What is Repentance?

Men, is being sorry you sinned the same thing as repenting of that sin? Is feeling bad that I sinned enough? What does Scripture have to say about repentance? 

Jesus said in Luke 13:5, “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Notice our Lord did not say “unless you are sorry, you too will all perish.” The Bible tells us there are two kinds of sorrow for sin. We learn in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 that there is a godly sorrow that leads to life, and there is a worldly sorrow that leads to death. What is the difference? 

First, let’s examine worldly sorrow. Some characteristics of worldly sorrow are: 1) a feeling of sadness that we have been caught 2) We may be embarrassed 3) We may be fearful of punishment 4) We may even feel guilty. None of these things necessarily lead to a changed life. If all we experience when we sin are these characteristics, we have not experienced true godly sorrow. 

So, what is godly sorrow? It is a deep sense of sorrow that we have offended, and may I say hurt, a holy God by our thought or action to the point that we repent. We forsake that sin.  

Listen to how Paul describes the repentance of the Corinthians in the matter for which he rebuked them in 2 Corinthians 7:11 “See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done…” In other words, the Corinthians wanted to make things right in God’s sight.  

Friend, is there a sin in your life that you have been tolerating? Isn’t it time to truly repent? Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper; but the one who confesses and forsakes them finds mercy.” 

May the Lord help us to confess and repent of all known sin. Then we will experience His wonderful mercy and peace!