Help with a quote

[Notthemama1984]

This is not "active contrition", a contrived remorse, but "passive contrition," true affliction of the heart, suffering, and the pain of death.

The above is a quote by Luther talking about the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

I am confused as to what he means here. It would seem to me that a true affliction of the heart, suffering, and the pain of death would be active, not passive. I am sure I am missing something very simple, but would you help explain the meaning to me?

Thanks

---------- Post added at 12:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 PM ----------

Wait is he talking about not active in the sense that we create the conviction, but rather passive in the sense that someone outside of us brings about the conviction?

Honestly I need sleep.

 

[au5t1n]

Wait is he talking about not active in the sense that we create the conviction, but rather passive in the sense that someone outside of us brings about the conviction?

That's how I read it, for whatever it's worth. He also seems to be differentiating between experiencing remorse (passive) and trying to create it externally (active). The Roman Catholic practice of Penance comes to mind. Perhaps Luther is saying that true repentance is not simply repeating Hail Marys and saying sorry, but feeling a genuine sorrow for sin.

 

[Andres]

This is not "active contrition", a contrived remorse, but "passive contrition," true affliction of the heart, suffering, and the pain of death.

the key to understanding it seems to be Luther's own explanation after "active contrition" - a contrived remorse. Contrived is deliberately created or artificial even. So contrived remorse is something we stir up on our own. It's even partly fake. Compare that to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It's not something we have worked up, but something that comes from God. It's certainly not artificial as it drives men to their knees in repentance. A saint will truly suffer in a sense in that there is no shaking off the Spirit's conviction until we obey Him. I think of David in Psalm 51. His heart was broken over his sin and it drove him to repentance.

 

[py3ak]

Perhaps a different translation might help:

The Book of Concord: the confessions ... - Google Books