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Further Study (L11)

Additional notes are indicated in green.

2. What is repentance?

  • Although God is faithful and just to forgive us (1 Jn 1:9), it doesn’t mean we should use that as an excuse to continue in sin.
  • We who have been baptized have now been born of God and aim to abide in Him. Therefore, our goal is not to sin (1 Jn 2:1), because those who are born of God and abide in Him do not continue to sin, but instead practice righteousness (1 Jn 3:6-7, 9).
  • However, if we do sin, we can return to God through repentance.

What actions does repentance encompass?

  • Prayers made to God (2 Chr 7:14; Ezra 10:1)
    • May be accompanied by fasting (Dan 9:3-4; Jon 3:5-8)
      • Fasting prayers demonstrate a genuine heart of urgency, as we are willing to give up our immediate physical needs in order to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.
      • Regardless of whether we fast or not, both fasting and prayer are actions that ought to be done in all humility and sincerity, without pretense, falsehood, or impure motives.
  • Acknowledgment and confession of sins
    • We need to recognize and confess what we did wrong (Ps 32:5; 51:3).
      • God may also use events, situations, or the exhortations of others to remind us to turn back from sins. We see examples of these in the Bible, as God often used His punishment, His kindness, and His workers to bring His people back to Him.
      • Therefore, we must be spiritually sensitive to God’s call and be willing to listen and admit our wrongs.
        • Ex: David (2 Sam 12:1-13)

After we have acknowledged and confessed our sins, we cannot just stop there. Repentance involves being intentional about changing and determining to sin no more. There are a few parallel actions we can take in order to restore our relationship with God.

  • Turning from sin and returning to God (Isa 55:7)
    • Many of the original Hebrew and Greek words related to repentance indicate a change of mind, a “turning,” or change of direction.
      • If we only confess our sin in our mouths, but our heart does not return to God and we have no desire to make a change, we have not truly repented.
        • Ex: Pharaoh (Ex 9:27, 34); Saul (1 Sam 15:24-25, 30)
  • Putting away idols and serving God alone (Josh 24:14-15, 23-24; 1 Thess 1:9)
    • 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; Lk 16:13; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5) and insubordination (1 Sam 15:23).
    • If we have identified any spiritual idols, we must take action to put them away and determine not only to put God first, but to only serve and worship Him. This may involve setting boundaries, asking friends or family to help keep us accountable, exercising more self-control, managing our time better, letting go of what is not beneficial to our faith, etc.
    • God commanded that we should have no other gods besides Him (Ex 20:3). Therefore, God should be the only one we wholeheartedly trust in, rely on, serve, and worship without exception.
      • It is important to be cautious and thorough when reflecting on the presence of spiritual idols in our lives. We may believe that since we are praying, reading the Bible, and attending services every week that we are still worshipping God and have no spiritual idols.
      • However, spiritual idolatry can still exist in such a case if our devotion and loyalty to God is divided. We may not have replaced God, yet in our daily lives, we are already subject to and driven by the will of something or someone else other than God (e.g., life decisions and choices dictated by our greed for wealth, addiction to pleasure, etc.). God no longer has our exclusive loyalty. This situation illustrates a faltering between two gods as the Israelites did (1 Kgs 18:21), and in the eyes of God is spiritual idolatry.
      • We must set our minds on things above and prioritize God’s matters in our hearts (Mt 6:33; Col 3:2).
  • Forsaking evil deeds and pursuing good fruit worthy of repentance (Mt 3:8)
    • Repentance involves a departure from sin. If we confess our sin only to return to it, our repentance is not genuine.
      • The Bible likens this to a sow returning to the mire after washing, or a dog returning to its vomit (Prov 26:11; 2 Pet 2:22).
    • 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.
      • When we aim to live in a way that is pleasing to God, we show that our repentance is sincere and aimed at truly making a change for the better.

3. What are the results of repentance?

  • God will return to us (Zech 1:3).
    • When God returns to us, we can once again experience His providential care, healing, deliverance, restoration, and salvation. Under His blessing, we will experience abundant spiritual life.
      • When we repent, God may also remove His wrath and relent from doing harm, for He is slow to anger and full of kindness (Joel 2:12-13).
        • Ex: Nineveh (Jon 3:8-10); Hezekiah (2 Chr 32:26)
  • Receive forgiveness for our sins (Ps 32:5; 1 Jn 1:9).
    • When our relationship with God has been renewed, we can find forgiveness for our sins. Through His mercy and grace, our broken relationship with Him can be restored.

C - Confess your sin.

  • Questions for reflection:
    • What does it look like to demonstrate our exclusive loyalty and commitment to trusting in and worshipping God alone?
      • Has our heart been divided — halfheartedly pursuing God while unknowingly allowing the things of the world to dictate our lifestyle and choices?
    • Have we neglected spending time with God in prayer, in reading His word, or in worship?
    • Are there any thoughts or desires we harbor that may be displeasing or dishonorable towards God?
    • Did we speak harshly, carelessly, or dishonestly today?
    • Do we use more words of thanksgiving or more words of complaint?
    • Are we good stewards of the things God has entrusted to us? (e.g., time, money, work, relationships)
    • Are we walking in obedience according to God’s words, or do we make excuses for disobedience?
    • Do we treat others with fairness, kindness, and respect?
    • Have we forgiven those around us, or do we continue to hold grudges?
    • Do our relationships with others reflect Christ?

H - Humble yourself.

  • Admitting that we have done wrong is no easy feat. It is human nature to want to cover up our sins and make excuses to save face.
    • While we may be able to deceive ourselves or others, before God, we cannot hide anything (Heb 4:13). He sees and knows all, even our sin (Prov 15:3; Jer 16:17).
  • True humility can touch the heart of God, for He gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6).

A - Ask for forgiveness and help.

  • We can pray and ask God for the resolve to forsake sin, the wisdom to root ourselves in His word, and the spiritual strength to pursue holiness and to do what is right.
  • We can also ask God to help us understand the errors of our ways, for sometimes we commit faults that we are not even aware of (Ps 19:12).

N - Nurture obedience.

  • Examples for nurturing obedience:
    • Examples
      • We are struggling with dishonesty, but we know that God wants us to be truthful (Ex 20:16; Prov 12:22; Eph 4:25). Nurturing obedience means we make a determination to speak the truth in big and small things. We can meditate on verses or passages to remind us of God’s expectation for truthfulness. We commit to acting with integrity and dealing honestly whether at home, school, work, or church.
      • We are hurt and offended after being wronged by another church member. Even after they have apologized, we are unwilling to forgive them. We resolve to never interact or speak with them again at church. However, we know that the Bible teaches us if we do not forgive our brethren, God will not forgive us (Mt 6:14-15). God exhorts us to bear with one another and forgive each other as He has forgiven us (Eph 4:32). Nurturing obedience means taking steps to reconcile with this church member and continuing to demonstrate forbearance and love towards them.

G - Go a new way.

  • This goes hand in hand with nurturing obedience. We put our old ways and old selves in the past, choosing instead to live by God’s truth. We not only remove sin or our bad habits, but we are proactive to replace them with godly actions and pursuits.
    • When we try to change something we are used to, there will be resistance. We will want to fall back on what we are comfortable with or enjoy doing. Therefore, we must put in intentional and persistent effort to remind ourselves to continue in this new way.
  • Examples to consider (How can we go from A → B?)
    • Laziness → Diligence
    • People-pleasing → God-pleasing
    • Selfishness → Generosity
    • Pride → Humility
    • Gossip → Edification
    • Anger → Patience; gentleness

  • eRhema Topical Studies
    • Sin
    • Forgive, Leave, Allow
    • Repentance