Repentance & A New Direction

Introduction

Many times people need a fresh start and they need to take their lives in a new direction.

Sin takes us away from God, leads us far from people that truly love us and care for us, and sin will destroy our soul.

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

That is why God has put into place the gift of salvation. He offers a gift of forgiveness; He give us opportunity to start afresh and to go in a new direction with our life -

In all honesty, repentance is the most challenging part of our obedience to Christ and coming to obtain the gift of salvation because it requires change (and change is hard), it requires a new attitude, it requires us to be humble, and it requires us to admit that we have been wrong.

However, repentance is essential if we are to obtain new life with God -

Therefore, we must understand what repentance truly is if we are going to practice it.

Defining Repentance

The Bible commands repentance (). Repentance in and of itself is a difficult word to define.

BDAG and Mounce help us define the word

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. μετανοέω

change one’s mind

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. μετανοέω

feel remorse, repent, be converted

2. Changing your mind is a challenge to:

stubbornness

pride

sin

lifestyle

choices

3. Repentance involves:

humility

acknowledgment of wrongdoing

faith in God’s promises and assurances

4. Repentance is a change in mind that leads to a change in one’s actions -

Fruit comes after the tree is developed.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance

The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.

b. Repentance is a determination; it is a choice that must first be made. Then, there are actions that must follow and be demonstrated -

c. Jesus told Paul to preach repentance and that people should perform deeds “appropriate to repentance” -

d. Repentance is two-fold: first there is the choice; second, there are the actions that show your repentance.

i. Repentance might not be visible, but the actions consistent with repentance must be visible.

ii. Someone might tell a lie, show remorse for their actions, repent and pray for forgiveness. They would be forgiven.

iii. Their actions consistent and appropriate of repentance might be public confession of their lie and correcting the lie by telling the truth.

iv. Or someone who is caught up in drugs and alcohol might repent and determine to never touch it again. They might seek help and forgiveness from God and from others. They would have repented. Then they need to get rid of the alcohol and drugs that they might have in their possession.

Repentance is Central to the Gospel

John the baptizer preached a message of repentance -

John prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah

Jesus preached a message of repentance -

Christ prepared the people for the coming of the kingdom and the church

The disciples preached a message of repentance -

The disciples pointed the household of Israel to Jesus as their Anointed King

The apostles continued preaching repentance after the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus - ; ;

The message of repentance is commanded to all people.

Sinners Need To Repentance

Jesus illustrates repentance and the change in mind that leads to a change in action -

There are two sons. The father asks both to go to work. One says he will not go, but he regrets it and later goes - v 29

The second son says he will go, but does not go.

The first one, even though he did not honor his father as he should have ended up doing his father’s will - v 31

A willingness to change your heart, mind, and actions is what is essential to repentance.

Repentance is doing the will of God. Anyone who refuses to obey God’s commands must repent.

Jesus and His disciples were associating with those who were known to be scoundrels (tax collectors and sinners). Jesus reminded the Pharisees that He came to call the sin-sick to repentance -

Luke later adds that the preaching of the gospel is repentance for the forgiveness of sins -

All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (), thus we all have need to repent of our sins.

Turning in a New Direction

Repentance is motivated by sorrow that we have offended and violated God’s laws -

Godly sorrow leads to repentance and recognizing that we have sinned against God.

We will be held responsible for our sins and we will be punished eternally unless we repent!

Worldly sorrow recognizes guilt and wrongdoing, but does not take proper action.

Godly sorrow does not let guilt remain. It seeks the goodness of God and salvation through His grace -

Some people do not know how to move past the guilt of their sins.

The way we learn to move past guilt is through trusting in the goodness and kindness of God!

It comes down to guilt or grace: grace, you must repent; guilt, continue in your sins and despise God’s goodness.

Which will you choose?

Repentance requires a new direction and a new life -

Repentance is sort of like Newton’s Third Law of Motion. With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Stated negatively: repentance is stopping a sinful behavior

Stated positively: repentance is beginning a good behavior to please God

Put away lying and start speaking the truth - v. 25

Control your anger without retaliation and taking vengeance - v 26

Quit stealing and go to work - v 28

Remove evil speech and only talk to edify - v 29

Last week we discussed the nature of faith; faith demands obedience and part of that obedience is repentance -

In , Peter makes the statement that we must “repent and return” (or be converted) - cf

Conversion is a term that means to be turned

Repentance is the process of change.

Repentance is the process of change.

Conversion is the turning and embracing of the change and seeking forgiveness.

Repentance, conversion, and the deeds appropriate for repentance all lead to the forgiveness of sins and our sins being blotted out - cf

Conclusion

Repentance is the way that leads to life; and if we refuse to repent, then we will perish in eternal condemnation in hell -

But the gospel message offers hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Remember that faith is connected with repentance.

Now we see that repentance and baptism are connected; therefore, as we are answering the question “what must I do to be be saved?” we are beginning to recognize that faith, repentance, and baptism are all intimately and intrinsically connected to receiving the forgiveness of sins -

Will you repent today before it’s too late?