REPENT
27th Sep 2023
What does the word ‘repent’ conjure in your mind? Is it a positive or negative word?Sometimes we can think that saying ‘sorry’ for our bad actions is repentance. But after we have said ‘sorry’ we can go on repeating the same bad actions and attitudes, but if in addition to our apology we decide to repent, we can be set free to live in a new way.
Repentance is a positive word, it was the opening statement of John’s message at the Jordan, “And so John came baptising in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Later as John is put in prison, Jesus starts his ministry by saying, “The time has come, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” (Mark 1:4&15)
Repentance is a change of direction. Those who went to meet John at Jordan were living life in their own way and John was challenging this - there is a better way. Jesus has come to transform your lives and turn them around. To follow Him is life, peace and joy. To go your own way leads only to failure and death.
2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” To repent is to look at the way you are living and decide to stop, turn around and go in the opposite direction. It turns a bad way of life into a good way of life.
You may have got into a habit of being critical about everything around you. Criticism leads to bitterness and consumes you with negativity. When you repent of your critical attitude and decide to bless and pray into these situations, you take up an attitude of faith and everything changes.
In the verse above it clearly says, “repentance leads to salvation and leaves no regret”. Are there things in your life where you need to repent? It is so easy to become discontented, unforgiving, complaining, unhappy with your friends and acquaintances or gripped by a bad habit. Repentance starts by asking God to forgive these sinful ways, repenting, which means turning around and walking off in a new direction into a life of joy and victory.
by Charles Sibthorpe
