re·pent

[ri-pent]: to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better

This is the final post of a series of definitions that I think are important for Christians to understand clearer. This is a word that I think is both misunderstood and under-used. Repentance reliant on the former word, humility, and is a vital part of Christian faith. Repentance is the beginning of our very lives as Christians. What does it mean to repent?

A lot of people would probably define it as feeling sorry for a wrong they've done, but not just sorry, really sorry. That's not all there is to it. That definition is a result of over-personalizing salvation (like the idea that all we need to do to accept Jesus is say a special little prayer and accept him as our "personal savior"). Jesus is very much a personal God who wants to be personally intimate with you, but he isn't only my God. His personality isn't based on how I, or anyone else, perceives him, but rather it's based on who he actually is. Obsessive, selfish, custom designed faith leads to the American idea of faith being "personal and private." The real Jesus, the Biblical one, does not define repentance as being really sorry. I should probably get to the point, huh?

Repentance starts with feeling sorrow; conviction is obviously the first step. However, repentance calls for a reversal, not just a tap on the brakes. To be repentant means to take a change in direction. You may have heard the analogy that the Christian walk is like being on a tread mill- you can go forward, but it's hard, and if you stop moving you are actually going backwards. That's the truth. Sinning is like running backwards on the treadmill- you will eventually fall off the back! If all you do is feel "really sorry," it is like standing still on the treadmill; you're still going backwards. Repentance is realizing that you're an idiot and that you've been running the wrong way, and now it's time to turn around and run the way that the treadmill is designed for. 

Feeling sorry for what you've done isn't always hard. I've seen a lot of people be "sorry," but really it's just because they are sorry that they are in a bad spot. Feeling sorry is sometimes used as an excuse to not have to live with the consequences. I've seen too many people hide behind the fact that they feel bad, so they are off the hook. Repentance goes so much deeper than that! 

Repentance is scattered throughout the Bible as a command to turn back toward God and away from their idols. If you don't understand the severity of sin (being idol worship at its core (the idol being yourself)) I encourage you to read an older post I wrote. 

My favorite picture of repentance is from Acts 2: "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized..." Can you feel the desperation of the people as they groaned "what shall we do?" The first attitude of repentance is humility! You have to realize your brokenness, helplessness, and desperate need to be saved from yourself. The problem is, I don't think that many of us feel like we are desperate for anything. Our pride tells us that we don't need forgiveness, just look at any argument you've ever been in.

One thing I've learned to be 100% true in my short walk with Christ is this: you can feel sorry for sin as much as you want, but until you legitimately hate sin with all your being, you will never get away from it. I remember feeling sorry many times, but repentance came when it finally clicked that sin was killing me, and I needed to hate it and turn to Jesus. That sounds so simple, but I'd be willing to bet that you and I haven't examined ourselves enough to see the rotten stuff inside of us that we need to turn from. 

Something I can't stress enough is that you don't have the power to bring yourself to repentance (see post). Read Romans 2:3-5 and see that it is God's kindness that will take you there. 

As we are approaching a time of supreme pride in our country, don't forget that what we need way more than freedom or independence is a repentant heart. As Christians we should ask God to turn our hearts back to him, for our country to do the same, and for the rest of the world also.

Conviction of sin is important, but if it is without repentance we are no better off than any pagan. Which way are you walking? No matter how long you've been walking backwards, you can turn around and receive the same reward that I am promised in Christ. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.