What repentance really means

Real Christians are more often wrong than they are right.  Let me clarify that.

Real Christians acknowledge that they are, in Paul’s words, “sinners of the worst kind.”[1]  They are spiritually aware of their mistakes and misdemeanours and they put those things right by prompt use of the very tool God gave broken humanity for putting things right: repentance.

Repentance is what sets Christians apart. By repentance Christians call Jesus, “Lord.” By repentance, Christians worship Jesus in the Spirit and in truth.[2]  We cannot lie and worship in the Spirit and in truth.  Repentance as it is needed is proper worship.

If, at the moment we first proclaimed our faith in Christ, we acknowledged we were sinners, and were then saved from the CONSEQUENCES of our sins, we can see a heavenly transaction taking place.

We exchange our acceptance of who we actually are—sinners—for the saving grace of God.

Things have changed forever now.  Something has been changed in us.

Now that we’ve agreed to follow Jesus, we’re set to the task of learning and practicing worship.  Because we’re now committed to the one who is Spirit and truth, we now align ourselves to Spirit and truth, too, no matter what.

Being a Christian completely reformats our relationships.  We value others above even ourselves.[3]

It is a costly discipleship.  There is no cheap grace.  We cannot say “yes” to Jesus and “no” to his requirements.  Yet, all of his requirements could be summed up in the Spirit of repentance, which is to act on the conviction of the Spirit, which occurs in all true believers; therefore, the test of true believers is a fruit of repentance.

Repentance is a sign whether you’re a real Christian or not.

I lived my first 13 years in the faith not really getting it;
there was NO fruit of repentance in my life.

The moment we turn back and don’t live like those who were saved by grace—in other words, the moment we refuse God’s invitation of humility to repent—is the moment we turn our backs on that grace that saved us.  This may be of interest to those interested in things like eternal destinations.

The moment we’re called by someone to reflect on our actions toward them, and don’t acknowledge our sin, is the moment we can consider we’re out of favour with God.  We can postulate as much as we like about how wrong they are.  How we deal with their claim is, however, between us and God.

But this is where real Christians come unstuck.  They exhibit the fruit of repentance and they please God, but they may quickly find they’re in relationships with others who do not repent—other Christians.

Now, I’d use the term loosely, “other Christians,” because I believe the Bible teaches that the Kingdom of God lives in the heart of the believer, and if the person who says they believe doesn’t repent when they should, they’re treasonous.  Christians don’t go around hurting people and leaving them hurt.  It’s direct contravention of Matthew 5:23-24 and the Spirit of Jesus, which is a ministry of reconciliation.   Christians come unstuck when they live as they ought to—bearing a positive, daily fruit of repentance—but are then transgressed by other Christians who refuse to reciprocate.

Those who profess faith in Christ yet also don’t confess and repent when they’re wrong, not only do Christ a disservice, they live a lie.

If Paul could say he was a sinner of the worst kind, surely, we can see the purpose in his hyperbole.   We share the same heart as Paul.   It is tainted by sin.  But this is the good news!  

The very fact that we can’t save ourselves, heralds the fact that God in Jesus can save us, but only if we’re willing to acknowledge we need him, and we only do that when we see our sin—and the effects of our sin as it flows into others’ lives—as it really is.  As we live Jesus’ final command, “Love one another... then the world will know you’re my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

Real repentance means this: I am sorry. Not just a little sorry, enough to say sorry, but even that’s not enough. Sorry enough to understand what we did wrong, and sorry enough to fully become aware. Sorry enough to change not only our mind, but to be challenged enough to modify our behaviour.  Sorry in our heart.  Sorry enough to convince the person or people we had wronged that we’re serious.  Sorry enough to want to earn that lost trust back.  Serious enough to warrant forgiveness.  Committed enough not to relapse.

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[1] 1 Timothy 1:15.

[2] John 4:24.

[3] Philippians 2:3-4.