Real Repentance
Matthew 12:41-42 - "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here" (NIV).
Matthew 26:75 - "Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly" (NIV).
Matthew 27:5 - "So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself" (NIV).
Mark 10:48 - "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me" (NIV)!
Luke 18:13 - “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner'" (NIV).
2 Corinthians 7:10 - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (NIV).
If repentance is the key to freedom from sin and intimate fellowship with the Father, it is important that we know clearly what real repentance is and how to do it. Is repentance simply uttering a scripted line, "Please forgive me… I repent…."? Perhaps you have found yourself "repenting" over the same sin many times in the same day. Real repentance brings change… not just talk. Real repentance is a willingness to abandon sin and turn to Jesus. How is this done? First, we must see what our sin does - how it destroys us, our relationships and fellowship with God. We need to cry out to God for a deeper revelation of the impact of our sin. When we sin, we are basically saying, "I love sin. I hate Jesus." It is not until we see the utter rebellion of sin that we will have motivation to change. It is important for us to take full responsibility for our sin. When we say, "Sorry, I made a mistake," that reveals we see our sin as just an accident. It's important to speak out, "I repent." These words mean, "I choose to turn around. I will not do that sin again." The words "I repent" need to match a resolute decision to completely walk away from the sin. Are we prepared to count the cost? Are we prepared to do anything it takes to sever our connection with that sin?
False repentance is all about regret. When we feel bad about our sin, yet do not change, we are walking in the destructive path of false repentance. Regret leads to ongoing cycles of sin. Ultimately, regret dishonors the One who sacrificed so much to free us from sin. When our motivation for repentance is false, we will repent because we fear punishment or disgrace. Selfishness still reigns in our lives. Hardness of heart develops, and the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit grows more and more distant.
Real repentance brings real change. Do you find yourself going back to the same sin again and again? Perhaps, it is because you have never really repented.
For More Study
Thoughts and Questions for Application
Memorization
2 Corinthians 7:10 - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (NIV).
Matthew 26:75 - "Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly" (NIV).
Matthew 27:5 - "So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself" (NIV).
Mark 10:48 - "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me" (NIV)!
Luke 18:13 - “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner'" (NIV).
2 Corinthians 7:10 - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (NIV).
If repentance is the key to freedom from sin and intimate fellowship with the Father, it is important that we know clearly what real repentance is and how to do it. Is repentance simply uttering a scripted line, "Please forgive me… I repent…."? Perhaps you have found yourself "repenting" over the same sin many times in the same day. Real repentance brings change… not just talk. Real repentance is a willingness to abandon sin and turn to Jesus. How is this done? First, we must see what our sin does - how it destroys us, our relationships and fellowship with God. We need to cry out to God for a deeper revelation of the impact of our sin. When we sin, we are basically saying, "I love sin. I hate Jesus." It is not until we see the utter rebellion of sin that we will have motivation to change. It is important for us to take full responsibility for our sin. When we say, "Sorry, I made a mistake," that reveals we see our sin as just an accident. It's important to speak out, "I repent." These words mean, "I choose to turn around. I will not do that sin again." The words "I repent" need to match a resolute decision to completely walk away from the sin. Are we prepared to count the cost? Are we prepared to do anything it takes to sever our connection with that sin?
False repentance is all about regret. When we feel bad about our sin, yet do not change, we are walking in the destructive path of false repentance. Regret leads to ongoing cycles of sin. Ultimately, regret dishonors the One who sacrificed so much to free us from sin. When our motivation for repentance is false, we will repent because we fear punishment or disgrace. Selfishness still reigns in our lives. Hardness of heart develops, and the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit grows more and more distant.
Real repentance brings real change. Do you find yourself going back to the same sin again and again? Perhaps, it is because you have never really repented.
For More Study
- Matthew 26:69-27:5
- Mark 10:17-31
- Mark 10:46-52
- 2 Corinthians 7:8-12
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- Are there certain sins in your life that you have excused? Have you concluded that you will never be perfect, and certain amounts of sin will always be expected in your life?
- Think of times when you have often said "sorry" to God over a sin, but never really changed. Was that real repentance?
- Can you identify an area of sin that you used to practice, but now you are walking out a repentant lifestyle (i.e. not going back to the sin)? Take some time to thank God for His freedom and power to walk in holiness.
Memorization
2 Corinthians 7:10 - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (NIV).
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