1. True repentance is to sin no more; False repentance is to sin again & again
Jesus preached ‘repent’ as the first step toward heaven. But how to truly repent? Did Jesus mean we should repent, and sin again and again? No—Jesus meant we should repent to sin no more. Most churchgoers sin, feel sorry for sinning, pray to God for forgiveness, and sin again. They think this is repenting. But they remain stuck in a cycle of continual sin because this is not true repentance. Such Christians appear righteous to others by attending prayer meetings, tithing, volunteering for church events, singing worship songs and so on. They are praised by their church leaders, but will be rejected by God.
True repentance is the first step to eternal life; without it we cannot become converted believers of the gospel who are forgiven and saved. Acts 3:19-20 says, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…" For our sins to be blotted out forever, we must first repent and then be converted. Our forgiveness and salvation are dependent on repentance and conversion. Conversion is how we become free of the cyclic trap of sinning again and again. Conversion from our sinful flesh nature to a righteous spirit nature frees our soul to sin no more. Once converted we hate the sin we used to enjoy, and now we love and do righteous deeds. Christians remain stuck in continual sin because they miss doing the first step of genuine repentance and so, they cannot move to the next step of conversion. Let’s learn how to truly repent so we may be truly converted, forgiven and saved.
2. Repent is to change our mind to do what we previously would not do
Common everyday language defines repentance as feelings—feelings of regret or guilt for wrong-doing. Feeling sorry for wrong-doing is necessary, but feelings alone are not enough. True repentance creates action, a change in what we do. In Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus says, "A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first." In this parable of two sons, initially neither son is doing the will of the father. The first son represents repentant sinners; he says he will not obey but he repents, that is, he changes his mind to do what he first would not do. This is true repentance—changing our mind to do what we previously would not do. The second son represents unrepentant, hypocritical church leaders; he acts and speaks as if he will obey, but he does not actually do the will of the father.
3. Heaven is for repented sinners, Hell is for unrepented sinners such as religious hypocrites
Jesus preached the gospel of what we must do to go to heaven. John the Baptist prepared the way of this ministry by telling people to repent so they would be ready to obey Jesus. Matthew 3:1-3 says, "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Repent is not a message of acceptance to come as you are, it is a word of warning and correction to change your mind. Nowadays most outreach ministries and evangelists preach God’s unconditional love with promise of worldly blessing, but Jesus preached ‘repent’ as a condition of spiritual blessing. Matthew 4:17 says, "…Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus says to change our mind from pursuing temporary worldly pleasure and glory to instead pursue eternal heavenly pleasure and glory.
If we repent as Jesus taught, what will we now do that we previously did not do? We will obey the commandments of Jesus. Luke 5:30-32 says, "…scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Sin causes spiritual death. Jesus calls sinners to repentance so they may be made spiritually alive to gain eternal life. Scribes and Pharisees were religious leaders equivalent to our present-day Bible scholars and pastors. They falsely considered themselves righteous people and accused Jesus’s disciples of mingling with sinners. Jesus sarcastically told them he did not come ‘to call the righteous,’ meaning he did not come to call religious leaders like them because they were unrepented sinning hypocrites. The sick who obey the instruction of the physician will be made well. So also, only sinners who change their mind to obey the teaching of Jesus will be made spiritually alive. Heaven is not for unrepentant sinners who claim to be righteous by following church traditions and ceremonies. God’s wrath and hellfire will be on such people. Heaven is for repented sinners who turn away from doing sin and turn toward doing righteous, holy deeds.
4. Repentance follows God’s way of righteousness; Repentance requires restoration to the wronged
Religious leaders often came to falsely accuse and trap Jesus and his disciples. Jesus responded to such chief priests and elders with the parable of two sons to show that despite lip service of claiming to be godly, their deeds proved they were unrepentant hypocrites who did not obey the will of God. Matthew 21:31-32 says, "Jesus saith unto them [chief priests and scribes], Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." There are 2 key points here. First, repentant sinners who did no religious activities will go to heaven instead of unrepentant religious people. So, repenting to obey God is required for eternal life, but participating in church events will take no one to heaven. Second, religious leaders rejected John’s call to repent in the way of righteousness. Because they lacked righteous repentance, they could not become true converted believers.
So, how do we repent in the ‘way of righteousness’? God is righteous, and He requires his people to be as righteous as He is righteous. Righteousness has to do with how just or fair we are in treating others. If we do harm or evil to others, God requires that we make right these wrongs. Exodus 22:1 says, "If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep." In this example, a thief is required to make restitution to the person he victimized. This principle of righteousness is not limited to the Old Testament. God accepts those who make amends for their wrong-doing and rejects those who do not. In Matthew 5:23-24 Jesus says, "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Jesus says to first take care of those we have harmed, because God will not reconcile with unrepentant sinners who reject His principle of righteousness. John the Baptist preached repentance embodying this way of righteousness, and Jesus said sinners such as publicans and harlots who believed and repented in this righteous way would go to heaven.
5. God rejects those without fruits worthy of repentance
The most important part of repentance is what we now do—our fruits, our deeds, our works of obeying God. Matthew 3:7-10 says, "But when he [John the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." John the Baptist says religious people want to avoid God’s wrath but do not have the required fruit of repentance. Pharisees and Sadducees called themselves children of Abraham to claim themselves as God’s people. But Jesus said if they were Abraham’s children, they would do Abraham’s works of obeying God. Genesis 26:5 says, "Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." In John 8:39 Jesus says, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." Abraham was known for his obedience to God. Spiritual children of Abraham are known by their righteous, holy works of obeying God. So, good fruits worthy of repentance is a life of obedience to God. Those without such fruit will be cast in hellfire. In our present time, deceiving pastors teach churchgoers to simply claim they are God’s people, but God will reject the unrepentant who do not bring the mandatory fruits or works of obeying Jesus’s commandments. In Acts 26:20, Apostle Paul said he preached to all, "…that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." True servants of Christ will tell you to turn to God with works of obeying Jesus.
6. Godly sorrow produces broken hearted obedience & salvation; Worldly sorrow produces continued disobedience & spiritual death
The key part of repentance is what we do, but the precursor to what we do is what we feel. We may feel sorry, but all sorrow does not lead to true repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 says, "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." Paul rebuked the people of Corinth of wrong-doing and they felt sorry. Paul is not happy his correction made them feel sorry, because his intention is not to cause damage or harm. But he is happy his chastisement made the Corinthians feel sorry in a godly manner which produced repentance. Godly sorrow leads to salvation because it produces the broken-hearted obedience of repentance. Paul says this true repentance for salvation is "not to be repented of"—meaning repenting of sin is not meant to be something we change our mind back and forth on from not sinning to allowing sin. That sort of flip flopping comes from sorrow of the world. Worldly sorrow results in spiritual death because it gives room for continued disobedience.
The difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow is intention of our heart. With worldly sorrow we correct our behavior because we feel sorry about suffering consequences in this world. We want to avoid disapproval and punishment from family, friends or society. Our inner person is not truly contrite or sorry for the wrong done, rather we are sorry for the consequences we experience. With worldly sorrow, if we believe we are able to avoid or bear the consequences, we will commit the same sin. With godly sorrow we correct our conduct to do the right thing because we are broken-hearted for the evil we have done. Whether there are worldly consequences or not, our heart purposes to never commit the sin again. 2 Corinthians 7:11 Paul writes, "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." Paul describes a broken-heartedness that produces an intense, diligent, zealous desire to right prior wrongs with full commitment to not sin again.
David spoke of this godly sorrow in Psalm 51:2-4,6, 10-11,16-17: "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee [God], thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts…Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.…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." David was broken-heart over the sin he committed against God and repents to never commit such evil again. He cries out to God to purify his heart and begs to keep the holy spirit. With godly sorrow, David seeks to obey God from the inside out from this point forward.
7. If you backslide, repent again quickly because God gives limited time for repentance
The purpose of true repentance is to sin no more, but what if you backslide? Then repent again quickly as you do not know when God will remove the holy spirit and permanently close the door on your soul for repentance. The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ repeats this warning many times to the churches in the book of Revelations. In Revelations 2:4-5 Lord Jesus Christ says, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." This severe warning to backsliders is repent and return to doing works of obedience, otherwise Jesus will permanently remove the candlestick or holy spirit to leave your soul spiritually dead. In Revelations 2:15-16 Jesus says, "So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." Jesus will destroy those who do not quickly repent of following false, sinful doctrine. In Revelations 3:1,3 Jesus says, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead…Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Jesus says that although these people have a name or reputation of being spiritually alive, He knows they are spiritually dead because of their works of disobedience. He warns to quickly repent or else He will come at an unexpected time and their chance to repent for salvation will be over. Hebrews 4:7 says, "Again, he [God] limiteth a certain day,…as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." God gives each person a limited time to repent. You do not know which opportunity is your last. Do not be deceived to harden your heart to continue in sin’s temporary pleasure, but come to God with broken-hearted obedience and He will draw near to you.
8. Rebuke & chastisement to repent is love for your soul
Because of Christ Jesus’s great love for our soul, He repeatedly warns us to repent so we do not lose eternal life. In Revelations 3:19-20 Jesus says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Jesus rebukes and chastens those He loves to repent because sin causes spiritual death, and spiritually dead souls will be tormented in the Lake of Fire. Most preachers claim to care for their congregation’s spiritual well-being, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing who love their congregation’s money, praise and respect. Instead of rebuking and chastising sinning churchgoers to repent and sin no more, most pastors deceive them to simply think and declare themselves as saved children of God. True servants of God who care for our soul will reprove us of sin and exhort us to repent. In 2 Corinthians 7:12 Paul writes, "Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you." Paul reproved the Corinthians of their sin so that they might have godly sorrow resulting in true repentance and salvation. He did not bring up matters of wrong-doing to take sides in the dispute, rather he brought up the issue so the people would with broken-hearted obedience reconcile with God.
9. Repentance is not to sin again & again; Repentance is the first step to sin no more
In Mark 1:15 Jesus says, "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." To believe the gospel and be converted for forgiveness and salvation, we must first repent. True repentance is not to sin again and again, it is the first step toward becoming converted believers who walk in perfect obedience to Lord Jesus. Hebrews 6:1 says, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works." Do not remain stuck at the first teaching of Jesus by laying the foundation of repentance again and again with dead works of church traditions. Rather with works worthy of true repentance, grow to perfectly obey the commandments of Jesus. If you are stuck in a cycle of continual sin, cry out to God for mercy to open your eyes and ears to His truth, with broken hearted obedience do works worthy of repentance, and cry out to Lord Jesus Christ to bless you with a clean heart and new spirit so you may grow in obeying His commandments.
SUMMARY PointsRepentance = FIRST step to Eternal Life
True Repentance → Sin no more
False repentance → Sin again & againMost Christians practice False repentance with continual Cycle of Sin
CYCLE of Sin = Sin → Feel sorry → Prayer of Forgiveness → Sin Again
Such people are praised by Church Leaders & Rejected by GodSTEPWISE: Repent → Converted → Forgiven → Saved
Conversion = Sinful FLESH nature → Righteous SPIRIT nature → Sin No More
Without 1st Step of true repentance, CANNOT proceed to next stepsRepent = CHANGE your MIND to DO what you previously did not do
Jesus’s preached gospel of what we must do to go to heaven
John the Baptist prepared way of Jesus’s ministry with ‘Repent’ to ready people to obey Jesus
Jesus preached change your mind from temporary, worldly glory to eternal, heavenly gloryRepentance is NOT:
-message of ACCEPTANCE to ‘come as you are’
-message of God’s unconditional LOVE
-promise of WORLDLY blessingsRepentance IS:
-message of WARNING & Correction
-message of God’s WRATH to those who do not repent to OBEY Jesus’s commandments
-condition of SPIRITUAL BlessingHEAVEN → Repented sinners
HELL → Unrepented sinners (such as religious hypocrites)SIN causes Spiritual DEATH
Jesus is Physician for the SOUL’s Life
OBEY Jesus to be made spiritually ALIVE & gain ETERNAL LifeRepenting to Obey God is REQUIRED for Eternal Life
Church events take NO ONE to HeavenRepentance follows God’s way of RIGHTEOUSNESS of making right prior wrongs
Righteous Repentance requires RESTITUTION to the wronged
NO Righteous Repentance = NO ConversionRepent → Fruits, Deeds, Works of Obeying God
God rejects those without FRUITS worthy of repentance
FRUITS worthy of Repentance = Obedience to GodChildren of Abraham = God’s people
Abraham OBEYED God
Children of Abraham OBEY GodGodly sorrow → Broken Hearted Obedience → SALVATION
Worldly sorrow → NO Broken heart & Disobey → Spiritual DEATHGodly sorrow → TRUE Repentance → Sin No More
Worldly sorrow → FALSE Repentance → Sin AgainGODLY sorrow produces desire for CLEAN HEART & HOLY SPIRIT to NOT sin again
If you BACKSLIDE, repent again QUICKLY because God gives LIMITED time to repent
-Do WORKS of Obeying → otherwise, holy spirit REMOVED
-Repent of FALSE Doctrine → otherwise, Jesus DESTROYS
-Repent QUICKLY → otherwise, CUT OFF at unexpected timeREBUKE & CHASTISMENT to Repent is LOVE for your SOUL (to NOT lose ETERNAL LIFE)
JESUS’s Love → Rebuke & Chastise Sinners to REPENT
DECEIVING PASTOR’s Love →Think & Declare Sinners as SAVED
Purpose of Rebuke to Repent → Reconcile with GodSTEPWISE: Repent → Believe → Be Converted → Forgiveness → Salvation
True repentance is NOT to Sin Again
True repentance is to Sin No MoreFIRST step = Repent
GROW in OBEYING JESUS’s Commandments
FINAL step = Perfection