What is Repentance?

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Repentance can biblically be described as the act of confessing and forsaking or turning away from sin or transgression.

Repentance follows conviction and remorse for wrongdoing. There is perhaps no better way to appreciate the significance of true repentance than to examine the teachings of Scripture on this subject.

In 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, God prescribes the remedy for sinful disobedience in an elaborate manner. It says "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

We notice that repentance involves the turning away of a sinful people from their disobedience. Sin is primarily a transgression against God.

In this Scripture, we learn that God's forgiveness is conditional to repentance in a manner that satisfies His divine standards. For instance, the people of Nineveh truly repented of their sinful depravity and God graciously forgave them and withdrew His judgment against them (Jonah 3:5-10).

When true repentance is attained or experienced, a person's burden of guilt is lifted away and the joy of God flows from their hearts. Psalm 120:1 says "In my distress I cried to the Lord, And He heard me."

When David repented of his sin with Bathsheba, God graciously pardoned him. Scripture describes the abundant joy and happiness that ensued and his renewed commitment to walking with God.

Psalm 51 carries David's prayer of repentance. This prayer should be read together with God's rebuke of David in 2 Samuel 12:1-23. David confesses that God cannot despise or overlook a broken heart. He proclaims in Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise."

Psalm 38 also describes David's brokenness before God and the shame and reproach that sin brings to the child of God. This passage does not specify the circumstances of the transgression. It is possible that this could be connected to Psalm 51 as well.

The purpose of God's rebuke and chastisement is to strengthen His covenant people in their life of obedience. It is never intended to harm or destroy them.

 Job 5:17 says "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole."

In the New Testament Scripture, repentance from sin is tied to the offer of God's grace in Christ. John 3:16-17 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

This and many other passages of New Testament Scripture affirm God's condition for the restoration of our fellowship with Him that was broken by sin. Romans 6:22-23 says "But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A person who truly repents in response to the preaching of the Gospel must walk away from their life of disobedience and rebellion. He should recognize that only in Christ's atoning grace can he receive the atonement from sinful condemnation in Adam. He shall thereafter depend entirely on God's grace in order to live in obedience to God.

He should keep the word of God close to his heart and cherish his communion with God and with God's people in true fellowship.

This does not suggest that we shall attain perfection or freedom from sin on earth. We are still predisposed to the influence of sin on earth. However, we are better able to recognize sin and, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, confess it in truth. Habitual sinfulness will not define our walk with God.

1 John 3:6 says "Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him."

It is instructive to note that this Scripture does not teach that the believer is sinless or that he cannot commit any sin . If that were the case, then 1 John 1:8-10 should be expunged from the Bible!

This Scripture is addressing habitual sinfulness; a regrettable condition that reveals that the person is still bound in moral disobedience. Wilful disobedience cannot characterize the life of a true child of God. Why? Because the Spirit of God leads him and brings him into conviction and repentance!

No child of God would wilfully relish a life of sinful revelry and debauchery. His moral conscience is alert and repels the life of darkness!

God is longing for the repentance of the wicked, not willing that any soul should be lost. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). 

Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020