Repentance - What is it?

When many of us think of the word Repentance, we think: "feeling really bad because we sinned," promising God that we will "stop sinning," and making the decision to "live a holy life from now on." But did you notice that there is no Saviour Jesus "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed..." (Titus 2:14) in this equation? Jesus does not do anything here much less save you from your sins. It's all self-effort. This is a Judas kind of repentance - towards self and not towards God. This is repentance to death and not repentance to life. The Parable of the Lost Sheep shows us what true repentance is - a gift from God.

Luke 15: 4 - 7 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

This sheep repented. But how? Let's note five things that happened in this passage:

• The sheep got lost (it left the flock either by mistake or on purpose; bottomline is it got separated from the Shepherd)

• The Shepherd went to look for the sheep and found the sheep

• The Shepherd was not mad at the sheep when he found it. He didn't care if it was dirty, depressed, smoking, fornicating, gay, stealing, bleeding, sick, caught in a thicket (aka bondage,) whatever. He didn't tell the sheep "stop all the bad things you are doing or else I will not save you. In fact, I will punish you." Rather, He was ecstatic! He was just very happy to have found it.

• After He found the sheep, the Shepherd carried it home, on His shoulders, rejoicing. He never asked it to walk by itself or do anything to make up for its bad behaviour or earn the right to be carried, protected and provided for. He rescued it from its predicament aka sickness, lack, depression, whatever ill and even acts of sin, as it is written in Matt. 1:21-"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

• We know the sheep repented because Jesus said "likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

If you look closely, you'll find out that the sheep did ONLY TWO THINGS in the passage. The first is it got LOST. The second, it ALLOWED ITSELF TO BE CARRIED when it was found by the Shepherd. Neither involved determining to put an end to being bad or doing good works. The sheep was helpless and could do nothing by itself, as Christ said in John 15:5- “...for without Me you can do nothing."

Did you also notice that the sheep did not find its way to the Shepherd by itself, as it is written in John 6:44- "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." And there we were thinking that we, our Lord Jesus' sheep, in our good sense and morality, decided to forsake sin and follow Jesus when in reality, it was our heavenly Father that made it happen!

The Shepherd did everything, as He is offering to carry you today. 

This level of love and compassion aka the "goodness of God" shown to someone who has gone astray is what leads to true repentance. In order for repentance to take place, you need to see how helpless and destined for hell you are without Christ, no matter how obedient you are; and this takes God’s grace as we see in the story of Cornelius' repentance to life in Acts 10-11. Peter's sermon did not even hint at "repentance" as the world knows it yet the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard him. But some Jews were aghast at this. How could Peter associate with this Gentile sinner Cornelius? Peter explained what happened and "When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”"

Repentance is a gift that is as a result of the goodness of God!

Repentance to life is not beating your breast in regret for your sins, doing restitution to assuage your guilt and promising God that you will be good as many agents of Satan preach from the pulpit today. This kind of Judas repentance smacks of self-righteousness (how could "I" have done this?) and leads to death. It also usually comes when a person is suffering the consequences of particular actions, like the prodigal son who went back home because he was hungry and not because he was sorry or loved and missed the Father. He was going to ask to be hired as a servant so he could "earn his keep." Much like how many in the church vow to do all sorts if "God would just help me this time." This is not true repentance. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Romans 2:4 "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" The kind of attitude that the Father showed to the returnee prodigal son is what leads to true repentance.

Repentance to life is a gift that only God can grant!

But many of us believers do not see how helpless we are and how much we need God's gift of repentance because His mercy in our lives is so supernaturally natural that we think that we "did good all by ourselves." We don't watch porn/steal/fornicate, etc so we look down on others who do and tell them to "repent, or else...!," not realising the log in our own eye and James 2:10 which shows us that all it takes to be guilty of breaking the whole law is to slip up in one area: without God's gift of righteousness by faith through Christ, the one who feels relief to learn that it is his neighbour's house that is on fire and not his own house (this one does not "love thy neighbour as thyself!") is in the same boat of unrighteousness as the one who fornicates or molests children! Only the one who is without sin can cast the first stone...but all have sinned.

This lack of true repentance is why many in the church are quick to judge and condemn others for the things they do instead of encouraging them in Christ and unveiling His love as shown in the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Many don't think that they have much to be forgiven for so cannot love much.

Repentance to death is being ashamed of sins committed because we think they are beneath us, not realising that "there is none good but God" and that the potential to sin is the same in everyone and dependent on the circumstances in which one finds himself. The reason that many of us are not committing particular sins is because we have not been tempted beyond what we can bear in those areas. If a big enough trial came our way and it was up to us to save ourselves, we would all fail woefully. Christ makes the difference for we who believe. He does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and with every trial He is the Way of escape.

Repentance to death trying to set things right by human effort like Judas, making the decision to stop wrongdoing on our own and trying to get right with God by keeping the Ten Commandments, an impossible feat according to Romans 3:20 "For no one can be made righteous in the sight of God by doing what the Law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are...." There is no Jesus here. No one can sustain that kind of lifestyle on their own. If we could, there would have been no need for Jesus to come and save us; to redeem us from EVERY lawless deed.

Repentance to life is a gift from God. It is having a change of heart about God and it comes from knowing the love of Christ. It is consenting to be carried by our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. True repentance comes from realising just how much God loves us and that He gave Jesus to die for our sins and save us from hell which was our destiny. It comes from knowing that there is no condemnation for you when you are in Christ; He finds, saves from sins, carries and helps His sheep with no questions asked; He leads us on the path of righteousness (remember "The Lord is my Shepherd") so we GET TO live right.

It is knowing God as "Abba, Father" whose desire is for His children to "prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."- 3 John 1:2.

In essence, repentance to life is realising that you have in God a loving Father who gives us all things freely with Christ (Romans 8:32) and not a taskmaster who is waiting intently to catch you when you mess things up so He can let the devil have a go at you!

1 John 4: 19 says "We love because He first loved us." When you start to realise just how much you are loved by our heavenly Father, not only will you have this change of heart to love God, you will also have no desire to return to your vomit! It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Romans 2:4.

Notice that the only way the sheep got home was by being carried on the Shepherd's Shoulders. Our good works can't take us to heaven or help us enjoy God's blessings here on earth. Isaiah 64:6 describes our righteousnesses- works of the law that we do- as "a menstrual rag." God's saving Grace Who is Jesus Christ does it all. All who are in Christ have salvation. "...much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17.

Also, no one can snatch the sheep away while it is with the Shepherd - John 10:29-30 - "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

You can't lose your salvation when our Saviour Jesus Christ (the Lord our Shepherd) is the one holding you. He will never let go of you or let you fall. No matter what, He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will help you and uphold you with His righteous right Hand. If our salvation depended by a hair's breadth on how well we keep the Ten Commandments, on us, we've already failed! The arm of flesh will fail.

A little further down in Luke 15 we find the Parable of the Lost Son, aka The Parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son didn't remember his father when he still had his inheritance. He did not repent/return home to his father because he was sorry. He returned because he was hungry! I like to think that he was dirty, hungry and smelly when he returned home. Everyone would have done SMH at him. Yet, his Father embraced and kissed him in his state, treating him to the best clothes and the fatted calf. This is the treatment you get when you come to Jesus just the way you are! No effort. No trying. He will clean you up and set you up after you have messed everything up.

Why don't you give up trying to break those habits/attain righteousness on your own (repentance to death like Judas!) and just let our Saviour Jesus carry you? In fact, that is why He came - to bear your sins, burdens and judgment. His touch will perfect you. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 - Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." See, it says ALL and not just people who have managed to not "do bad things". In fact, if you can manage at all, then you don't need Jesus. John 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."

Would you like to enjoy God's Grace and live righteously in Christ Jesus? Please pray this prayer - or even better, just go with your own flow. Like our heavenly Father, we prefer our kids badly drawn and typo-filled birthday cards to the fanciest Hallmark cards in the world:)

In Jesus' name, thank you Father for grace to cast all my problems and worries on Jesus. Thank you for He laid down His life for me and by so doing made my sins - past, present and future - forgiven. Thank you for all my sins have been judged in Him. Thank you for now I am free indeed. I believe that He did all these things for me and I am thankful. Thank you for you give me the willingness and the ability to do your good pleasure. Lord, I ask that you take control of my life from this moment on. In Jesus name, it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me. Thank you my Abba Father for saving me, in Jesus name. Amen

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.