What comes to mind when you think of the word repentance? For many people it evokes the need to try harder, do more, and be better. What is involved with repentance? Jesus came preaching a message of repentance:

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

The word repent in this verse conveys the idea to change one’s mind for the better. Genuine repentance involves not simply changing one’s mind, but it results in changed behavior. Solomon illustrates this fact in the following verse:

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. (Proverbs 28:13)

This is an antithetical proverb illustrating the contrast between those who hide their transgressions and those who confess and change their ways. This proverb emphasizes the need to confess and forsake. Confession is a fundamental characteristic of repentance and it results in seeing our sin as God sees our sin. In the New Testament, the word for confess literally means to say the same thing as another.

True repentance is not only seeing our sin as God sees it through confession, but respentance leads to a changed life as we leave our old ways and seek to follow God. Repentance not only says “I’m sorry about my sin,” but “I’m through with my sin.” The Apostle Paul highlights our need for genuine repentance:

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Are there any areas in your life in which you feel remorse, but in which you have never truly repented? Paul revealed two types of sorrow in this verse. There is a type of sorrow that is according to the will of God and this produces repentance without regret. There is another type of sorrow that may look like Godly sorrow; however, it is a sorrow that results in death. Rather than producing a genuine repentance over one’s sin, it may simply be sorrow because you got caught, but there is no behavioral change.

This means that we must closely examine our lives to ensure that we do not have a superficial sorrow by minimizing our sin, or overlooking our sin. Thomas Carlyle taught us, “The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.” This is why we need one another. We need spiritually mature people who can discern our blind spots and who have the courage to speak truth into our lives.

We must realize that repentance is not doing something about our sin, but it’s realizing that we can’t do anything about our sin – we need a Savior! Jesus provides the deliverance that we so desperately need so we can live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Weekly Inspirational QuoteFollow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5