REPENTANCE: Just Feeling Sorry?

Independence Day, Deep Impact, Strange Days, even Superman. What do these movies have in common? At some point in the movie, some poor fellow is running around with a sign that reads "The end is near". In other movies, they portray a "Christian" with the same sign with one little change, the sign will read, "Repent, the end is near." REPENT.
Repentance is not something new to Christians. John the Baptist (or Baptizer, depending on the teaching that you received) was preaching repentance, "And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mark 1:4 NIV) So what is repentance?
Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. Repentance is also the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God. Repentance, therefore, is a relinquishment of any sinful practice through a change of mind resulting from a conversion from sin and into a life, living for God. The Greek word that is used in this passage is metanoia which means (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision): - repentance. A reversal of ones decisions. It is a reformation, a turning away a reversal of ones decisions. (Strong’s Concordance #G3341)
What then, are we repenting from? Sin. What is sin? Sin is disobedience to God. Sin is doing things that we should not be doing. As it is written in I John 3:4, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness." (NIV). Who’s law? God’s law. If God said it was a sin 2000 years ago, it is still a sin today. If God said something is detestable to Him, it’s still detestable to Him. Sin is also not doing what must be done. "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins." (James 4:17 NIV). In essence, breaking God’s law and not doing what is right, is sin.
When we look at repentance and what is true repentance, we find some misunderstandings to the repentance. Some people are taught that repentance is just feeling sorry for what they did. That’s sort of right. Are you sorry that you got caught and subsequently punished? That’s not repentance, that’s a fear of punishment. Are you sorry for the pain that you caused other people? That’s not even repentance. When repenting it starts with a degree of sorrow, a deep mournful sorrow, for the pain that was caused to the heavenly Father. Then, the promise not to do it again. Ever. That’s what leads to repentance. That in a nutshell is repentance. The promise to God not to do it again.
Jesus when forgiving sins, He would say in one form or another, "Don’t do it anymore." "Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’" (John 5:14) "Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you.?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’" (John 8:10-11 NIV).
Repentance begins with acknowledging our sin. True repentance comes from not doing it anymore, and forgiveness comes from repentance. "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of his offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live." (Ezekiel 18:21,22 NIV) Following those verses is a warning, if you don’t truly repent and return to wickedness, "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable thing the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die." (Ezekiel 18:24 NIV)
The myth that Christians can go to a member of the clergy, whether it be a priest, pastor, or any leadership person, and then say a few prayers of forgiveness and then go back and do it again, and be forgiven, is false. When one truly repents, they will not purposely do it again.
Today is a good day to repent and to turn to God. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)
Have a blessed week
Daniel G Vandenburg