Repentance

Repentance means “afterthought” or “change of mind”

We can say it is a “change of purpose”

Repentance is a redirection of the human will, a purposeful decision to forsake all unrighteousness and pursue righteousness instead

Let me illustrate this

(Walking in one direction & turn 180 into another direction)

Acts 11:18, When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

There are 3 elements to repentance

I.       Turning to God

A.    Turning to God is coming to know Christ as Savior

1.     Someone coming to God for the first time to be saved

B.    Returning to God is someone that is saved

1.     One that is saved and gotten out of the will of God

II.     Turning from evil (Not Remorse, but true Repentance)

A.     A radical change in one’s attitude towards sin and God

B.    To forsake sin (Turning from one direction to another)

1.     It is not regret or remorse alone as with Judas

2.     Matthew 27:3, Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

3.     Judas repented only in the sense of regret or remorse as it is translated in the Greek

a)     When a thief gets could they fell remorse

4.     How can someone spend as much time with Christ and not get saved? It is possible and we see here that Judas was a example

a)     There are many people going to church and are not saved, they wear cross and are not saved. They have not repented

b)     I witnessed to 2 men down in Daytona this last month

5.     Also think about this, that we can have a knowledge of sin which is not repentance

a)     I know that I am sinning as a Christian, but I am not doing anything about it.

III.    Intent is to serve God

A.    Enter into fellowship with God

1.     To have a relationship with God

B.    Looking to God for direction in ones life

1.     It is not enough to just make that turn

2.     How are we going to live a Christ like life without help?

C.    To realize that we fall short of God's requirements

1.     And when we realize that we cannot do it alone, we then look to Christ who can help us.

Conclusion:

Three points to Repentance:

Turn to God

Turn from evil

Intent to serve God

Remember it is not just remorse or regret

Isaiah 55:6-7,6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

God tell us to act now and not to wait. We are to repent and turn back to Him

Seek God while He is speaking to you, while He is near repent

Let the wicked forsake his way (repent)

Let him that is saved return to God & He will have mercy on you

God will pardon all for those who need a Savior

God will pardon all for those who are saved and need to repent about some sin in their life.

It is all about Repentance

Sunday Morning Biker Service 4/20/08