REPENTANCE

Repentance is the first step we take to receive salvation that God offers to us in the lord Jesus Christ.

WHAT IS REPENTANCE

Looking at the original Greek and Hebrew, give an insight into what this word means. The Greek word translated repentance as ‘Metanoia’ which means to have another mind or to change course after further insight (Matt 4: 17 Mk 1: 15) the Hebrew word translated repentance as ‘Shub’ which means to turn back ie. Making turn in our experience ( 1kings 8:47 Eze 14:6 ) today the word repentance has come to mean simply feeling sorry for what we have done or regretting something , but as we can see in bible terms it has a more profound meaning than this. To repent is the first movement to discipleship.

WHAT TRUE REPENTANCE IS

1. Being sorry to God for your sin, sorrow not towards one’s self, or toward another person but first and foremost toward God (Ps. 51:1-4)
2. Being truthful about your sin (Ps 32:5 1 John 1:90
3. Turning away from your sin (Prov.28:130
4. Hating sin (Hew. 1:9 Eze 43: 44)
5. Restitution –paying back to others what you owe Luke 19: 8

 

WHAT REPENTANCE INVOLVES

1. Turning from sin (Zech 1:4, Gals 5: 19-21)
2. Turning from the world ( John 2:15 James 4;4)
3. Turning from yourself (2 Cor 5:15 Luke 14:26
4. Turing from the devil (Acts 26:18 Col 1:13
5. Turning to God (Zech 1:3)
6. Turning to right living (Rom 6:13)

WHAT REPENTANCE   IS NOT

1. Not just feeling guilty (Acts 24: 25)
2. Not just being sorry for your sin (2 Cor. 7: 10))
3. Not just trying to be a good person (Isaiah 64:6)
4. Not becoming religious (Matt. 3:7-13)
5. Not just knowing the truth ( Rom 10:10 James 2:19-20

THREE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS

1. Repentance is cognitive repentance involves recognizing of our sin and its awfulness in the eyes of a holy God.
2. Repentance is emotional it involves a deep sense of offense and regret (Ps 51:9)
3. Repentance is voluntary: that is it involves the will. Repentance is a change of mind, of here, of purpose. It is a conversation. It involves our hearts and our will eg. The prodigal son ( Luke 15: 17-24) Zacheaus Luke 19:2-10)