Repent

[sj]

I've asked this question before, but got no answers, so I'll try again.
When you repent of your sins (which a lot of people says means to turn from) if you truly repent and turn from them, what do you do if you repeat a sin you have repented of and turned from again, repent again? So are you constantly repenting and turning from the same sins? I've also heard that if you truly repented you wouldn't repeat that sin, if that is true, it would mean you could eventually be sin free, does anyone see it that way?
In my opinion, you must be able to repent of a sin and ask forgiveness of that sin, and be forgiven, then if you repeat that sin again, you must be able to repent again and be forgiven again, if not, I am in big trouble.
I look forward to your opinions, I'm just trying to learn how others feel about this. Thanks

 

[Marcia]

Repenting from sin does not mean just that you are sorry. It means you are turning away from sin.

So if one repents, he is turning away from that sin, and wanting to turn away.

We do, of course, fall into sin again. I am not sure if you are asking about repenting of one particular kind of sin or all sin?

My pastor puts it this way - it's the slope of your life. You cannot be sinless, but the slope of your life should show less sin, and going towards less sin, and wanting to sin less, and certainly in some cases, no sins in certain areas that maybe you had before (such as an ongoing sinful lifestyle).

Are you struggling with one area of sin? If so, that may be a lifelong struggle - a sort of take it day by day thing.

When you trust Christ, all your sins - past, present, and future - are forgiven. So of course, you are forgiven if you repent and ask for forgiveness.

 

[sj]

Thank You Marcia, that was extremely well put and clear. I will think on that and pray on it as well.
I do struggle with certain sins and have to work hard and ask God to help me repent. Turning away from some sins is surely easier than turning away from others.
I like the way you and your pastor view it, I will have to think on it and see if I agree.
Thanks again.

 

[Amy.G]

Repent means to have a change of mind. When we repent of sin, we change our minds about it. When we are saved, we have a new nature that wants to please God, but that old nature is still there and it wants to please self. This is a constant life long battle.

Paul says this about it.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

[sj]

Amy, thanks for that scripture and your thoughts. Very helpful.
It does appear that sin is a lifelong battle with ourselves.

 

[Amy.G]

You are welcome.

 

[Marcia]

Thank You Marcia, that was extremely well put and clear. I will think on that and pray on it as well.
I do struggle with certain sins and have to work hard and ask God to help me repent. Turning away from some sins is surely easier than turning away from others.
I like the way you and your pastor view it, I will have to think on it and see if I agree.
Thanks again.

You're welcome.

Keep in mind that we cannot do this on our own - only by the power of the Holy Spirit and depending on Christ. Another thing my pastor says is that we cannot live our life for Christ; if we try that, we fail every time - we let Christ live through us - it is His power in us. It's a matter of trust and surrender.

 

[trustitl]

I've asked this question before, but got no answers, so I'll try again.
When you repent of your sins (which a lot of people says means to turn from) if you truly repent and turn from them, what do you do if you repeat a sin you have repented of and turned from again, repent again? So are you constantly repenting and turning from the same sins? I've also heard that if you truly repented you wouldn't repeat that sin, if that is true, it would mean you could eventually be sin free, does anyone see it that way?
In my opinion, you must be able to repent of a sin and ask forgiveness of that sin, and be forgiven, then if you repeat that sin again, you must be able to repent again and be forgiven again, if not, I am in big trouble.
I look forward to your opinions, I'm just trying to learn how others feel about this. Thanks

Did you know the phrase that you bring up, "repent of your sins", is not found in the Bible? You obviously have heard it from some pulpit somewhere and think it is what you need to do. Sadly it is a very common message and causes a lot of problems for many seeking God. The message they get is that they need to quit sinning and then come to God. We come to Jesus helpless and with all of our baggage. Remember, "when we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly".

The repentance God is looking for is toward Him. We do not need to acknowledge all of our sin, lay it on an alter nor even confess all of them. If we did, that would be a work that we probably could not even do for we could never remember them all. No, God is looking for people who admit they are lost and in need of a Savior, and that only Savior is Jesus. That is faith.

Marcia wisely pointed out that repentance is not being sorry for sinning. I am part of a jail ministry and almost everybody is sorry for what they did but very few are repenting, and even fewer are repenting toward God. There sorrow is usually what Paul calls "worldly sorrow" which "worketh death". Godly sorrow, on the other hand "worketh repentance to salvation" (II Cor. 7). In other words, if our sorrow is focused on God our repentance will lead to life.

The world is full of regrets, but regrets never change a thing. It is only what we turn toward that determines the value of our repentance. Addicts have regrets almost every time they fulfill the lusts of their flesh, but not until they turn to God will they be free. If I am supposed to be going north and find myself going west I need to repent. However, if I turn and go east, I have repented but am still as lost as before.

Finally, as a believer, you will need to repent toward God every time you stray. It is not confessing your sins, walking down and aisle, raising your hand, nor any other action some preacher asks yo to do. You do it when you find yourself doing your own thing and not walking with God. These may be "big" sins or "little" ones. It may even be a mere failure to not be thinking about Him in all that you do.

 

[sj]

Trustitl, I thank you for that response. Repent toward God makes a lot of sense, as opposed to repent of every sin and keep repenting of the same sin over and over. I have lots to learn and I appreciate you taking time to respond to my question.