Thursday, June 3, 2010

Best explination of repentance that I've heard


Ah, repent. The big, scary, Christianese word that the world doesn't really comprehend. Here's what dictionary.com says. repent-to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent. That still may be too vague for some people to understand especially if no one has ever taken them through God's Law to show them why the need to repent. Now for the super-easy definition that I learned from one of the leaders at the Ambassador's Academy. She explained to a young man that someone is punching him in the arm. The puncher repeatedly says, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Sure the boy can forgive the person punching him over and over, 70x7 times even. However, what does the boy who is getting punched really want the "sorry" person to do? He wants him to stop doing what he is doing, to stop punching him. And that is what God wants us to do with our sinful lifestyles. Some think that they can say sorry and continue to live however and do whatever they want. That is simply not true. Repent is mentioned in some form or another 56 times in the New Testament often times appearing twice in the same Verse. I think God wants us to understand the need for turning from sin. Maybe you're reading this today and feel you are saved because you are resting on John 3:16. I would encourage you to have an active role in your relationship with Jesus. Show Him that you are truly sorry by not "punching" Him over and over with the same sin He saved you from. If you've stumbled upon this and are not saved by repentance and faith in Jesus and are not born again, please consider that there will be Judgment one day for every lie, theft, and lustful look. The punishment for these things is Hell. The bible says that Jesus died for those sins, then rose from the dead so that if you repent and trust in Him you will have everlasting life. I hope this is an encouragement for the lost and the lukewarm to get right with God, as well as for the soundly saved to share the need for repentance to their unsaved friends. God bless, SbP.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (New International Version)
10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

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