The True Meaning of Repentance

Today, I'm pleased to share a devotion written by two of my friends in Serbia, 

Milos and Marika. 

Imagine a husband coming home drunk, beating his wife, and apologizing … every night! Would his apology equal repentance? No.

The word repentance means change—visible changes in lifestyle, thinking, and attitudes.

Scripture calls every person to repentance, to abandon their sinful ways, turn to the living God in obedience and submission, and walk the path of righteousness from which they have strayed.

Repentance is much more than a moment of regret for having sinned—it involves deliberate actions to break a sinful behavior.

Repentance is essential for salvation and for the Christian life. Sadly, even believers can fall into sin after conversion. Yet through genuine repentance, they can restore their fellowship with God.

True repentance also means taking full responsibility without making excuses. We see this clearly in David’s example: after sinning against God, he truly repented (Psalm 51).

Another example is Zacchaeus. We know his repentance was sincere because he immediately described the practical steps he would take to make things right (Luke 19:1–10).

In Philippians 2:12–16, Paul tells us to “work out” our salvation, and repentance is a vital part of that process of sanctification.

2 Corinthians 7:11 NLT: “...You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”

We must understand that if the gospel is good news, then repentance—being part of the gospel—is also good news. If repentance sounds like bad news to someone, it’s simply proof that the person doesn’t understand the gospel.

If we want rapid spiritual change, repentance is the solution.

For more on this subject, see: The Damage of Defending Our Sins and Anatomy of an Insincere Repentance.

BLN