One of the common denominators in the ministries of Jesus, the Twelve, Peter and Paul was that each emphasized the necessity of repentance. They taught repentance leads to restoration of God’s favor, and impenitence to ruin. Thinking that we need not do a complete u-turn from vices in our lives, to practicing Godly virtues, is a destructive delusion.
Repentance is acknowledging and admitting we are rebels at heart, who must lay down our arms. True repentance is the right view of sin, self, and the Saviour. Real repentance is more than eating crow, it’s agreeing with Gods estimate of your sin. It is taking God’s side against the person you hold dearest: You!
It is shameful how many of us are so shameless today. In Ezra’s prayer he said, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee…” I’m afraid we are more like the people of Jeremiah’s day, of whom it is said, “…they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush.” We need repenting that doesn’t need repenting of. There is far too much heartless repenting in each of us.
The old preachers used to preach there are three steps to Biblical repentance: First you get mad; then you get sad; but then you get glad.
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