Repentance
INTRODUCTION
There are many misconceptions about how to be saved. However, it is not enough to just believe in Jesus or even to confess your belief in Him. To find real salvation, you must repent. It is not enough to just be sorry for sins. Many people are sorry for doing wrong, but they never repent and ask God to forgive them, and then turn away from those sins. In this lesson, we will show the true meaning of repentance, how repentance is a necessary prerequisite to salvation, and the benefits that come when one truly repents.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
Repentance means “a change of mind.” When you change your intention from wanting to sin to not wanting to sin, it results in a change in your actions. For this to happen, you must first recognize that your sin is offensive to God. Repentance also includes a turning away, in both the mind and heart, from sin and self to God. For example, many pursue gratification through worldly pleasures. True repentance involves turning to God for true spiritual fulfillment. The world cannot fill that need in our lives. In simple terms, repentance means making an about-face, turning around and moving forward in a new direction.
GUILT & CONVICTION
There is a difference between guilt and conviction. Guilt simply makes you feel terrible about what you have done but leaves you without a solution or way to fix the problem. Conviction, however, is a sense of guilt and sorrow for what you have done with the understanding that it displeases God. It is always accompanied with the desire to make things right with Him. Conviction is the greatest expression of God’s love to someone who is sinning. God convicts us for the purpose of bringing us to a place of godly sorrow to lead us to repentance. Repentance brings forgiveness of sins and prepares us to experience His wonderful salvation.
II Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Godly sorrow not only causes you to ask God to forgive all your sins, but it also causes you to turn around and start living a different life. On the Day of Pentecost, people felt conviction as Peter preached to them.
Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Pricked in their heart means they were pierced with sudden grief. The preached Word brought conviction to their hearts. The result of conviction is a desire to change. They inquired of Peter, “What shall we do?” and Peter answered their question by saying, “You must repent!”
Acts 2:37-38 “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
REGRET & REPENTANCE
There is a difference between regret and repentance. Regret is not repentance. Regret often drives a person away from God rather than to Him. It is so sad when a person chooses a life of regret rather than repenting and living a life free of regret. Peter further commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and be filled with the Holy Ghost. We can have all our sins removed. No more regret! Regret is of the world and offers no hope for change. Repentance is of God. It draws us closer to God and brings us to a place of confessing and forsaking our sins. The difference between repentance and regret is clearly seen in the lives of two of Jesus’ disciples, Peter and Judas. They both sinned. Judas betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Peter denied the Lord three times in the garden at the trial of Jesus. Remember, sin is sin! All sin is measured the same by God. There is no little sin or big sin when you are dealing with Almighty God. All sin will keep people out of heaven. Notice how Peter responded to the conviction that he felt after he sinned.
Matthew 26:75 “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”
Judas made restitution. He gave the money back but did not truly repent. Some people will do good works without truly repenting to God. Peter was forgiven, but Judas killed himself. Repentance brought a great change in Peter, while regret offered Judas no hope. Remember, godly sorrow brings about repentance in your life.
REPENTANCE IS A PREREQUISITE TO SALVATION
Notice the emphasis these New Testament scriptures place on repentance. John the Baptist taught repentance.
Matthew 3:1-2 “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus began His ministry with repentance.
Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Apostle Peter preached repentance.
Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Apostle Paul preached repentance.
Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”
These scriptures plainly reveal that repentance is not an option, but necessary for salvation. It requires a turning away from a sin ruled life to a life characterized by obedience to God.
WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
Jesus plainly declared that to be saved, we must be born again.
John 3:5-7 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
However, before you can be born of water and the Spirit, you must turn your life around. This is accomplished by true repentance. You must begin walking in the right direction, toward God. So, repentance must precede being baptized in Jesus Name (born of water) and receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost (born of the Spirit). Remember how the people responded to conviction on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:37? They asked what they must do. The first thing Peter told them to do was to repent.
Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
THE BENEFITS OF GENIUNE REPENTANCE
The Bible states that God is very pleased when someone repents. The angels in heaven also rejoice when a sinner repents. This shows how important repentance really is!
Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
Those who repent will receive forgiveness (pardon) of sins from God.
Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
Repentance allows our sins to be removed or “blotted out.”
Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
Repentance changes our behavior because it changes how we think in our heart. Repentance includes a sincere effort by the repentant person to do all within their power to correct the errors of the past and to avoid such violations in the future. Repentance creates a permanent change of character and conduct.
II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
When repentance is genuine, the desire to repeat sin is gone. This is part of being “born again.” Being born again and living for God is the most wonderful experience in the world. This “born again experience” is so much different than the old life of sin. We no longer love sin. In fact, we learn to hate sin and the destruction it brings. When we are born again, we experience real peace and real joy.
Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
The guilt of sin can lay heavy upon a person. Real repentance takes that load of guilt away, and God replaces it with joy and peace. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
I Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
What a change takes place in a person’s life when they truly repent!
CONCLUSION
Jesus started and ended His ministry by teaching repentance. This fact alone should help us understand how important and necessary repentance is in our lives. Notice the last words of Jesus before He ascended into heaven.
Luke 24:46-47 “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
He does not want us to die in our sins. He does not want us to be lost for eternity. His desire is for everyone repent and be saved.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Romans 2:4 tells us that “the goodness of God” will lead us to repentance. God loves us so much that He has given a plan by which we can be saved and go to heaven. The plan of salvation starts with repentance. Judas confessed his sins, but not to God. He told the chief priests and elders, “I have sinned.” But he did not tell God. Telling others is not true repentance.