Featured Scripture and Commentary
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
You never know where or when you might be when the Lord reaches you with a message. Maybe a profound, transformational message that has the potential to change your relationship with God, your understanding of
the mission of Jesus and the Cross and so much more. That happened to me recently. Ended up in a parking lot with time to kill so put on some Bible-centered audio and what I learned I now share with you.
I have talked about the darkness of the lyrics of Leonard Cohen before. One lyric though is relevant here. “When they said ‘repent’ I wondered what they meant” Now this is loaded with dark emotion and
rebellion but… it is a good question. Do you think you know what repentance is and how to do it? And what if we are all misunderstanding something completely that we took for granted as one of the main pillars of
our Christian theological and essential understandings?
Do you have an idea of repentance that involves a dash of self-loathing, a smidgen of earning forgiveness (even though we balance in our heads the knowledge that we cannot do this), a spoonful of shame, half a cup of
emotional breakdown and a motherload of sin?
Well did you know that the original word for “repent” is “metanoia” which is meta (change) nous(mind) – a change of mind, a paradigm shift in common modern parlance. It is a turning around to be sure as you have heard, to be sure,
but what it really represents is a complete conversion of the way that we look at God, our thoughts about Him and our relationship with Him. Did Jesus die as a substitutionary sacrifice to absolve our sin and sin nature. Verily! But even for much more. He died to change our mind. Not just a thought but the entire thought system.
So repentance becomes agreement with God, receiving Grace already offered, walking into freedom, intellectual and volitional turning and a loving worshipful, appreciative focus on the Savior and salvation. Repentance becomes then
a vessel which contains a turning from sin but without going into a dark place, instead opening ourselves up to all the Holy Spirit attributes in a glory filled experience.
Repentance has been hijacked by “shame culture”. We’ve confused it with self-hatred, emotional breakdowns, or endless groveling. Sure we turn around but with so much needless and unrequested spiritual pain. But biblical repentance is none of those things. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction, initiated by God’s kindness, not our despair.
CORROBORATING SCRIPTURE
Acts 3:19, Psalm 51:17, Luke 15:18–20, Romans 2:4, Ezekiel 18:30–32
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Luke 15:18–20 I will arise and go to my father… And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Ezekiel 18:30–32 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Judas felt worldly sorrow (Matt 27:3–5). Peter felt godly sorrow (Luke 22:62). One ended in suicide; the other in restoration.
Repentance Is Not a Transaction:
It is not “I say sorry enough times, then God forgives. God always wants to forgive and will. If we believe in Jesus we receive our sins washed clean as forgiveness”
It is “I know who I was and am no longer. I see Jesus and the Holy Spirit inside of me and I see myself as God sees me, I agree with Him, and I turn toward His mercy.”
AI Sez:
Stop performing. God isn’t impressed by tears; He responds to truth.
Name the sin specifically. Vague guilt produces vague repentance.
Receive, don’t achieve. Forgiveness is a gift, not a wage.
Turn, don’t just feel. Emotion without direction is just sadness.
Repentance is the door, not the destination. Walk through it. Don’t camp in the doorway weeping.
PRAYER FOR WHOMSOEVERS
Lord Jesus, you did all that needed to be done in order for you to be able to proclaim “It is finished” and yet I live in a made up world where shame and guilt are real and have legitimacy. This when you died so we can come closer to the Father without our baggage and emotional weight. All that is asked of us is to stand in Your light of Grace and forgiveness and share it with the world. I ask forgiveness for getting it wrong and I repent so as to open wide to receive your peace, love and your gifts. Thank you Lord. I can see clearly now the pain is gone.
