By: Mike Wallace
Repentance means to change, a complete change of direction from where one was. All of us have sinned and will sin again (Rom.3:23) therefore all of us need to repent of our sins and ask God to change us into the Godly nature that Jesus Christ had. This is what repentance is all about; changing to a Godly attitude and way of life. Without repentance we would continue to life a life of carnal sin and we would not be inheritors of God’s great soon coming Kingdom of God.
Repentance from sin is simply asking God to forgive our human faults and to change from our carnal sinful way of life which is enmity to God (Rom. 8:6-9), to living God’s divine spiritual loving way of life (II Pet. 1:4). Once we are led by the Spirit of God we become the “sons of God”, a part of His divine righteous family (Rom. 8:14-17). What a wonderful blessing God wants to give us. He wants us to be a part of His loving divine all powerful family. The Greek word for “repentance” is “Metanoia” meaning a change of mind. We need to have the mind of Christ as Paul stated in Phil 2:5.
David sinned grievously by killing Uriah the husband of Bathsheba and by committing adultery with her. Yet when David asked God in repentance to forgive his sin, God forgave him and David wrote Psalm 51, the “repentance” Psalm. David changed and began to walk even closer with God after this period in his life. What did David do? He “acknowledged” his transgression (vs 3), he asked for a “clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (vs 10). In verse 17 David says, “…a broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise”. David changed, he was heartbroken about his terrible sin as we should be about our sins. Heartbroken and willing to humbly change to allow God’s spirit to lead our lives.
The apostle Paul outlines seven remarkable keys to repentance in II Cor. 7:10-11. 1) Carefulness, 2) clearing ourselves (a good reputation), 3) indignation (perfect anger), 4) fear, 5) vehement desire (wanting to change), 6) zeal to change and 7) revenge (vindicate or vanquish that which was done).
God shows His perfect love for us as our Father. When we repent, change our life, to living God’s way of life He adopts us into His family. Rom. 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit; that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Repentance, changing from the carnal mind of man to the spiritual mind of God is His loving gift to us. He forgives and forgets our sins as any father would. Therefore we must “repent” and be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Then we can live His loving spiritual giving way of life and be adopted into His family.
Repentance: change for the better.
