Repentance: It Turns Everything Around

Definition

The Greek word used in the New Testament is metanoia, literally meaning “a change of mind, a reorientation, a fundamental transformation of outlook”.  Paul, the apostle, wrote in his letter to the Romans, 12:1-2, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”  

So, true repentance is a transformation of how we think, which results in a transformation of our attitudes and actions.  When I met Jesus, I experienced this very thing.  Because I had a lot to repent of, I presented my life to him, and shed many tears as he began to renew my mind and transform me into a new creation.  

Grief and Sorrow

True repentance begins with genuine sorrow and grief for our sins.  But it is so much more.  Paul mentions two kinds of grief in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.”

I’m sure we have all observed this “worldly grief” in others, or maybe experienced it ourselves.  We can’t get over the past, mistakes we have made, a deep regret.  And we die inside.  But “godly grief” produces genuine repentance.  Instead of regret, we can experience the forgiveness offered by Jesus that changes us from the inside out.  

It’s not that we forget our past, or wish that things could have been different, but the joy of our salvation overcomes our regrets.  As Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter 3, “Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.  Paul didn’t literally “forget” what was behind.  He had just finished recounting his past, including the sin of persecuting the church.  But when he came to know “the surpassing value” of knowing Jesus, he moved on from his past.    

Regular Repentance

Repentance is not only necessary to experience salvation in Jesus.  Since we still struggle with our sinful nature, we also need to practice repentance in our daily walk with the Lord.  One of the best examples of this is King David, following his sin against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah.

The short version of the story: David summoned Bathsheba to his palace and committed adultery with her while Uriah was with the army.  Then when she became pregnant, he covered up his sin by putting Uriah in the thick of the fighting, causing him to be killed.  David’s heart must have been so hardened at this point in his life that it took the prophet Nathan to point out his sin through a story.  When he did see and admit his sin, he repented very deeply.  We see this in Psalm 51, which he wrote after Nathan met with him.  

In this Psalm, David is brutally honest with himself.  He begs the Lord to forgive him, and to restore a clean heart and a steadfast spirit to him.  In verses 16-17, he expresses an important aspect of repentance: “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

True repentance isn’t about outward works, like sacrifices.  It isn’t about us promising God that we will do better next time.  It’s about a broken spirit, a complete humility that says, “I am nothing, but God is everything”.  Only then can we experience the “times of refreshing” that come when we have completely offered ourselves to God.

Results of Repentance

David mentions the result of this brokenness and forgiveness in two verses: 

13 – Then I will teach the rebellious your ways, and sinners will return to you.

19 – Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Although sacrifices aren’t required in our repentance, genuine repentance results in righteous sacrifices, or good works.  God isn’t interested in our own efforts apart from him, but he wants to work through us.  When we have been broken, repent, and experience the forgiveness and new life that the Lord offers, we will do good works and bear fruit out of our connection to Him.  He is the vine, we are the branches…apart from him, we can do nothing! (John 15)