Skip to main content

Lesson for Conversion: Repentance

REPENTANCE​

People need to understand what repentance is so that they can truly repent.

WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT​

  1. NOT JUST CONVICTION - feeling guilty.

    • Repentance begins with conviction through the work of the of the Holy Spirit "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). But not all who 'feels guilty' but they don’t stop doing the things they were convicted of. Example - Felix in Acts 24:24 – 25.

  2. NOT JUST SORROW FOR SIN – being sorry for your sin.

    • This is sorrow that comes only when caught, or when suffering a consequence of sin. But there is no hatred for the sin enough to quit it. This is called worldly sorrow.
    • 2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

  3. NOT JUST REFORMATION - trying to be a good person.

    • Many try in their own effort to become a better person. But self-effort has a root of self-righteousness that does not acknowledge the need for God's help. Hence, the person has no real need to repent.
    • Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

  4. NOT BECOMING RELIGIOUS - resorting to good, religious works.

    • The Pharisees were extremely religious, but Jesus demanded from them proof of true repentance.
    • Matthew 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

WHAT REPENTANCE IS​

  1. TOWARDS GOD a. BEING SORRY TO GOD FOR YOUR SIN - True repentance is sorrow towards God.

    • Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge - Psalms 51:1,4 b. TURNING TO GOD - This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the Lord Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the Lord Almighty - Zechariah 1:3

  2. TOWARDS SIN a. ADMITTING SIN AS SIN - (Psalms 32:5) Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. b. HATING SIN - (Ezekiel 20:43) there you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. c. QUITTING & RENOUNCING SIN - (Proverbs 28:13) He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Also, Romans 6:13.

  3. TOWARDS SELF - turning from self and living for God.

    • 2 Corinthians 5:15 - And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for himself but for him who died for them and was raised again.

CHALLENGE​

God is ready to forgive, but first, He demands true repentance

  • Acts 17:30 - In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.