Repentance
By Nell Stevenson

Of all the events that may occur in a lifetime, repentance must be one of the most intensely personal experiences I can imagine. It is a unique moment of spiritual and emotional intimacy with Almighty God who has set you apart for this very time. He says in Jeremiah 1:5, “before you were conceived I knew you; before you came to birth, I consecrated you”. Once you have taken this momentous step you will be able to look back on your life and see God’s hand in the experiences that led you to this place in time.

In a world where there is little respect for authority, and even less respect for God, where men are self - sufficient and situation ethics are the norm, the message of repentance seems to be obsolete. After all, if each man is an authority unto himself what can there possibly be that requires anyone to repent. How the words of the prophet Isaiah ring true today; “We all like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way.” (Is.53:6) This clearly is why repentance is necessary. We have decided that we know better than God. We have set our own priorities and for the most part live our lives apart from Him. The first and greatest command is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt.22:37) That requires commitment. With such a deep love we would gladly submit to his will and eagerly follow his standards. The sad state of the world today- the crime, the addictions, the suicide etc.- should help us realize our folly and our need for Him.

But our natural inclination is to be independent and want to do things our own way and it is this sinful nature that separates us from God. It is our attitude toward Him that must be renewed. Think of the audacity of it; putting yourself above the creator!!  By rejecting God’s way you choose death because the “wages of sin is death.” (Rom.6:23) You may think you are leading a good life, but by whose standard are you measuring? By God’s standard “all our righteousness is as filthy rags” and “Unless you repent, you too will all perish”. (Lk.13:3) It doesn’t even matter that you attend church on Sundays and pray and talk about believing in God. That may seem like faith on the surface, but God sees the inner man. He will not settle for anything less than total honesty and commitment. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Is.29:13)  Repentance is necessary in order to be reconciled to God. “Repent then and turn to God so that your sin may be wiped out.” (Acts3:19)

We have been conditioned to put our trust in ourselves rather than in God and in our blindness we think that this is freedom. In reality it is slavery to sin and self. It is crucial that we reach an inner conviction of this wrongful attitude. Unless there is awareness of a standard of behavior that has been breached there is no need for repentance. This is the age-old argument set forth in the Bible.  “Before the Law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law”. (Rom.5:13) In other words, wrong has always existed, but God established Laws for His people so that we could recognize sin. It follows then, that “Sin is the transgression of the law”. Not one of us can claim immunity to this, for “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom.3:23) Consequently, repentance is for everyone too. In fact it is a commandment. “God commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30)

We may continue on a rebellious path for many years while God patiently waits until we give up our pride and stubborn will and choose to repent. “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.”(Rev.3:19) When the consequences overwhelm us and we reach the breaking point and are finally ready to turn to God and “confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 Jn.1: 9)

Repentance must be more than words expressing remorse. It requires a broken-ness of spirit that leads to a sincere conviction of our sinfulness and a sincere intent to change by turning from our rebelliousness and submitting to God’s will. True repentance also demands faith that He is true to His word, which promises, “as far as the east is from the west, so far will He remove our transgressions from us.” (Ps.103:12); faith that salvation comes through Jesus Christ the perfect sacrifice who paid the price for our sins. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation” (2Cor.7:10)

To truly show remorse for having put our own selfish will above His perfect will we must come humbly before God and acknowledge his holiness and dominion. We ask with the psalmist “What is man that you are mindful of him?” (Ps.8: 4) As we humbly repent we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Redeemer. This opens the door to communication with Him in prayer and gives the opportunity to live according to His Will and Purpose.

Repentance does not make you perfect. In fact, you may fall back into the old pattern of relying on self instead of God. Ups and downs are inevitable. There will always be trials and temptations that challenge your level of faith and commitment. Repentance is only the first step of a renewed life in Christ and a new way to live by faith.

For some, this moment of meeting with God is the culmination of years of searching for some elusive truth, for others the final moment of desperation for reasons of finance or health or moral depravity. No matter how you come or what your past, God graciously receives you and sets you free to enjoy Divine forgiveness, eternal life and a sense of peace beyond understanding. “Old things have passed away and all things are made new.” (2Cor.5:17) You have become a new creation in Christ.