REPENTANCE

REPENTANCE

Introduction

Repentance is a total change of mind, attitude and conduct from a sinful lifestyle to God’s lifestyle. It is the prerequisite to salvation and forgiveness from God. Without repentance, a sinner is doomed to eternal damnation after death. Repentance therefore is proof that Christianity is not hereditary.

1. Benefits of Repentance

•   Read the following passages and deduce the benefits of repentance from them: Acts 3 Vs 19; Prov.28 Vs 13; Ps.32 Vs 1, 2

(In a matter between heaven and earth, there is no forgiveness without repentance).

2. Steps to Repentance

There are three steps to repentance namely:

1. Acknowledgement of one’s guilt. (Isa.66 Vs 2; Ps.34 Vs 18)
2. Confession of sin to God in Prayer. (Prov. 28 Vs 13)
3. Forsaking the sin. (Prov.28 Vs 13)

Repentance is a deliberate act, a conscious determination and constant decision not to revert to one’s former way of life.

3. Types of Repentance

There are six types of repentance, five of which violates Matt.3 Vs 8; Luke 3 Vs 8 while only one fulfills it.

1. Repentance of Pharaoh

–           Read Exo.9 Vs 27-28; 33-35, 10 Vs 16-20, 24-29; 12 Vs 29-33; 14 Vs 5-9

(Repentance of Pharaoh is an epileptic one, which only exists in order to remove a punishment but stops thereafter)

1. Repentance of king Saul

• Read I Sam.24 Vs 4, 16-22; 26 Vs 21-25; 27 Vs 1-4; 15 Vs 13-15, 20-31
• State two differences between Pharaoh’s repentance and king Saul’s type of repentance?

(King Saul’s repentance lacks Godly sorrow and stamina, it disappears easily; it is either due to fear of reprisals or to save face. It is to avoid punishment. This type of repentance is common among children)

•   Comment on I Sam.15 Vs 30
•  Saul never truly grasps the gravity of his sins because he was proud and defensive.

1. Repentance of the Pharisee

• Read Luke 18 Vs 9-14
• This is common among the moralists and the religious, it is a ‘holier than thou’ repentance and perhaps the most dangerous of the four types that are bad.

State two differences between this type of repentance and King Saul’s type of repentance?

• Repentance of Judas Iscariot
• Read Matt. 27: 3-5
• Repentance means turning away from sin. However, Judas’ repentance is only sorry for the effect of sin and in pride terminates life rather than facing it in submission. This is criminal and is no repentance at all.

1. Repentance of Esau

•  Read Gen.25 Vs 34, Heb.12 Vs 16,17

(This is too late repentance. Every sinner will have this repentance in hell (Matt.13 Vs 41-43, 49-50). Every human being will repent someday, only type and time differ)

1. Repentance of king David

•  Read II Sam.12 Vs 7-14.
•   David’s repentance is sincere and sorrowful. This is the true repentance.
•  True repentance carries grief (II Cor.7 Vs 9-11)
• Read Luke 18 Vs 9-14 again and compare the publican’s repentance with King David’s repentance, any similarities?

Conclusion:

“For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt.22 Vs 14; 20 Vs 16). What makes the difference is true repentance.