REPENTANCE

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

PENITENCE / CONVERSION

Repentance is a fundamental change in thinking, attitude and approach to life (gr. metanoia).

Repentance is not becoming perfect, not deserved, not earning a relationship with God, not coming alone to some place from where we can come to the Lord!

The penance (repentance) that God requires should not be also understood as suffering for sins. The Lord Jesus suffered all suffering, took upon Himself all the guilt and sin.

what repentance is about

Repentance concerns the sins in your life that you are aware of, the suspicion that your conscience tells you, the Holy Spirit, and those that you can read about in the Bible for a specific example. (*Just because you don’t consider something to be a sin doesn’t mean it isn’t).

Repentance is the cessation of knowingly sinning, a true will backed by action, not an empty declaration. Repentance is not just repentance and confession.
Repentance is conscious submission to God’s Will, God’s commandments.
Repentance is the willingness to leave everything for the Lord Jesus and the willingness to do everything.
Repentance is true remorse and “weeping” over one’s previous life.

CONVERSION

Repentance is to turn away from your previous bad behavior in life. Turning away from being the Lord of your life, renouncing yourself and the world. It is turning to the Lord God, following Him, submitting to His Will, etc.

SOMEONE WHO HAS REPENTED

Someone who repented (as opposed to a sinner) is a person who hates sin, wants to reduce it to nothing and be free from it. Someone who has experienced repentance in his life will distinguish the moment of breakthrough in his life into what it was and what it is. How he lived and how he lives. A repentant person will be ashamed of his former life. Repentance is always clear and visible, it is like a thick line against a life of sin!

DO I NEED TO REPENT TO BE SAVED

YES

The Lord Jesus is not tolerant of sin, he does not allow us to live in it and get used to it. His advice is to fight with all your might and seek by all means the freedom he wants to give you. The cessation of every sin is possible through the sacrifice and blood of the Lord Jesus. Salvation from sin (freedom from sin) is given to those who believe in the Lord Jesus, ie “crucified” and “buried” their sinful lives (see Gospel).

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
[1 Cor, 6:9-11 NKJV]

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
[Matthew, 13:41-43 NKJV]

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
[1 Peter 4:17-18 NKJV]

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV]

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
[Matthew 18:8-9 NKJV] also [Mt 5:29-30 and Mk 9:44-48]

J“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Tasteless Salt Is Worthless “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
[Luke 14:26-27, 33-35 NKJV]

You cannot make up for lack of repentance with good deeds or religion! Hundreds of hours of prayer, attending services, long prayers in tongues, church service, charity, or the prayers of others over you are not enough. It’s all for nothing if you don’t come to your senses from the sins that you are aware of and that the Lord God wants you to put in order.

IS IT HARD TO REPENT?

Repentance and conversion can seem like a very hard, harsh, and full of sacrifice process. This is partly true. Remember that God is good and merciful! He blesses in turning away from sins: he gives strength, freedom, lightness, favorable circumstances. What seemed difficult comes easy. God takes you step by step. Thanks to being born again (see: Gospel) God enables us to stop sin. The repentant man receives a “heart of flesh” in place of a heart of stone, and the sinful body is buried by water baptism.

Conversion usually comes with a “price” to pay, especially in the beginning. You can lose certain relationships, experience persecution, lose your job, lose your influence, just lose in this life.

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me. But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
[Mark 10:21-22 NKJV]

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
[Matthew 10:34-39 NKJV]

EXAMPLES OF LIVING IN SIN

You need to end with it.

Hate, cursing another human being.
Work based on fraud, extortion and others.
Theft.
Extramarital sex, fornication, pornography.
Unforgiveness.
Perpetuating a lie.
Debauchery, drunkenness, revelry.
Worshiping other spiritual beings, people, angels apart from God. Praying (asking) them for something.
Abandoning the due responsibility towards another person – e.g. a child, a parent.
Occult practices, practicing Eastern religions and philosophies, etc.

EXAMPLES OF SINS RESULTING FROM IMPERFECTION

Pray for them and try to improve them. However, you have to accept that they can appear and not walk around in self-incrimination.

Irritation, Nervousness, Selfishness, Laziness, Pride, Argumentation, Materialism, Gossip, Backbiting, Judgment.

PARTS OF REPENTANCE

1. Standing in truth with yourself and with God. Not making excuses.

2. Recognition of one’s faults towards God and people, one’s sinfulness.

3. Understanding separation from God because of sins committed and due punishment.

4. Confession of sins before God.

5. A firm resolve to live a holy life, to give up conscious sin.

Good practics:

* Atonement, repair of faults, apology (in accordance with the Holy Spirit, without imposing a law and burden contrary to His Will)

* It was also a practice among the first converts to confess guilt to other people. (Acts 19:18, Jacob 5:16, Mt 3:6, Mk 1:5)

I've repented, I want to follow God, what's next?

REPENTANCE IN THE BIBLE:

Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
[Luke 3:8‭-‬14 NKJV]

Faith must be expressed in life, our actions, decisions and attitudes! Otherwise, it’s fake or dead and of no use to us. John the Baptist was talking about practical things!

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.
[Psalm 51:17 NKJV]

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
[Acts 2:38 NKJV]

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
[Matthew 4:17 NKJV]

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord
[Acts 3:19 NKJV]

To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.
[Acts 3:26 NKJV]

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
[Luke 13:1-5 NKJV]

and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
[Luke 24:47 NKJV]

I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
[Acts 26:17-20 NKJV]

The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. (…)

God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. (…)

The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright. (…)
[Psalm 5:5 / 7:11 / 11:5-7 NKJV]

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
[2 Timothy 2:19 NKJV]

HOW TO REPENT?

For example:

Kneel down and ask the Lord Jesus for forgiveness of your sins. Confess them, admit your guilt, open your heart to Him, don’t make excuses. Apologize for not looking for him, for not being Lord in your life. Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and give him your whole life.

Ask Him for release from addictions, grief, hatred, bitterness, idolatry, bad religion, lust and other issues with which you have a problem. Ask the Lord Jesus to tear you out of this world, to live by the rules of this world, from living in your own way and your “I”.

If you have done it from the heart and faith, you can be sure of the forgiveness of sins and God’s acceptance. God will probably let you feel it with supernatural peace, tears and lightness, as if someone took a weight off your back.