and surely must desire never to fall from that state of grace.  Given the choice, who would sin?  That suggests all will necessarily remember their mortal existence.  Memory is essential for the autonomous being to remain righteous.  And as for regret?

Paul builds upon Jesus in speaking of eternal reward and equally of the losses.  The two go together:

For we are fellow workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.  If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:9-15)

For Paul to assert the claim of eternal reward surely means that eternity is not simply a matter of saved or unsaved, the judgment of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31ff) but that everyone’s eternal future is different, and by inference, all will know that difference by ‘suffering loss’.  Perhaps reconsidering the passage quoted from Revelation chapter 21, it can be gleaned that none might feel the powerful emotion associated with regret, yet regret nonetheless the decisions of this life.  Moreover, from the Judgement Seat of Christ, the Bema, flows the pronouncement of a completely just and morally perfect Judge, so there will be no complaint, either in Hell or under Heaven – but regret?  It seems most likely.

Is the speculation on the eternal soul in its resurrected body merely academic? Possibly?  But as Scripture provides adequate clues to offer surmise, this suggests all should take note.

To say, ‘I will never have regrets in eternity’ is to risk complacency that might add to a poor future, if not secure the direst of outcomes.  Obedience to Jesus’ commandments is the surest way to guarantee a blessed eternity.  Obedience can be motivated by love (a circular commandment given all are commanded to love), fear or reward.  Reward is the inducement, the positive reinforcement and fear, the negative. Jesus gives love as a commandment, and preaches the consequences of disobedience using reward and fear as incentives.

Jesus taught with equal weight reward and punishment and all Scripture attests to the Law of the Harvest:

God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’(Romans 2:16 quoting Proverbs 24:12 and Psalm 62:12)

For a just God to be witnessed as just, all must know their loss.  None might mourn in eternity but Scripture points to the need for eternal regret. The best option is to obey Jesus’ commandments in order to minimise those regrets!

A careful reading of the Bible indicates that all should add ‘eternal regret’ to the list of incentives to do God’s will.  Even if this speculation is eventually proven faulty, having another motivating factor to increase the thirst for righteousness can be no bad thing.  Repentance, the changing of one’s mind, is best done now, for after death it is too late and regrets might come aplenty.