Paul tells us in Romans 3:23,“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Repentance requires we turn toward God, and do our best to live as He expects us to, bearing “fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8). In Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when his listeners implored him “…what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38).
In order to change our actions our inner thoughts and motivations, that give rise to these actions, must change. Godly sorrow allows us to see how totally selfish, corrupt and far from God we are. Worldly sorrow, by contrast, is shallow and superficial, producing no real, permanent change. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
The willingness to repent is a gift from God, possible only when God draws us to Him, uniting us with God the Father and Jesus Christ in an extraordinary relationship. Jesus plainly stated, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). God’s kindness and goodness lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4), but He doesn’t make the choice for us. Although God “desires all men to be saved,” He doesn’t force anyone to repent (1 Timothy 2:4).
Before we can repent, God must convict us of sin (John 16:8), helping us to realize how far we are from His ways. Through the sincere study of God’s Word, we begin to recognize the pervasive influence our carnal or fleshly mind, as the Apostle Paul called it, has on our thinking and behavior (Romans 8:7). God wants us to rid ourselves of our former way of thinking and living and become a “new man” in thought, attitude and character (Ephesians 4:22-24).
God’s mercy is so great that He will forgive us, provided we forsake our wrong behavior and thoughts: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him…for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).This means a lifetime of growth and change, as we strive for a new direction in life. We must be willing to let the revealed Word of God, the Bible, change our thinking. Jesus confirmed the importance of God’s Word as our guide to life when He said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4). While James implores us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
Repentance was an integral part of the message of John the Baptist, who “went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3). Notice that his message connected baptism, repentance and the remission (forgiveness) of sin. One cannot properly discuss one of these topics without discussing the other two.
John’s refusal to baptize everyone astonished his audience. They asked him, “What shall we do then?” (Luke 3:10). John’s answer is one of the most penetrating and revealing descriptions of the fruits of true repentance in the Bible. “He answered and said to them, ‘He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.’ Then the tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what is appointed for you.’ Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ So he said to them, ‘Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages'” (Luke 3:11-14).
To some, the change God wants in us can appear so overwhelming that repentance and conversion to God’s way of thinking seems impossible. When the disciples asked in amazement, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26). Jesus replied, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). To truly repent, we must learn to trust and rely on God more than on ourselves.
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus contrasted the attitude of an outwardly religious individual who trusted in himself for his righteousness with the attitude of a repentant tax collector who correctly perceived his own spiritual inadequacy and looked to God for help. Jesus explained God’s forgiveness (justification or making right) is extended to those who humbly look to God rather than to themselves for the power to repent and change their behavior, promising: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
True repentance ensures our mind and heart are thoroughly prepared to receive God’s Holy Spirit. Baptism and the laying on of hands by a minister of God is the next step of salvation after repentance, and that’s how we can receive God’s Spirit (Acts 2:38).
