11. Restoring Our Spiritual Lives

📖 Bible Discovery

💡 Focus Passage

🌱 Main Teachings

1. Why do we need to repent?

   As believers, we have already been cleansed by Christ’s blood through water baptism. However, we are not immune to the influence of sin and temptations, and often still commit sins in our daily lives. How does sin affect our relationship with God and what role does repentance play?

   Why is there a need for repentance?

   • We all have sin (Rom 3:23).
     • There is no one in this world who is righteous before God or who never sins (Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:10-12).
     • If we deny we have sin, we deceive ourselves and make God a liar (1 Jn 1:8, 10).
   • Sin affects our fellowship with God.
     • God is light; in Him is no darkness. He is perfect and without sin (1 Jn 1:5; 3:5).
       • A person who continues to sin lives in darkness. Those in the darkness cannot have fellowship with God who is in the light, for lawlessness and sin have no partnership with righteousness (2 Cor 6:14b).
       • Repentance allows us to once again draw near to God and have fellowship with Him, because He cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:3, 9).
   • Sin has other dire consequences.
     • Sin separates us from God (Isa 59:2).
       • Sin also keeps our prayers from reaching God (Lam 3:42-44).
     • If left unresolved, sin can harden our hearts and cause us to eventually depart from the living God (Heb 3:12-13).
     • The end of sin is death (Rom 6:23; Jas 1:15).

     In order to avoid such consequences, we must learn to humbly turn back to God when we have sinned. Through repentance, we can restore our relationship with Him.

2. What is repentance?

   Repentance is the bridge that allows us to mend our relationship with God and receive forgiveness for our sins. It is the first step to walking in the light, just as Christ did. However, repentance is more than just feeling sorrow or remorse over what we did wrong. It involves real change and concrete actions.

   What actions does repentance encompass?

   • Prayers made to God (2 Chr 7:14; Ezra 10:1)
     • May be accompanied by fasting (Dan 9:3; Jon 3:5-8)
     • God will draw near and accept those whose hearts are lowly and contrite (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Isa 57:15).
   • Acknowledgment and confession of sins
     • Recognize and confess what we did wrong (Ps 32:5; 51:3).
       • This requires self-reflection into various aspects of our life and how we measure up before God.
       • Use the Bible as a mirror in which we can identify our own shortcomings and see ourselves clearly (Jas 1:22-25). God’s word is like a double-edged sword, exposing sins that we may not even be aware of (Heb 4:12).
   • Turning from sin and returning to God (Isa 55:7)
     • God promises that when we return to Him, He will return to us (Zech 1:3; Mal 3:7). However, we must be willing to take that first step.
     • Many of the original Hebrew and Greek words related to repentance indicate a change of mind, a “turning,” or change of direction.
       • This highlights how the core of repentance is a turning of our hearts and a change in our minds. We choose to turn away from sin and are proactive to return to God.
   • Putting away idols and serving God alone (Josh 24:14-15, 23-24; 1 Thess 1:9)
     • God is a jealous God (Ex 34:14); we should worship and serve Him only.
     • Even if we are not worshipping physical idols, spiritual idols can still exist in our hearts. The Bible gives examples of spiritual idolatry as covetousness, i.e., greed for wealth (Mt 6:24; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5) and insubordination (1 Sam 15:23).
   • Forsaking evil deeds and pursuing fruit worthy of repentance (Mt 3:8)
     • God calls us to cleanse ourselves and remove our evil deeds from before Him. Therefore, a key part of repentance is shunning evil and keeping ourselves away from wickedness (Prov 4:27; Isa 1:16).
     • After we forsake sin, we should pursue what is good in the eyes of the Lord and bear good fruit (Ps 37:27). By living in a way befitting of repentance (Acts 26:20), we demonstrate our sincerity in putting away sin, not turning to it again, and acting according to God’s will.
3. What are the results of repentance?

   When we offer true repentance before God, He is merciful and willing to restore us. He does not desire that we perish because of sin, but that we turn, repent, and live.

   What are the outcomes of repentance?

   • God will return to us (Zech 1:3).
     • God will be found by us (2 Chr 15:4). He will once again hear us and listen to our prayers (2 Chr 7:14).
   • Receive forgiveness for our sins (Ps 32:5; 1 Jn 1:9).
     • When we are sincere in repenting and faithful to live in righteousness, God will no longer remember our sins (Ezek 18:22; 33:16). After we turn to Him, our sins will be wiped away (Isa 44:22; Acts 3:19).
     • God’s forgiveness allows us to continue moving forward in our faith, not to be weighed down by sin (Ps 38:4). We can continue to hope and rejoice in His salvation (Ps 51:12).
   • Portraits of repentance and restoration
     • Israel (Hos 14:1-9)
     • Nineveh (Jon 3:4-10)
     • Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1-10)

👣 Practical Actions

• We repent when we have committed some wrongdoing. Therefore, the first step is to recognize our sin and confess it before God (Ps 38:18).
  • In order to confess our sin, we must take time and put in effort to search our hearts and examine our ways (Lam 3:40).
  • Questions to reflect on are available in Further Study (L11).

• Set aside our pride and humble ourselves. Be willing to acknowledge when we have sinned and done wrong.
• Those in the Bible who were willing to humble themselves before the Lord were often heard by Him and granted His mercy (e.g., 2 Kgs 22:19; 2 Chr 12:6-7, 12).

• After we have acknowledged and confessed our sins, we must humbly ask God for forgiveness. Only God can forgive our sins. He has promised that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us (1 Jn 1:9).
• Not only do we need God’s forgiveness, but we should also seek God’s help (Heb 4:16). Without His power and strength, we may easily become entangled in sin’s snares once more.

• Being able to nurture obedience is rooted in understanding God’s words and expectations for us. When we know what is pleasing or displeasing to God, we can use His standards and principles to reflect on our own actions.
  • If we want to see whether God’s words are truly mirrored and applied in our own life, we must make Bible reading a part of our daily life. Only when we take in the words of God can they guide us to walk according to God’s will (Ps 119:105).
• When we repent, we should not only understand what we did wrong, but also what we should do instead. Being enlightened of this truth, we must be willing to submit and obey.
  • By cultivating a heart of obedience and living out His commandments, we will draw closer to God. We can avoid being ensnared by the devil and returning to our old ways.

• If we are sincere in our determination to repent and nurture obedience to God’s commandments, we will naturally need to make a change of heart, mind, and direction. Taking action to change and live differently after confessing our sins is key.
• What are some ‘old ways’ we need to change in order to live in a ‘new way’? For examples to think about or discuss, see Further Study (L11).

• We should not take repentance for granted, because it is not something we have earned or are worthy of. It is only because of God’s grace and mercy that He has provided us this way to restore our relationship with Him and find forgiveness for our sins.
• Repentance is something we should appreciate and give thanks for. God is patient and willing to give us another chance, even if we have fallen short of His expectations. This gratitude is something we can incorporate into our daily prayers.

💭 Food For Thought

• What personal barriers may be keeping you from repenting and returning to God? What Scripture(s) or teachings from this lesson can help you overcome these challenges?
• God’s desire is always for us to return to Him. Share a time when you experienced God’s gentle correction or guidance that led you to repent.

🎯 Challenge Yourself

• Read Psalm 51 slowly and rewrite it in your own words to create a personal version of David’s prayer for repentance, forgiveness, and restoration from God.
• Tips and things to consider:
  • Read the chapter multiple times. Highlight or circle key words or specific phrases that stand out to you. Think about how the elements and heart of repentance mentioned from this lesson are exemplified in David’s prayer.
    • What is David trying to say or convey in his prayer?
  • Feel free to either rewrite line by line or summarize sections of the Psalm into your own words and means of prayer.
    • What do these words look like in my life right now?
    • Which elements of David’s prayer do I resonate with the most?
  • Use personal pronouns such as “I,” “me,” and “my” to make it more personalized and relevant to your own situation and to express your heart to God.
  • Aspects to include:
    • The sin(s) you are struggling with and want to confess to God
    • Specific areas you want to change
    • Your hopes for yourself, your relationship with God, etc. after repenting
    • Steps you will take to work towards living in obedience and faithfulness to God
• Meditate on Psalm 51 and your rewritten version in your prayers. Let both serve to remind you of your sincerity in repentance and commitment to change in your daily life.