The Issue of Repentance and what Follows it

Introduction

I am writing this piece to fix the true meaning of Biblical repentance in my mind and to ensure that I am not guilty of also not changing/ turning away from those things(no matter how small) that would make someone doubt whether I am genuinely save or not. I hope this article will not be too confusing, since I am simply going to have bits of Scripture thrown in with my own comments as well as other things I have read on this issue.

Some Scriptures

Firstly, let us get some Scriptures referring to the issue of repentance (there are many others I could use):

Mat 9:13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mat 21:28  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. 29  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Luk 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 8  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

1Th 1:9  For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

What do we see from these and other Scriptures:

• Repentance is the act of changing your mind and doing something else
• In the Biblical sense, it means turning away from your evil deeds and turning toward God
• Repentance, then, must result in an observable change in the person : stop any immoral action immediately !

Comment

From the Scriptures then, one gets the idea that to repent means that as an unsaved sinner, you STOP willingly doing evil and change your mind regarding God. You humbly turn to God in sorrow and ask for forgiveness through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

NOTE: Sorrow or Remorse ALONE is NOT REPENTANCE ! If one looks at King Saul in the Old Testament or Judas Iscariot in the New Testament, we see that they were sorry for what they had done wrong, but there was NO turning back to God to ask for forgiveness.

What then follows repentance?

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

We must therefore forsake ALL else and follow Jesus Christ. We must behave as He would at all times. This does not mean we have lost our sin-nature (see Romans 7:16-25). It does mean we must do no willful sin; i.e. deliberately commit sinful acts. We will be perfect only in heaven, but we should at all times strive to be like Christ and show the FRUIT of our salvation, namely good deeds and faithfulness to God. But the good deeds come AFTER, and as a RESULT OF true Biblical repentance. There are "good"  non-believers, but they are still on the way to damnation because they have NOT turned to God and accepted forgiveness through Jesus.

In closing, remember this : Being repentant is not just about saying a quick prayer, and asking for forgiveness. It is being truly sorrowful for your evil deeds and turning away from them and doing good after asking God to forgive you.

Rom 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.