What Is Genuine Repentance?
A Biblical View of Revival - Part 5
by James Pool, OneCry National Prayer Director
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17 NASB).
Have you ever noticed how the spiritually dynamic (and often first-recorded) messages of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-2), Jesus (Matthew 4:17), Peter (Acts 2:38), Paul (Acts 17:30), and John (Revelation 2:5) all contain a powerful focus on one key word? What do you think it is?
Would love be that often-repeated word, since God is love and He loved the world so much that He sacrificed His only Son to pay for our sins (1 John 4:8; John 3:16)? Maybe the word faith comes to mind, since it is impossible to please God without it (Hebrews 11:6). Could it be the word grace, since Christ’s followers are no longer under the law but are now free to experience the power of God’s phenomenal grace at work within our lives (Romans 6:15)?
No, none of these is correct. We only need to read those messages to see clearly that the key word is repent.
Why do you think Jesus and these other New Testament leaders put such an emphasis on repentance? I believe the answer is twofold.
First of all, without believing in the saving work of Jesus, repenting of our sins, and totally surrendering ourselves to the kind of relationship with Christ where His Spirit lives and rules within us, a person cannot be saved (Romans 8:9-14).
Second, a key step to maintaining that dynamic love relationship with Christ is learning how to genuinely repent from sin any time we grieve or quench the Spirit of Christ who lives in us (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).
What Is Genuine Repentance?
With this level of importance placed on repentance, we have to ask, “What does repentance look like in a practical way?” In Greek, the word repent is formed from two words.
The first word denotes a change of place or condition. The second word means to exercise the mind, to think, to comprehend.
When combined, these words indicate that a genuine change of mind has taken place. We realize that we cannot go on willfully disobeying the One we love and still maintain the intimacy God longs for us to experience with Him. We realize that we have to change our mind about our actions if we want to see that intimacy restored.
Because repentance occurs in the context of a love relationship with Christ, sorrow is also a major part of it (2 Corinthians 7:10). When we sin, the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to alert us that our thoughts and actions are grieving the One who loves us so very much and quenching the ability of Christ’s Spirit to work in us (Ephesians 5:26).
We realize that our intimate communication with God has been lost (Psalm 66:18). We begin to woefully understand that, with the sin we just committed, it is as if we were trampling underfoot the Son of God and regarding as unclean the blood of the covenant by which we were saved (Hebrews 10:29).
Therefore, wanting to no longer hurt the One who died for us, sorrow moves us to repentance. The apostle Paul said it is this passionate love of Christ that controls us and moves us to actually want to change our thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
So, what do we specifically do when we repent? The first step toward genuine change involves crying out to God with sincerity of heart, agreeing with Him that what we did was wrong (1 John 1:9). This step must be followed by trusting Him to fill us anew and empower us to actually change our ways and deeds as we submit ourselves to the abiding presence and lordship of His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16).
Finally, we must purpose to once again perform deeds appropriate to repentance by obeying His commands (Acts 26:20; John 14:21). It is only through these steps of change and our renewed, loving obedience to Christ that our repentance is made complete.
Most of us are familiar with and understand that as individual Christians, repentance is a critical step in maintaining our intimacy with Christ. But how does repentance work when a church sins against God? Is the process the same? How do you go about getting the whole church family to change its ways?
These practical questions and others regarding corporate repentance will be explored in our next Biblical View of Revival. Until then, may we press on in crying out to God for revival and spiritual awakening!