Repentance (2)
Repentance is a requirement for fellowship with God, Repentance involves turning form sin, Confession of sin, Forsaking specific sins, Making appropriate restitution, Repentance involves turning to God, Obedience, Repentance demonstrated by actions, Repentance must be sincere, The repentance of God, See also, God, anger of, God, joy of, God, repentance of, restitution, sorrow, sin, confession of sin, finding, returning to God, faith, obedience.
6734
repentance, importance of
Repentance is of central importance because sin brings God’s judgment and fellowship with God is only possible through full and sincere repentance. God, through his servants, calls people to repent as the only way to escape the judgment and receive the forgiveness and restoration which he offers.
The call to repentance
Lk 5:32; Jas 5:19-20 See also Jer 25:4-6; Eze 33:7-9; Mk 1:4 pp Lk 3:3; Lk 24:47; 2Ti 2:24-26
Repentance opens the way for blessing
It is the only way to escape God’s judgment Eze 18:30-32 See also Job 36:12; Jer 18:7-8; 26:3; Hos 11:5; Jnh 3:10; Lk 3:8-9; Rev 2:5
It prepares the way for God’s kingdom Mt 4:17 pp Mk 1:14-15 See also Mt 3:2
It brings forgiveness and restoration 2Ch 7:13-14; Isa 55:7 See also Dt 30:1-10; Ne 1:8-9; Job 22:23-25; 36:10-11; Isa 44:22; Ac 2:38-39; 3:19; 5:31; 11:18
God desires that all people should repent
He wants everyone to be saved Eze 18:23
His patience with the unrepentant 2Pe 3:9 See also Isa 65:2; Ro 2:4; Rev 2:21
His discipline encourages repentance Jer 31:18-20 See also Isa 10:20-21; 19:22; Hos 2:6-7; 6:1
Taking God’s opportunity for repentance
Isa 55:6; Ac 17:30-31 See also Heb 3:13-15; 4:7; Ps 95:7-8
Refusing God’s opportunity for repentance
Examples of those who refuse to repent Jer 35:15 See also Jer 5:3; Mt 11:20; 21:32; Rev 9:20-21; 16:9-11
God confirms those who refuse to repent in their hardness of heart Mt 13:14-15 pp Mk 4:11-12 pp Lk 8:9-10; Ac 28:25-27; Isa 6:10
Repentance may not remove the effects of human sin
Nu 14:39-45 The Israelites’ repentance could not prevent the wandering that resulted from their refusal to enter the promised land; 1Sa 15:24-26 Saul’s repentance is too late to escape God’s judgment on his kingship; 2Sa 12:13-14 Despite David’s repentance the son of his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba still died; Heb 12:16-17 Esau’s repentance could not bring back the birthright he had sold to Jacob.
See also
1030 God, compassion
2375 kingdom of God
2425 gospel, requirements
5048 opportunities & salvation
5763 attitudes, positive to God
6124 condemnation
6178 hardness of heart
6652 forgiveness
6686 mercy
8653 importunity to God
9165 restoration
9210 judgment, God’s
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repentance, examples of
Scripture provides examples to illustrate the importance of repentance for individuals and communities.
The repentance of individuals
The call to personal repentance Ac 2:38 See also 2Ti 2:19
Examples of individual repentance Nu 22:31-35 Balaam; 2Sa 24:10 pp 1Ch 21:8 David, after taking a census; 1Ki 21:27-29 Ahab; 2Ki 22:19 Josiah; Job 42:6 Job; Ps 51:1-17 David, following his adultery with Bathsheba; Lk 15:21 the prodigal son; Lk 18:13 the tax collector in the temple; Mt 26:75 pp Mk 14:72 pp Lk 22:61-62 Peter’s sorrow after denying Jesus Christ; Jn 21:15-17 Peter’s confession and reinstatement; Ac 8:22-24 Simon the sorcerer’s repentance may not have been genuine.
Corporate repentance
Examples of corporate repentance Jer 18:7-8; Mt 3:1-6 pp Mk 1:1-6 pp Lk 3:1-6 See also Nu 21:7 Israel in the desert; Jdg 10:15-16 Israel in the time of the judges; 1Sa 7:3-4 Israel, after asking for a king; Isa 19:22 Egypt turns to God in repentance; Ac 9:32-35 the people of Lydda and Sharon
Leaders encouraged corporate repentance Ezr 10:1 See also 2Ki 23:1-7 Josiah leads Judah in repentance; 2Ch 15:8-15 Asa leads Judah in repentance; 2Ch 30:6-9 Hezekiah leads Israel and Judah in repentance; Ezr 10:10-12 Following the exile, Ezra leads the Israelites in repentance; Jnh 3:6-8 The king of Nineveh leads the people in repentance.
Corporate repentance within the church Rev 2:4-5 See also 2Co 7:9-11; Rev 2:14-16,20-22; 3:3,19-20
Symbols of repentance
1Ki 21:27; Jnh 3:5 See also 1Sa 7:6; Ezr 8:21; Ne 9:1; Jer 36:9; Joel 1:13-14; 2:12
See also
3248 Holy Spirit, conviction
5419 mourning
5952 sorrow
6626 conversion
6742 sackcloth & ashes
7020 church, the
7206 community
7733 leaders
7757 preaching, effects
8148 revival
8431 fasting, reasons
8477 self-examination
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repentance, of God
See 1120 God, repentance of