What is Repentance?

 

What is Repentance? It is a change of mind, that leads to a change of heart, that leads to a change in actions. This change involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God."

This change of mind is not something that goes back and forth every day, choosing God, then choosing sin. True repentance is a life change. When we repent, we do not continue in sin, saying to ourselves that grace will keep covering our sinful lifestyle.

What does Paul say about this?

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. 

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN." - Romans 6:1-6 (My italics.)

Jesus gives us the gift of His Spirit so that we CAN walk in newness of life. His Spirit leads us to make changes in our life to become holy. Jesus' Spirit gives us His power to overcome temptation and live a victorious life. With His Spirit, Jesus opens our eyes to see the way of escape from temptations. Praying in every situation, and being led by His Spirit, we keep the victory.

(Acts 1:8, Romans 12:1-2, John 14:26, 1Corinthians 2:16, Ephesians 4:11-15, 1Corinthians 10:13, Romans 8:5-16, 1John 5:4).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4