TRUE REPENTANCE
The Bible says that we have all sinned; and to receive forgiveness of sins, we need to repent from our wicked ways and give our lives to the Lord so that He helps us in our weaknesses.
Many times, we think that we have repented, yet we continue to do the same things that displease God. We need to evaluate and see if we are truly repenting or if all we’re feeling is emotion and religiousness. This is why, we need to understand the difference between false repentance and true repentance.
1. THE FOLLOWING IS NOT REPENTANCE.
It is not to feel guilty, because we did something wrong. Guilt is a feeling felt before actually repenting, but it is not repentance by itself. In fact, guilt does not come from the Lord, it is a bondage that the enemy uses to torture people. However, for those who believe in Christ, guilt does not exist.
2. THE FOLLOWING IS TRUE REPENTANCE.
The word repentance originates from two words: “EPISTREFO” which means “to return or to turn half way around” and “METANOEO” which refers to changing one’s mind.
To repent is to depart and hate sin. It is not enough to confess sin, but we must also move away from it, and not make the same mistakes. For example, if a thief has truly repented then they will voluntarily return what they have stolen. If a liar has truly repented then they will correct their lies and speak the truth.
Repentance is to change the way we think (Romans 12:2) and not only that, but also change the way we act. It is to amend the mistakes we’ve made. Someone who has honestly repented will try to repair the damage they’ve caused and pay-off the debt they owed. Let’s take the example of Zacchaeus, he paid back four times more than what he had taken.
Think about it:
Are you in a situation where you know you need to repent about something before God?
What does it mean to truly repent?