If Only: Regret and the Hope of Salvation
Pastor Tan Thai · Mar 1, 2025
This sermon analyzes the regret of "if only" that stems from past mistakes in human life, ranging from historical events to personal choices. The preacher shows how dwelling on the past makes us prisoners of remorse, yet Scripture teaches us to forget what is behind and press toward heaven.
The sermon begins with a real account of the "new economy" bubble in 1999-2000, when Nasdaq stock indices surged extraordinarily then collapsed, devastating millions of investors financially. The investors' "if only" statements reflect a universal human experience of regret—ranging from minor disappointments about fashion or entertainment to profound remorse over marriage, health, and serious life mistakes.
The preacher develops this theme by tracing back to human history, starting with Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, the origin of all human suffering. He also cites historical examples such as King Quang Trung Nguyen Hue, whom historian Pham Van Son suggests might have changed Southeast Asia's destiny had he lived longer. He even references Job in Scripture, who despaired so deeply that he wished he had never been born. These examples demonstrate that regret is an invisible yet profound part of the human experience.
The sermon analyzes the psychology of regret, showing how when consumed by the "if only" mindset, we become prisoners of the past, unable to escape hypothetical questions that can never be satisfactorily answered. This sorrow erodes our vitality and will to live, particularly dangerous when people become bitter, blaming others, fate, and even God himself.
The preacher presents Scripture's solution through the words of Apostle Paul writing to the church at Philippi. Rather than being bound to the past, Paul teaches that we should "forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead," pressing toward God's calling in Jesus Christ. This is a call to liberate ourselves from the haunting of the past and direct all our mind and strength toward a divine purpose.
Finally, the sermon clarifies the gravity of our present choices by reminding us of the Day of Judgment, where everyone will stand before the Great White Throne to be judged according to their deeds. The preacher cites Pascal, the famous mathematician, who reasoned that if Scripture is true and he does not believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, he will lose everything and suffer eternal torment in hell. The sermon concludes with an urgent invitation: choose Christ now, because when Judgment Day arrives, no one will have another opportunity to utter "if only."