Real Repentance

 Real Repentance

A lesson on Salvation and Repentance

Humans are called by God to repent. But, what does that mean? Many will tell you that “repent” means “to turn from sin”; and this phrase sets the tone for everything they believe. It sets up a lifetime of being focused on sin and trying to “turn from” or stop sinning. It sets up a life of failure, and an eventual rejection of God.

Repentance according to Strong’s Concordance, means “to turn” in Hebrew and Greek. That’s it, and nothing else. It means to turn. It doesn’t say to turn away from; it just means “to turn”. Consider this for a moment. Because I’m sure you have been told something else before. I have been as well, and it caused me to feel like a constant failure, because I could never succeed. I was beat down and turned from God. I’m sure others have as well. God does not ask us to fight the fight alone. We are to turn to Him and give it to Him.

God says in several places in the Bible that He repents or that it repents Him that something occurred. If repent means “To turn from sin” then it implies that God Himself sins, or commits some sort of act that is wrong or He’s mistaken in some way. God does not sin, or make mistakes. So, again “repent” simply means “To turn”.

We are called by God to turn to Him. That is all we need to do. Repentance means to turn to God. He calls us; we hear His call and we turn to Him, away from the world, and He takes care of our sin. When Adam fell, all humans became corrupted in nature, abiding in a state of death. God cursed the Earth, to make life hard, so that we would turn to Him. Everything in this world will either make you turn to God or turn away from Him; that’s your choice. He calls us to turn to Him.

Humans cannot do anything about our sin. We are totally depraved. We are totally corrupted. (Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:9-31) We have a corrupted nature within us that leads us to commit the sins we commit, and we are totally in the hands of an enemy who makes us his slaves. Even if we could stop sinning, we would still be stained from our past, and we would still be enslaved to an enemy called Satan.      
When a person says “turn from sin” they are suggesting that humans can solve our sin problem without Jesus Christ. This is untrue; we cannot. Now, it is true that humans can behave in a very just manner. Many educated people from all over the world and folks in every religion behave in good ways. But, they still sin in thought and deed or omission. They are not right with God unless they have turned to Him and been born again, confessing Jesus as their Lord, and being washed in His Blood. (Romans 10:9-10, Rev. 1:4-6, Matt.4:17)
    
Being good people is a physical and mental discipline, but it does not touch our spiritual condition. It does not bring us from death into life. It does not please God. The only thing that pleases God is when we turn to Him, and let Him save us, and work on us, and through us. Without faith it is impossible to please God. That means putting our faith in Him. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ. letting our faith grow through relationship we have with Him. (Heb. 11:6)
    
This is done by having a relationship with Him, and that relationship comes by a constant turning to Him in Jesus Christ. He shows us our wretchedness through His Word or through things in our life, or in our spirit; and we turn to Him and confess it to Him, then He cleanses us of all unrighteousness. He cleans us up, and starts working in our lives to remove these sins and demons. Repent means to turn; repentance, means to live in a state of abiding. The relationship we have with Him. (1 John 1:5-10)

Some things take time for Him to work out of us. But, if we keep turning to Him and confessing it to Him, it will work out. Some sins have such a hold on our lives that we must be broken of it. That causes a lot of pain. During these times the enemy will tempt us to turn away from God. Don’t do it. Always run to God, in Jesus name. Always turn to Him, seeking His face. Trust Him. Humans are not saved because we are perfectly behaved. We are saved because God Himself came to Earth in the form Jesus Christ and died for us. And if we turn to Him as He calls us, and confess that He, Jesus Christ is the Lord, and ask Him to save us, and believe in Him. We are saved; nothing else. Just throw yourself upon the Rock of God.
    
He saves us because we ask Him to. He promises that whatsoever we ask in Jesus name He will do. Then, He works to mold us into soldiers for Him, so we can fight the enemy and save others. Keep turning to Him daily and let Him save you and get it all out of you. He will work.  Trust Him.

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 Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ His newest book is called “The Future is Coming” and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

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