What is Repentace?

Repentance is simply a turn-around or a change of the heart and mind, and the setting of a new course in the right direction. From the Christian viewpoint, to repent of your sins is to realize, and be sorry that you have been wrong, but are now willing to turn away from your sins and look to Jesus Christ for His righteousness and forgiveness.

In this lesson we will attempt to show the student the different kinds of repentance as well as the different results associated with them. We will begin by saying that repentance (that is repentance toward God) is now, and always has been, necessary for salvation. For the Christian today, repentance of a sin after becoming a child of God is necessary to maintain fellowship. The New Testament is full of Scripture dealing with repentance both before and after the blood atonement of Christ. For example: Israel is told to repent by Jesus; “…but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ” (Lk. 13:3) And Peter; “Repent and be baptized every one of you …… ” (Acts 2:38).

The Gentiles are told by Paul to repent: “…but now commandeth all men every where to repent. ” (Acts 17:30) And again; “….repentence toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ” (Acts 20:21.).

If you have a repentant heart, then you are truly sorry for the sin in your life and feel an urgency to rid yourself of that sin and be clean before God.

As we begin, let’s look at the emotion of “sorrow” and the role it plays in repentance. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. ” (II Cor. 7:10) Notice that in the Scripture there are two kinds of sorrow.