People need to understand what repentance is so that they can truly repent.
Proverbs 14:16 A wise one fears and departs from evil, but the fool rages and is confident.
WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT
1. NOT JUST CONVICTION- feeling guilty.
Repentance begins with conviction through the work of the of the Holy Spirit And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of (JOH 16:8) But 'feeling guilty' does not mean they stop doing the things they were convicted of. Example- Felix in ACT 24:24-25.
2. NOT JUST SORROW FOR SIN -being sorry for your sin. There is sorrow that comes only when caught, or when suffering a consequence of sin. But there is no hatred for the sin enough to quit it. This is called worldly sorrow. 2CO 7:10 -For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but:the sorrow of the world produces death.
3. NOT JUST REFORMATION- trying to be a good person. Many try in their own effort to become a better person. But self effort has a root of self-righteousness that does not acknowledge the need for God's help. Hence, the person has no real need to repent. ISA 64:6- All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags
4. NOT BECOMING RELIGIOUS - resorting to good, religious works. The Pharisees were extremely religious but Yeshua demanded from them proof of true repentance.
Matt 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: \You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
WHAT REPENTANCE IS
1. TOWARDS GOD
a. BEING SORRY TO GOD FOR YOUR SIN. True repentance is sorrow towards God. ' Have mercy on me, 0 God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. (PSA 51:1,4)
b. TURNING TO GOD.(ZEC 1:3) 'This is what יהוה YEHOVA Almighty says:'Return to me,' declares יהוה YEHOVA Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says יהוה YEHOVA Almighty.'
2.TOWARDS SIN
a. ADMITTING SIN AS SIN.(PSA 32:5) Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. said, \1will confess my transgressions to יהוה YEHOVA \- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
b.HATING SIN - (EZE 20:43) there you will remember your conduct and all the actions by wbich you have demed yourselves.and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done.
c. QUITTING & RENOUNCING SIN- (PRO 28:13) He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.Also ROM 6:13.
3.TOWARDS SELF - turning from self and Hvfng for god.
(2CO 5:15) And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for himself but for him who died for them and was
raised again.
CHALLENGE: God is ready to forgive, but first, He demands true repentance
Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.