Repentance
-Sorrow for sin and turning to God
—Remorse and repentance for wrong doing, including as necessary, restitution.
—A change (reversal) of one's mind (or the reversal of another person's decision).
Repentance involves a conscious sorrow for one's past way of life—a heartfelt "I'm sorry" expressed to God—but it is far more than that, It is a turning from an old way of living to a new. God requires this change in us because of our sin, which, apart from the experience of God's grace, holds such power over us. Those who do not repent are judged; merely to regret one's sinful ways leads only to death.
The Bible provides powerful examples of prayers of repentance, as in Ezra 9 and Psalm 51, For those who do confess their sins and turn to the Lord in open and honest repentance, God promises forgiveness and eternal life. God wants everyone to repent. This call went out from the Old Testament prophets, from John the Baptist and from Jesus and his disciples. It is an urgent call that must go out today as well.
REPENTANCE is a theme of:
Joel —Joel 2:12-13
Zechariah —Zech 1:3
- The command to repent
- God calls all people to repent —Jer 8:11; Ezek 18:30-32; Acts 17:30; 2Pet 3:9
- Christ calls people to repent —Mk 1:14-15; Lk 13:1-5; Rev 2:5,16; Rev 3:3
- John the Baptist called people to repent —Mt 3:2
- The apostles called people to repent —Mk 6:12; Acts 2:38; 3:19-20; 26:20
- The call must go out today —Lk 24:46-48
- Essential aspects of repentance
- Acknowledging we are lost —Lk 15:3-7
- Expressing sorrow for sin —Lk 5:32; Acts 2:37-38; 8:22; 2Cor 7:9-10
- Returning to the Father —Lk 15:17-20
- Believing in Jesus Christ —Mk 1:15; Acts 20:21; Rev 3:19-20
- Doing good works —Jer 18:11-12; Mt 3:8; Acts 26:20; Rev 2:4-5
- The results of repentance
- Escape from disaster —Jer 18:7-8
- Forgiveness —1Kgs 8:46-50; Acts 2:38
- Salvation —2Cor 7:10
- A new heart and spirit —Ezek 18:30-31
- A knowledge of the truth —2Tim 2:25
- Eternal life —Acts 11:18
- Regret without repentance brings death —Mt 27:3-5; 2Cor 7:10
