True Repentance

 

What is true repentance?  I remember asking Jesus into my heart several times as a youngster.  I thought every time you were bad you had to repent since you would likely lose your salvation otherwise.  It was the most frustrating endeavor.  Every time I sinned, I would surely not be forgiven if I happened to die before repenting.  It all had to do with me and my quick response to asking forgiveness.  Maybe this is an extreme, but still, this is what I believed back then. 

 When I was 15 years old, I was involved in a serious car accident.  I was quite backslidden at the time and into the hippy and drug scene.  My head hit the windshield, and I was very scared when I couldn’t wake up, and I felt my life slipping away.  My life flashed before me.  I didn’t know if I was going to heaven, and I was afraid I was slipping into hell.  But even so, after I awoke, screaming, and in the midst of the wreck, I still did not change.  I repented, but my heart did not change. It wouldn’t be until I went to Bible School three years later that I would understand true repentance from the heart, which was marked by a godly sorrow from my sin and deliverance from my sinful life.  This was followed by a rapturous joy of being set free from it.

 My question today is this:  Should Christians keep repenting even after they’re saved? What a silly question to ask, right? Most people will say, “Yes, of course.  We are sinners, aren’t we?”  Well, what does the Bible say?

My theological background tells me that once I’ve turned away from sin (literally the meaning of repentance – to turn away from sin), I am become a new creation in Christ.  Then I’m supposed to walk in newness of life and not according to my former sinful nature and even religious, yes, religious, and self-directed ways.  My religious ways would also include my idea of what makes me a good person, not what God says makes me a good and righteous person.

1Cor 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

1Cor 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

1Cor 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 

So, the first thing that needs to be established is that God no longer considers us habitual sinners unaware of our sinful state.  We are now His blood-bought beloved children! He has started us off brand new and fresh, washed and clean, sanctified and justified, as it says in verse 11.

 2 Cor 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

This is the life-changing “born again” experience for every believer.  And in the next verse, we definitely see that God wants us to move on from our initial repentance:

 Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

 We shouldn’t look for problems or try to figure out our sins, because we don’t know.  Only God knows our hearts. David prayed:

 Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 We are not to be reminded of our sins either, and go over them again and again. After all, God doesn’t!

 Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 

 I believe true repentance is when we are convicted by the Holy Spirit, and we respond with a contrite and repentant heart.  This is what happened to me at Bible School.  I became undone by the beautiful and sweet and loving presence of God. Repentance wasn’t something I had to think about.  It just happened in response to the Lord.  It was life changing and powerful.  

 I love these verses, which I think explain well what true repentance means:

 Psa 34:18  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

A person with a contrite heart is one with a repentant one; there’s a godly sorrow for sinning against a holy and loving Father. We need to be quick to see and admit our errors and keep short accounts with others and God.  But trying to figure out our wrongs seems ill advised, and a fruitless endeavor.  God doesn’t want us going around guilt ridden with our heads hanging low.  He wants us to live that fruitful, abundant and joy-filled life that He promised us.  And He will be faithful to grow us and discipline us when needed in His own perfect time and way.