What Is Repentance?
My friends and I come out here on the streets and plead with people to repent and trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We call unrepentant sinners to repent. Yes, we are merely calling you to do what Jesus Himself said. Jesus said “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” He also said “repent and believe the Gospel.” The Bible says that we are to “have repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” So it is very biblical for us to plead with people to repent and trust Jesus. But what is repentance?
What is repentance? Is it just being sorry for something you’ve done wrong? No, it’s more than that. Let me give you an example. I am a happily married man, but for an example tonight let’s say that I commit adultery against my wife. I have an affair. Let’s say I get caught. I get caught and there’s no way to deny it. So I confess to my wife that I’ve committed adultery, I’ve broken her trust. I cheated on her. I could be really sorry for what I’ve done; yes, I could feel badly about it, but that’s still not repentance.
Let’s say my wife even makes me sleep on the couch for a couple of weeks because of my betraying her. But two weeks go by, I buy her flowers, I’m really nice to her and everything goes fairly back to normal. Except, I do it again. I cheat with another woman. I go through the whole process again. I’m really sorry for cheating on her and I’m really sorry that I got caught.
Not Again
After a few weeks, everything is semi-back to normal again. Yes, you guessed it, I commit adultery once again. Now this is the third time. When I tell my wife that I’m sorry do you think she believes me? Of course she wouldn’t. My mouthing the words that I’m sorry have been overshadowed by my constant cheating on her. Saying I’m sorry means absolutely nothing in this example. It would just be words or lip service.
So you can see that repentance is more that just being sorry. Don’t get me wrong, being sorry is important. 2 Corinthians 7:10 states: For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death. You see in the example I gave if I continually said that I was sorry but kept committing the same sin over and over, that was just worldly sorrow, which leads to death. (Yes, my wife would probably kill me if I kept committing adultery).
Repentance Is More Than Just Being Sorry
Repentance is more than just being sorry, but godly sorrow leads to repentance. Godly sorrow is different than worldly sorrow. Godly sorrow is where you recognize that you have sinned against almighty God. You see in my earlier example, I didn’t mention it, but in addition to sinning against my precious wife, I would also have been sinning against God. That is an even greater sin.
In the Old Testament, King David saw a beautiful woman taking a bath on the roof of her house. He lusted after her, he desired her. Instead of leading his men in battle like he should have been doing, he was instead lounging around his palace and noticed a woman that wasn’t his wife. David sent servants to fetch her and he committed adultery with her. Not only was she married, but she was married to one of David’s mighty men in his army. She was married to Uriah the Hittite.
Mistress Becomes Pregnant
Bathsheba became pregnant and she told David. So in order to hide their sin, David sent for her husband to return home from the battlefield. His plan was to entice Uriah to sleep with his wife. That way when the baby was born, everyone would think that Uriah was the father. But Uriah was an honorable man and instead of going home to sleep with his wife, he instead slept where King David’s servants slept. His reasoning was that it wouldn’t be fair for him to sleep with his wife when the other soldiers were risking their lives in battle.
Since Uriah didn’t go along with David’s plan, his next plan was to have Uriah killed in battle. He even told the general to put Uriah in the hottest fighting spot and then withdraw the other troops and leave Uriah there to die in battle. So general Joab followed the king’s command and Uriah died in battle. King David thought that he’d gotten away with covering his sin of adultery by murdering his mistress’ husband.
You Are The Man
Oh, but folks, you can’t fool God. Our all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David over his sin. Nathan told him a story how a rich man had many sheep, but when a visitor came to town, the rich man killed a poor man’s lamb, his one and only sheep and served it to the guest. Nathan asked David what should happen to the rich man and David replied that the rich man should die. Immediately Nathan told David, “You are the man.”
It was then and only then that David truly repented from his sin of committing adultery and his sin of committing murder. Because he truly repented, God did not require King David’s life, like David said should happen to the rich man. But please note, David paid the rest of his life for these sins. Sin has consequences. Even when you truly repent from your sins, there are still consequences for your actions.
King David Repented
Again, King David truly repented from his sins and his words are captured in Psalm 51. Please listen to these words of true repentance: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 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 you, you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight: that you might be justified when you speak, and be clear when you judge. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part you shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Create in Me A Clean Heart O God
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, you God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth shall show forth your praise. For you desire not sacrifice; else would I give it: you delight not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good in your good pleasure unto Zion: build the walls of Jerusalem. Then shall you be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon your altar.
Picture Of True Repentance
This is a wonderful picture of true repentance. David had real godly sorrow over his sins. He recognized that his sin was primarily against God and God alone. King David cried out for God to have mercy upon him. He pleaded with God to blot out his transgressions, to wash him, cleanse him from his iniquity and sin. Again, he acknowledged his sin was against God.
David pleaded with God to cleanse him, to create in him a clean heart. We all have wicked, selfish hearts until God gives us a clean heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Ezekiel 36:24-26 states: For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Godly Sorrow
True repentance starts with godly sorrow over your sins. You need to recognize that God is Holy, righteous and just and that you are not. We have all sinned against God; we have all gone astray from Him. What is repentance? It is godly sorrow over your sinfulness; it is seeing your wickedness as well as seeing God’s Holiness. True repentance is a change of mind and a change of heart that leads to a change of actions.
Repentance is not trying to clean yourself up so God will accept you. Repentance is not trying to do more good than bad. No, repentance is realizing that you have sinned against God and God alone and you cry out for God to cleanse you, to give you a clean heart, just like King David did.
Repentance And Faith In Jesus
Not only is repentance important, but so if faith in Jesus. Yes, you need to repent from your sins, be willing to give up your sins, but you also need to put your trust in Jesus Christ the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
But I have trusted in your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation (Psalm 13:5). But I trusted in you, O Lord: I said, You are my God (Psalm 31:14). I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Psalm 91:2). Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is (Jeremiah 17:7).
Repent and believe the Gospel. Surrender your life to Jesus, fully and completely. Don’t hold anything back. You need a complete and utter surrender. You can’t hold onto Jesus with one hand and the world with the other. Jesus gave His all, His perfect sinless life as a sacrifice for guilty sinners. But you must repent and submit your life to Him. He must be Lord of your life as well as your Savior.
Submit Your Life To Jesus
Is there anyone out here tonight that is being convicted by God over your sins? Is God revealing His Holiness to you through the power of the Holy Spirit? If so, repent from your sins and put your faith in Jesus. Submit your life to King Jesus. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Bow your knee to the Lord and confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Jesus came to save His people from their sins. Repent and trust Jesus to save you from your sins and become a new creature in Christ. Do this tonight and be saved.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on September 14, 2018)