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What is true repentance? - 11/7/2008 5:45:54 PM
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DerWeg
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Today my dad did something that bothered me, which really should not have bothered me at all....I was just way too wound-up and OCD-like. Anyways, I said 'moron' angrily in my head. And immediately after I said 'sorry, God, I didn't mean that', having realized that I had just broken the 5th commandment. And then realized "sheesh....that was not a reptentance." It was more like a situation where you curse in front of your teacher by accident, and quickly say 'woops, sorry!'. More of a woops, not really a sorry.
So it got me to thinking, what is true repentance, and how do you know if you truly are sorry or if you're just saying it? Does it need to be said out loud with eyes closed and hands folded? I usually pray/repent in my mind, but sometimes that makes me feel like I'm just thinking thoughts rather than truly praying or repenting.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/7/2008 5:52:52 PM
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rcjames
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Repentance means to turn from; not to have sorrow, even Godly sorrow for something you did wrong.
Your dad was probably correct, there is a great many folks who flippently say "Sorry" or "I repent of that", when the sorry is not repentance and neither is the constantly saying I am sorry.
A little deeper study will show that repentance means a change of mind. So that would mean that the person realized that whatever they did was wrong, and they realize it they changed their mind about doing it, and they will never do it again.
I guess the bottom line is how many times can one repent of something; once or else it was not repentance it was a lie.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/7/2008 7:19:13 PM
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DerWeg
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Hm, but what about lust and such? If you lust after someone you can immediately switch your thoughts to God and repent. But then 10 days later you might see someone even more beautiful, etc. It's such a feasible sin that doesn't really require that much 'decision'. Can't you repent again if you do it a second time?
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/7/2008 7:59:16 PM
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delete123
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DerWeg
Hm, but what about lust and such? If you lust after someone you can immediately switch your thoughts to God and repent. But then 10 days later you might see someone even more beautiful, etc. It's such a feasible sin that doesn't really require that much 'decision'. Can't you repent again if you do it a second time?
Yes, you can repent from it (meaning to turn from those desires) However you should learn to have your thoughts captivated by the Word.
When these thoughts occur, you in turn bring in scripture that immediately turns you from your own thoughts.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 1:57:05 AM
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atruefaith
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quote:
Repentance means to turn from; not to have sorrow, even Godly sorrow for something you did wrong.
Tell that to the breast-beating tax collector of Luke 18! You cannot have one without the other.
Repentance is turning, but it is also a life long process fused with sanctification. Blessed are those who mourn and those who mourn, mourn all the more the closer they grow to God. Why? Because the closer you grow to God the more you see your own wretchedness.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 2:01:10 AM
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atruefaith
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One more thing...people change their minds all day long. Biblical repentance is a heart repentance, and any permanent change of mind happens first in the heart.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. -Romans 10:10
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A series of short stories depicting the Christian faith....
www.atruefaith.com
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 9:39:54 AM
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chrisovery
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i think that true repentence is between you and god.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 9:49:34 AM
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rcjames
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The common usuage of "Repentance" in today's Churchdom realm is to say I repent when what is meant is "Whoops".
There is no change in the person's thinking or in their heart towards the sin they committed; it is more of a "Confession" or acknowledgement of the sin they committed.
I still maintain a person can only repent of a particular sin one time. If they commit the sin again, then they did not repent; they lied.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 10:04:50 AM
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LivingParadox
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From my experience, there have been times as a Christian that I have either not done something/done something that I was put under conviction because based on the values it was wrong. But until several years ago that I went through a difficult divorce not of my choosing and had to really confront how I got to this place did I understand true repentence. It's not simple obedience for the sake of obedience -- it really looking at the cost of Christ on the cross -- it's looking into the eyes of your Savior and knowing your disobendience is added to the cost. It's being so broken to your sin that you never want to go there again. That's repentence.
Sometimes a movie scene can portray a lot -- any Braveheart fans? I remember Robert the Bruce, tricked into betraying William Wallace and making the comment "I'll never be on the wrong side again" and from that day forward was the leader that William Wallace saw in him. It's a powerful scene on a story based in truth -- who knows as it was a only movie scene how it really played out. But it's a powerful illustration of when someone truly repents.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 10:11:38 AM
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Little_1
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DerWeg
Today my dad did something that bothered me, which really should not have bothered me at all....I was just way too wound-up and OCD-like. Anyways, I said 'moron' angrily in my head. And immediately after I said 'sorry, God, I didn't mean that', having realized that I had just broken the 5th commandment. And then realized "sheesh....that was not a reptentance." It was more like a situation where you curse in front of your teacher by accident, and quickly say 'woops, sorry!'. More of a woops, not really a sorry.
So it got me to thinking, what is true repentance, and how do you know if you truly are sorry or if you're just saying it? Does it need to be said out loud with eyes closed and hands folded? I usually pray/repent in my mind, but sometimes that makes me feel like I'm just thinking thoughts rather than truly praying or repenting.
True repentance is that which realises it has offended God (e.g. the Prodigal son who said, "I have sinned against heaven and against you") and takes measures to make a 180 degree turn around from doing such ever again.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 10:13:43 AM
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Little_1
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quote:
ORIGINAL: chrisovery
i think that true repentence is between you and god.
Whilst it is true that repentance is between the individual and God - unless we know what it is (which is the question this thread poses) how can we comply? It is good there is threads such as this and that we can learn together.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 10:15:11 AM
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Little_1
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rcjames
The common usuage of "Repentance" in today's Churchdom realm is to say I repent when what is meant is "Whoops".
There is no change in the person's thinking or in their heart towards the sin they committed; it is more of a "Confession" or acknowledgement of the sin they committed.
I still maintain a person can only repent of a particular sin one time. If they commit the sin again, then they did not repent; they lied.
Thanks
RC
Either they lied or they did not truly understand the meaning of Biblical repentance in the first place.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 11:49:10 AM
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rcjames
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
Either they lied or they did not truly understand the meaning of Biblical repentance in the first place.
Yes, that could be the case, but ignorance is no excuse with the authorities or with God.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 12:10:24 PM
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SamsonUSA
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rcjames
The common usuage of "Repentance" in today's Churchdom realm is to say I repent when what is meant is "Whoops".
There is no change in the person's thinking or in their heart towards the sin they committed; it is more of a "Confession" or acknowledgement of the sin they committed.
I still maintain a person can only repent of a particular sin one time. If they commit the sin again, then they did not repent; they lied.
Thanks
RC
Sounds like a nice play on words but it isn't biblical. Repentance is not always immediate but often a process as one surrenders their heart for changing by the hand of the Holy Spirit.
_____________________________
Knowledge humbles great men, astonishes the common man, and puffs up the little man
Chubby babies rock!
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 12:49:50 PM
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deermousie
Posts: 1948
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Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven Matt. 18:21,22
If we're to forgive each other a seemingly endless amount, how much more will God forgive when we realize we've blown it again and repent of it?
Yes, our sanctification should mean we shouldn't commit any sin more than once, but we are slow learners and our sin comes out of our wretched hearts, not our minds and logic.
Heaven will be such a relief!
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Want to know where a certain word or phrase in the Bible is found? www.biblegateway.com Yay!
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 1:01:43 PM
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Prairiehiker
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Repentance....David and Bathsheba
Here's a really good message I listened to this week about repentance. He's my old pastor who now lives 2500 km away. This one spoke very clearly to me about repentance.
He spoke about true guilt and false guilt. Repentance begins with our mind. It's honestly admitting before God that "I have done what is evil in our eyes".
Two lines that stood out for me was when he spoke about how God used Nathan not to condem David but to convert him because David's heart is too far gone.
The act of repentance is the action of killing the habits of our hearts that are killing us without killing us in the process
And God doesn't send not a sword to destroy us; he sends a scalpel in a skillful spiritual surgeon hands to cut away the tumor that is killing us..
The times I repented, were times that I felt that God got ahold of my heart in a loving way. That's teh only way I understood that what I'm doing is a sin and it is killing me spiritually.
< Message edited by Prairiehiker -- 11/8/2008 1:24:03 PM >
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 1:40:12 PM
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terryjohn
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Erasmus translated it as "do penance" for your sins but Luther correctly saw it as being better translated as "be penatant".
Like with sin, action is only defined as sin by the faith that proceeded it. Hence even seemingly good works are sin if accomplished without faith, for without faith it is impossible to please Him.
It will then have to be seen that without Godly sorrow for sin, there can not be a real turning from sin. Many may turn fron sin in worldly sorrow but such is will power that lives in fear of the law of sin and death and one which knows nothing of the power of love that compels men to abstain from sin. It is then rightly said that, if we really love God, we will obey Him not out of sheer will power but out of love. Hence, how can we then sin against our brother and sister when we claim to love them so much?
Repentance is more than an action for scritpure makes in clear the root of the problem is not in the action but in the motivation. No man can say he has repented if he knows in his heart that there has been no change. I may lust after a woman and turn away for the fear of hell but if my heart enjoyed what it saw and desires more, what good has the turning done me?
Is it possible to resist lust? I think in love it is! Our only problem is then to define the love from God as opposed to the love of this world. He who would even contemplating abusing women has not love and is worse than nothing.
The approach to sin is then best approached by developing a better understanding of Gods love and once we have, we can find the rest and peace promised. Now we may not go through life and never see another beautiful woman who seeks knowingly or unknowlingly to tempt us to sin, but the coming across such a one is not the sin. However, the not feeling sorry for her and not wanting the best for her in Christ is.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 1:49:59 PM
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bravjim
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With the post about lust, I think it important to realize that we can look upon a woman and admire her for her beauty, or a woman can look on a man and admire his handsomeness without lusting after them. Lust is desiring to be with them in a way outside of God's guidelines.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 2:08:43 PM
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rcjames
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SamsonUSA
Sounds like a nice play on words but it isn't biblical. Repentance is not always immediate but often a process as one surrenders their heart for changing by the hand of the Holy Spirit.
how about a little Scripture to back up that thought.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 3:14:35 PM
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GraceBro
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quote:
It was more like a situation where you curse in front of your teacher by accident, and quickly say 'woops, sorry!'. More of a woops, not really a sorry. So it got me to thinking, what is true repentance, and how do you know if you truly are sorry or if you're just saying it? Does it need to be said out loud with eyes closed and hands folded? I usually pray/repent in my mind, but sometimes that makes me feel like I'm just thinking thoughts rather than truly praying or repenting.
You actually touched on something quite significant here. Many Christians "apologize" to God for their sin and think that is a sufficient sacrifice for sin. Although, we call it confession booths, short accounts, altar calls, you name it. None of it gets us forgiveness or is accepted by God in the first place. True repentance is only realized when it comes to turning from our unbelief in Jesus to our belief in Jesus (Mark 1:15). Unfortunately, many Christians try to repent of a particular sin, only to repeat it again at another time. Besides, even if you never repeated a sin, you will sin again on some level. Does that mean you didn't really mean you were sorry the last time you committed it? You see how ridiculous this gets? You end up so focused on whether or not you really meant something and then look for signs that you have truly changed your mind. Well, then you spend the rest of your life focused on trying not to commit that sin or other sins. That is not a life of rest and peace in the Holy Spirit.
True repentance is only realized when it comes to the Gospel. Once you accept Christ as your savior, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and are a child of God for all eternity. You then spend the rest or your life allowing the Holy Spirit of God to live His life in and through you. As you learn to trust Him with your life, you will begin to see a diminishing in the sins you commit, but never a total end to them. If you could stop sinning, you'd be God. And we know we aren't God. At least I hope we do. The goal of the Christian life is to learn to trust God, not to stop sinning. Nobody has ever accomplished that, nor does God expect us to do so. Jesus took our sins away from the eyes of God at the cross for all eternity (Hebrews 9:12). Now, when we sin, we approach God in our time of need to see where it was we weren't trusting Him with our lives (Hebrews 4:16). Approaching Him is only possible because our sins and lawless acts are remembered no more. You can't approach God if you still believe your sins come between you and Him. There is nothing wrong with being sorry for a sin and seeking to restore any relationship with that individual you sinned against. That is what Christians should do (James 5:16).
True repentance is realized when we believe God and what He did with our sins.
"Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." Hebrews 10:17-18
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
www.livinggodministries.net
http://96toLife.blogspot.com
360.yahoo.com/idog96
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 4:05:46 PM
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bravjim
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Gracebro, you put it perfectly. At some point, we do get to a point where we will not commit that specific sin, but there will be another sin that we may never overcome. It is the grace of God that allows us to remain in relationship with Christ through it all.
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 4:08:56 PM
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misty35
Posts: 614
Joined: 9/22/2008
From: Arkansas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: GraceBro
quote:
It was more like a situation where you curse in front of your teacher by accident, and quickly say 'woops, sorry!'. More of a woops, not really a sorry. So it got me to thinking, what is true repentance, and how do you know if you truly are sorry or if you're just saying it? Does it need to be said out loud with eyes closed and hands folded? I usually pray/repent in my mind, but sometimes that makes me feel like I'm just thinking thoughts rather than truly praying or repenting.
You actually touched on something quite significant here. Many Christians "apologize" to God for their sin and think that is a sufficient sacrifice for sin. Although, we call it confession booths, short accounts, altar calls, you name it. None of it gets us forgiveness or is accepted by God in the first place. True repentance is only realized when it comes to turning from our unbelief in Jesus to our belief in Jesus (Mark 1:15). Unfortunately, many Christians try to repent of a particular sin, only to repeat it again at another time. Besides, even if you never repeated a sin, you will sin again on some level. Does that mean you didn't really mean you were sorry the last time you committed it? You see how ridiculous this gets? You end up so focused on whether or not you really meant something and then look for signs that you have truly changed your mind. Well, then you spend the rest of your life focused on trying not to commit that sin or other sins. That is not a life of rest and peace in the Holy Spirit.
True repentance is only realized when it comes to the Gospel. Once you accept Christ as your savior, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and are a child of God for all eternity. You then spend the rest or your life allowing the Holy Spirit of God to live His life in and through you. As you learn to trust Him with your life, you will begin to see a diminishing in the sins you commit, but never a total end to them. If you could stop sinning, you'd be God. And we know we aren't God. At least I hope we do. The goal of the Christian life is to learn to trust God, not to stop sinning. Nobody has ever accomplished that, nor does God expect us to do so. Jesus took our sins away from the eyes of God at the cross for all eternity (Hebrews 9:12). Now, when we sin, we approach God in our time of need to see where it was we weren't trusting Him with our lives (Hebrews 4:16). Approaching Him is only possible because our sins and lawless acts are remembered no more. You can't approach God if you still believe your sins come between you and Him. There is nothing wrong with being sorry for a sin and seeking to restore any relationship with that individual you sinned against. That is what Christians should do (James 5:16).
True repentance is realized when we believe God and what He did with our sins.
"Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." Hebrews 10:17-18
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 
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RE: What is true repentance? - 11/8/2008 6:03:51 PM
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GraceBro
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Thanks bravjim and misty35!!!
Grace and Peace
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http://96toLife.blogspot.com
360.yahoo.com/idog96
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