What is True Repentance?

Matthew 4:17 ESV
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

One of the main themes of Jesus’ message was the message of repentance. The reason why Jesus preached about repenting was because He knew that if people are to have a true relationship with God and if people are to be true followers of God, then repentance is very important. A person cannot be a true follower of Christ or of God’s Kingdom unless he/she sincerely repents.
Therefore – what is repentance? What should we repent from? How do I know if I have repented? Why should I repent?

 

What is Repentance?

• Biblical repentance is sincere change. Repentance involves is a complete and sincere change from thinking, believing and doing that which was wrong and sinful in God’s eyes – to thinking, believing and doing that which is righteous and good to God.
• Biblical repentance is not just intellectual or of the mind. It is also a change of attitude, a change of the perception, a change of direction – so that a person no longer walks in an ungodly direction but they walk in God’s direction pertaining to a given area in his/her life
• Biblical repentance turns from the devil to Christ; from sin to good; from darkness to light; from deception to truth; from condemnation to salvation.
• The fruit of sincere repentance are evident in the true believer’s behaviour or actions. Biblical repentance leads to a changed life or lifestyle.

Acts 26:20 – But declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Matthew 3:8 – Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

Luke 5:32 – I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

 

JUDAS versus PETER on REPENTANCE

Matthew 27:3-5 – Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Biblical repentance is more than just saying “I’m sorry”. Biblical repentance goes further than feeling remorse, but it requires deliberate change to not do the thing that you are sorry for doing.
Judas knew that he had sinned and felt remorse or sorry for having betrayed Jesus. However, Judas did not repent. If he had repented, he would not have tried to resolve his issue by committing another sin in the process; he would not have hung himself but would have found a way to return to Christ and thereafter follow Christ sincerely.

True Biblical repentance must lead you to reconcile with God.
In contrast to Judas, Peter who denied Jesus 3 times out of fear of persecution (Mark 14:66-72), later felt sorry for having denied Christ. Peter then repented and later boldly spoke the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter’s sorrow led him to reconcile with Christ.
Through out the book of Acts, Peter spoke courageously about Christ without fear of persecution. Therefore Peter’s repentance changed his behaviour from one of fear to that of courage. (Acts 4:13 – Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus)

 

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE REPENT FROM?

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV – If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Biblical repentance requires that people repent from being a person who totally followed his/her sinful flesh to becoming born again and become a follower of Jesus Christ.

Repentance can also become a transformational process as God gradually works in our heart and mind so that we practically change old habits and desires.

What can we repent from? For example this includes repentance from:

• A life without God to a life with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour
• All kinds of sin and sinful habits
• All kinds of wickedness
• Any type of poor or bad attitude
• Anything that rejects God and rejects the nature of God

Galatians 5:19-24 ESV – Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

WHY SHOULD I REPENT?

1. Repentance leads to salvation and reconciliation with God. Let us remember that salvation is by grace and not by our own works. However we must understand that our decision to repent is evidence that we desire to receive God’s free gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 7:10 says: For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

(Acts 2:36-39 – Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.)
When Peter preached his sermon at Pentecost, he wanted the people to change their mind about Jesus whom they had crucified. In other words, he wanted them to repent about their perception of Jesus and receive Him and accept Jesus as Lord and Christ in their life.

John MacArthur stated the following : “It has often been said that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. That coin is called conversion. Repentance turns from sin to Christ, and faith embraces Him as the only hope of salvation and righteousness. That is what conversion means in simple terms. Faith and repentance are distinct concepts, but they cannot occur independently of each other. Genuine repentance is always the flip side of faith; and true faith accompanies repentance”

(2 Peter 3:9 ESV – The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient  toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.)

2. Biblical Repentance leads to change in behavior & obedience to God. It is impossible to repent in one’s mind and this repentance not be followed by a change in action. In Luke 3:8 and Matthew 3:8 John the Baptist called people to repent and that there must be evidence of their repentance. John mentioned that people must “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” – an indication that sincere repentance leads to obedience and that repentance is more than just a mental or intellectual change. (Acts 26:20 ESV – But declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.)

3. Repentance leads to seeing life from God’s perspective and not from our own perspective. When we repent, it reflects that we are ready to deny our personal opinions; our personal philosophies; our personal agenda in order to follow the values and principles of God. Repentance from sin acknowledges that we are wrong and that God is ALWAYS right. Biblical repentance acknowledges that only God’s perspective is true and that we must align our thoughts and actions to God’s will and not our own will. (Acts 3:19 ESV Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out)

 

GOD FORGIVES

Whenever we sin, God is just and faithful to forgive us. We too must through Christ be faithful to not return to our sin, by repenting from wrong doing and endeavor to sincerely follow way of the Lord.
1 John 1:9 says: If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

 

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.

2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.

4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God

 

Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?

We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You.
I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future.
I repent of all of my sins and I ask You to cleanse me Jesus.
Thank You for forgiving my sins.
From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be.
I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”

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