Returning to God

All people have turned away from God

Isaiah 53:6 KJV 1900

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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Jeremiah 17:9 KJV 1900

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Wayward people must return to God

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Isaiah 44:22 KJV 1900

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, And, as a cloud, thy sins: Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Hosea 14:1 KJV 1900

O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

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Zechariah 1:3 KJV 1900

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, And I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.

Means of returning to God

Realization of estrangement from God

Lamentations 3:40 KJV 1900

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

Acknowledgment of sin

Psalm 51:3 KJV 1900

For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me.

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Sorrow for sin

Psalm 38:18 KJV 1900

For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

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Psalm 51:1–2 KJV 1900

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 KJV 1900

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

A sense of guilt for sin

2 Samuel 24:10 KJV 1900

And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

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Psalm 51:3 KJV 1900

For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me.

Acts 2:37–38 KJV 1900

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Repentance

Acts 2:37–38 KJV 1900

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

See also

A parable of returning to God

Luke 15:11–24 KJV 1900

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Examples of people returning to God

Israelites:

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David; the people of Nineveh