I teach repentance to my Bible class students.  Some have more trouble in this area of understanding than the other steps to baptism.  Most think repentance is saying “I’m sorry,” but saying “sorry” is not true repentance.

“Repentance was perhaps best defined by a small girl:  “It’s to be sorry enough to quit.”

“Sorry don’t get it done, dude.  That’s the second time you hit me.  Don’t do it again.”     John Wayne

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance:  for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:  but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!  In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”        II Corinthians 7:9-11

Repentance requires restitution, where possible.  You cannot steal from someone and say, “I’m sorry” and not make restitution.  The same principle applies to anything which does not belong to us.  True repentance works to make things right.  It is a turning of one’s life from sin to a life of obedience to our Lord, and living faithfully to Him throughout our lives.

Three steps are essential in repentance:  First, a broken and bruised spirit caused by sorrow for sin.  David experienced this heart feeling and offered it to God as a sacrifice. God delighted in this rather than in burnt offerings and was pleased with the latter only after the former was offered to Him.  The emphasis is placed on what goes on in the inward man.

No outward acts of religion will satisfy the Father unless they emanate from inward purity.

“For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:  Thou delightest not in burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:  a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”     Psalms 51:16-17

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in bunt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”       I Samuel 15:22-23

Second, confession.   We should not try to exonerate ourselves.  We cannot be released from guilt of sin by saying we are sorry.  Many in the religious world believe this is possible, but this is not revealed in Scripture.  Our “think so” does not equate with God’s “say’s so.”  We have to align ourselves with truth and only the truth.

“I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”     Psalm 32:5

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; . . . .”   Romans 3:23

Third, reformation in life.  This is the test of repentance, provided the amendments are prompted by grief for sin rather than for economic, social or political gains.  The changed heart produces a change in living, as stipulated by John the Baptist:

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. . . .”     Matthew 3:8                            ~ Leroy Brownlow

“Repentance is a 180 degree turn from what you were doing.”        ~ Gillis

Eileen Light