"Godly Repentance"

Good day everyone. Our lesson today is on repentance as God's Word teaches. Repentance is the act of changing the mind. Webster defines the word as "to feel sorry for or reproachful for what one has done or has not done". Webster also gives the definition as to feel such regret and dissatisfaction over some past action or intention as to change the mind about it or to change a person's way. Repentance involves also the changing of affections - from earthly things to heavenly things. It involves turning to the living God from a god of self. It is looking to Christ instead of looking to anyone else. Repentance requires the right attitude towards sin. This is Godly sorrow. Repentance is the right attitude toward God, it is a return to God. Repentance is the right attitude toward self; The Prodigal Son came to himself. Repentance is the right attitude toward others; The Phillipian jailer took Paul and Silas the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. Repentance is not just Godly sorrow. Paul told the Corinthians in II Cornithians 7:10, that "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of." Repentance is not gloomy despair. When Judas sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver, he was filled with gloom and despair, so much that he committed suicide, but he did not repent. Repentance is not quitting a sin for a time, it is totally turning from that act of sin never to visit it again. It is a complete one hundred-eighty degree turn. Repentance is not concealing sin. David tried to conceal his sin, but God exposed it. That story is told in Numbers 32:23. We even know about David's sin today. Concealing sin is like trying to cover up spilled seed in order to hide it. The seed comes up and is exposed. Repentance must be followed by works proving that change. In Acts 19:19, their repentance was made evident when the people brought unGodly books valued at fifty thousand pieces of silver and burned them for all to see. This let all men know of the change. The Thessalonians showed their sincerity by turning from idols to serve the one true God, First Thessalonians 1:9. Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians and included a bitter acusation of their sinful deeds. However, part of the second letter to them was written commending them for turning from their vile way of living. A certain man had two sons, and he said unto one, "Go work today in my vineyard", and he answered, 'I will not': but afterward he repented and went". This story is told in Matthew 21:28-29. Whatever this young man did, Jesus said he repented. Jesus called his actions repentance. The young man thought about his first reaction, and he came to realize that he was wrong, recognizing that he had sinned against his father. When, in his mind, he arrived at this conclusion, the young man changed his mind and went in an opposite direction and did according to his father's request. All men need to repent. All men sin and as a result, all men need to turn from sin and turn to righteousness. When Paul was speaking from Mars Hill to the Athenians and reasoning with them concerning the living God, he told them that in times past God had winked at such ignorance as the Athenians were then involved in, but now commanded all men everywhere to repent. This story is told in Acts 17:30. When repentance takes place there is a blessing. When man sins, he must repent according to God's Word or he will perish in his sin. It is just that simple. Man must face judgement and that is the reason God has commanded all men everywhere to repent. Acts 17: 31, "God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained whereof he has given assurance to all men in that he has raised Him from the dead." The goodness of God should lead any man to repentance. Peter in writing his second epistle, in Chapter 3:9, stated that 'God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' This is the goodness of God, This is the love of God. Repentance is a change in our affection, a turning to God. Leaving Satan and serving the Savior causes a person to avoid destruction. Christ said and Luke wrote it down in Chapter 13:3 of his account of the gospel of Christ, "I tell you nay, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish". It is bad to sin, but it is worse to sin and not repent. May God bless as you read and know His Word.