Be Honest About Your Need For Repentance
How happy is the man the LORD does not charge with sin, and in whose spirit is no deceit!
Repentance requires honesty. No one comes to God with true repentance in their heart unless theyve first acknowledged their need for forgiveness and reconciliation with him. Only those who have ceased trying to cover up their sin with self-righteousness and deceit can experience the deep and lasting change that comes only through repentance.
What Is The Biblical Definition Of Repentance
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A correct understanding of the doctrine of repentance is very important because it is one of the basics of the Christian faith. The author to the Hebrews said:
So, let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely, we dont need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God .
This is why believers need to take time to study this subject.
Acknowledge The Danger Of Sin And Damage Of Guilt
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me my strength was drained as in the summers heat.
Lets face it: you are seeking repentance because Gods Spirit has convicted you. We often blame others for our stress and general moodiness, but many times we simply feel bad because weve done bad things. David describes physical and emotional symptoms associated with a guilty conscience. We must honestly assess the consequences of our sin, which means assessing both personal consequences and the impact it has hadand will continue to haveon others.
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Fifth Step In Repentance Thank God For Forgiving You
The fifth step in repentance is to thank God for forgiving your sins. As the leper who was healed in Luke 17:11-16 fell on his face at the feet of Jesus Christ and thanked Him, we should thank God for forgiving our sins. We have already learned in 1 John 1:9 that God has promised to forgive our sins. Therefore, we should say, Thank you God for forgiving my sins!
Seek To Live By Every Word Of God
The fourth step to true repentance is changing our lives to bring ourselves into alignment with God. Gods laws define what we must change. We must take Gods instructions seriously. This is what the Bible calls being converted.
Peter said that conversion is linked to repentance: Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out .
Seeking to change our lives to align them with Gods ways requires humility: On this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word . A repentant person will respect Gods Word and seek to live by what it teaches.
When we respect Gods Word, well seek to fulfill Jesus words in Matthew 4:4: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
A person who is learning how to repent will begin to obey God by keeping His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments . The last book of the Bible focuses on those end-time Christians who keep the commandments of God .
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How To Get A Broken Heart
It may sound strange, but how do we go about getting a broken heart?
First, we simply need to ask for it. True repentance, like all good things, is a gift of God . If we want to obey the command to rend our hearts, we must ask God to grant us true repentance.
The more glimpses we have of the glory of God, the more we mourn for scorning that glory.
We must also be aware of one of the biggest hindrances to obtaining a broken heart: our neglect of the relational aspect of sinning. By this, I mean that we can view sin as a failure of performance rather than a failure of intimacy. The only grief we experience is disappointment in our inability to do what is right, and not that we have despised the living God .
When we sin, we play the part of an adulterer who looks for satisfaction in another, rather than the only One who can satisfy. That is why David said to the Lord, against you, you only, have I sinned . David rightly saw his failures in terms of relationship, and as a result his heart was grieved as it can be only when we have sinned against the One we love so much.
We Must Confess Our Sins
Confessing our sins is very important. The Lord has commanded us to confess our sins. Confession relieves a heavy burden from the sinner. The Lord has promised, âI, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble heartsâ .
We must confess all our sins to the Lord. In addition, we must confess serious sinsâsuch as adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, spouse or child abuse, and the sale or use of illegal drugsâwhich might affect our standing in the Church, to the proper priesthood authority. If we have sinned against another person, we should confess to the person we have injured. Some less serious sins involve no one but ourselves and the Lord. These may be confessed privately to the Lord.
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What Will God Do
David has committed two heinous sinsadultery and murder. One commentator points out that David had broken at least six of the Ten Commandments!
- He had put his desires before God
- He had committed murder
- He had lied and deceived , and
- He had coveted
The sin of this man who had been so greatly blessed was an insult to the name of God. Why have you despised the word of the Lordyou have despised meyou have utterly scorned the Lord . What will God do with a man who has, despite his many privileges, scorned him, despised him, and broken one command after another?
1. God might justly have said to David, This is the end for you. Your reign is over. Thats how it was for Saul, and that it how it will be for you.
None of us would be surprised if we read that God raised up the Ammonites , and that their army routed the armies of Israel, and David and all his sons fell by the sword. That is what happened to Saul. Why would the same not be true for David?
Maybe you think this is what God should have done to David. How can God allow David to remain as king after acting like this? But that is not how God dealt with David. Retribution is not Gods way with his own children. If it was, none of us would be here today.
3. Or again, God might have said, If David wants to seek me, I will forgive him. Im always open to reconciliation, but the ball is in Davids court. He must make the first move and unless he does, I am done with him.
Jesus Came Preaching A Message Of Repentance Since All Of Us Have Sinned We All Need To Repent But What Does It Mean To Repent Heres How To Repent
The topic of repentance is found throughout the pages of the Bible. When Jesus spoke, He often said that His audience needed to repent. He said that He came to call sinners, to repentance .
That message is just as much for us today as it was for people living 2,000 years ago. Everyone needs to learn how to repent of sin because God commands all men everywhere to repent . For no one can receive the gift of eternal life without first repenting of sin.
Yet repentance is often misunderstood in the religious world. Many see it as an emotional reaction to guilt, feeling remorseful for our sins, or simply asking God for forgiveness. True repentance includes these thingsbut the Bible shows theres more to it.
True repentance is much more than a momentary emotional reaction it is actually a lifelong process! Many people see a need to change something in their lives, but what exactly needs to be changed? What must one do to be in a continued repentant attitude?
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S To Repentance: Why Im Writing About It
Repentance is not a popular topic. It came to my attention this week because of a a restless feeling I had. I knew I was in some kind of disobedience and I couldnt figure out what. When I sought the Lord, He moved in my heart and showed me where I had gone astray.
Search me, O God, and know my heart Try me, and know my anxieties And see if there is any wicked way in me,And lead me in the way everlasting.
David understood the importance of asking the Lord to search his heart. Lullaby Lark writes an excellent post about knowing the condition of your heart.
More Examples Of Repentance In The Bible
Next, receive that word as the Word of God from heaven. The Bereans demonstrated the attitude you must emulate to learn how to repent.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so .
This too must become your mindset. Instantly dismiss every doubter and negative talker. Immediately reject their words concerning your hearing, receiving, repenting, believing and obeying the Word of God. Refuse it!
Because you believed that the Lord sent the preacher and his/her words are Gods you will pray about it. And He promised to give you all things that you have asked for while praying and believing .
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When Repentance Doesnt Stick
You may have heard people mention concerns about truly and fully repenting. Sometimes, people say theyve repented, but you dont see any changes.If you feel you havent fully repented, it may be that you are questioning Gods forgiveness. Perhaps you are still focused on the repulsiveness of your past sin, rather than the sweetness of Gods mercy.It could also be that you havent been fully convinced yet. Perhaps in your mind, you are not fully convinced or have no strong feelings about your wrongdoing. Maybe you make excuses, because its not that bad. If thats the case, theres a good chance attempts to change wont stick.
What Did Jesus Say About Repentance
Jesus himself made it clear that repentance is key, urging people to turn to God to ask for forgiveness for their sins:
From that time on Jesus began to preach, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. – Matthew 4:17
Like Jesus, John the Baptist also warned that the end was drawing nearer and that it was, thus, essential to repent:
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. – Matthew 3:1-3
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What Does The Bible Say About How To Repent
This article will explore five basic steps of the repentance process. Those steps are:
Step 1: Recognize that Gods thoughts are higher and better than ours.
Step 2: Acknowledge our personal guilt of sin.
Step 3: Turn from our sinful thoughts and ways.
Step 4: Seek to live by every word of God.
Step 5: Continue to seek repentance and rely on Christs sacrifice.
How Do I Repent To God
Start by simply deciding to repent. Change direction from the past. Talk to God. Its that easy, thanks to Jesus. You dont need eloquent words. He simply desires to hear our voice and see changed actions those speak even louder.
But what if you dont believe in Jesus? Through His death on the cross, people find reconciliation to God from sin. When we realize life isnt going well or that something is missing, when we know weve made poor or hurtful choices and we desire to change, God stands ready to accept our repentance.
If Jesus isnt yet your Savior, and you feel that tug from God to turn from old or familiar ways and embrace Him instead, start with a prayer for salvation. Become a child of God. Thats the ultimate repentance and the foundation for our walk with Jesus Christ. Here are four prayers for salvation. Pray one of these or use your own heartfelt words. Either way, God welcomes your heart and words.
Kristi Woods is a writer and speaker but mostly a Jesus girl. She writes weekly and offers faith-building tools for a deeper walk with God at www.KristiWoods.net. She contributes regularly at iBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com and is published in various print and online publications. Kristi, her handsome, retired-from-the-Navy husband, and their three children survived a nomadic, military lifestyle and have set roots in Oklahoma–where she keeps a close watch for tornadoes and good chocolate. Connect with Kristi at KristiWoods.net.
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The Biblical Way To Repent
Our English Bible often mentions repentance, which most interpret as being sorry. As such, it appears to be more of a feeling rather than taking action. We punish ourselves in our thoughts and feelings, which torments our soul. What is more, often the repenting seems to never end.
But teshuva takes on a completely different focus. Instead of being simply a state of mind, it is a decision. It is deciding to turn away from where you are headed and moving back toward God.
One of my favorite theologians, Abraham Joshua Heschel, puts it this way: A change in mans conduct brings about a change in Gods judgement. When we teshuva turn away from the darkness and toward the light God pulls us toward Himself!
Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart
Why Is It So Important That I Repent
To understand why you need to repent, you must understand the impact of sin in your life. I want to consider sin from two perspectives, the perspective for the unbeliever and the perspective of the believer.
For the unbeliever, repentance is needed to restore relationship.
If you dont know Jesus as your Savior, then your sin has put a separation between you and God. You cannot enter into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ until you first admit you are a sinner. You agree with God that you, just like every other person on this earth, has fallen short of what he requires. Once you acknowledge this and recognize your need for a savior, it opens the door for your relationship with God to be restored.
For the believer, repentance is needed to restore fellowship.
Once you have received Christ as your savior, your relationship with God is now intact. However what sin does is it puts a wall in the fellowship between you and God. Have you ever made a decision to sin? Have you ever ignored the conviction of the Holy Spirit to engage in activities that you knew were sinful? I know I have. After doing that what is the last thing you want to do? Spend time with God. You dont want to pray, worship, read your bible, and you are definitely not going to be around other believers. In this instance, while you are still in relationship with God, your fellowship is broken. The only way to restore that fellowship is to repent and turn from your sin.
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True Repentance Does Not Always Manifest Itself In Emotion
We often equate repentance to some emotion of sorrow or remorse but just because the repentant person shows little or no emotion does not mean he is not sincere. True repentance is not showing emotion for our past deeds, it is changing the way we act in the present.
In other words, the key is the change in behavior, not the emotion that is shown. A person who truly repents has determined that his or her life must change.
True repentance is not showing emotion for our past deeds it is changing the way we act in the present.
Does Repentance Include Changing Our Attitude Toward Others Sins Against You
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses .
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him .
Since Gods law is based on loving Him and loving others even as we love ourselves , forgiving others is a significant part of our repentance. Jesus taught: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you .
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How To Achieve True Repentance
So, how can we achieve true repentance? The Lord Jesus prophesied, I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come . He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day . Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth . These words show us that because the stature of the people of that time was so low, during the Age of Grace the Lord Jesus did not express too many truths or give us a way to resolve our satanic natures. Thus did the Lord prophesy that He would return in the last days, that He would express more and higher truths, and that He would perform the work of judging and cleansing man, thereby allowing us to completely free ourselves from the shackles of sin, and be cleansed and changed, and only by accepting the work of judgment and cleansing upon the Lords return can we achieve true repentance.
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