True repentance involves a proper sorrow for sins. A person can be sorry for the wrong reason. He can be sorry that he was caught and punished. He can regret his actions because they caused a loss of reputation. Or, like the Nephites, he can be sorry because his actions brought misery upon himself. However, such sorrow does not constitute true repentance.
When the Apostle Paul heard of some grievous sins being tolerated in the Church in Corinth, he wrote a sharp letter of reproof (see 1 Corinthians 5). Later word came back that the Saints had taken Paul’s letter in the proper spirit, and they had repented. Pleased, Paul wrote:
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death”
(2 Corinthians 7:9–10).
Godly sorrow is the recognition that in sinning we have offended God and put our souls in jeopardy of spiritual death. Any other kind of sorrow is of the world and will not lead us to repentance. The sacrifice required of all Saints is that of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20, D&C 59:8). Such a state of heart and mind is arrived at only through godly sorrow.