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What is repentance? Do Christians need to repent? When was the last fourth dimension y'all repented?

As believers, we know that Jesus calls people who have still to believe in Him (Matthew iv:17) and Christians to repent when they take fallen abroad from Him (Revelation 2:5; ii:16; 2:21; 3:3; 3:19).

And notwithstanding, repentance seems like a rather unpleasant thing that we have to coerce ourselves to practice. It'south like taking bitter medicine when we are sick. Nosotros don't want to have it but forcefulness it down our throats anyhow, because we know information technology's supposed to be good for united states of america.

I used to think of repentance in this way, until I realized what repentance really is. In a nutshell, information technology involves these three things: Recognition of our sin, renunciation of our sin and returning to God.

The more than I came to understand what repentance really is, the more I realized that it is, in fact, a wonderful souvenir past God to us. Here are some reasons why.

i. Repentance lets God restore, forgive and purify united states

I used to feel unworthy of God's forgiveness when I savage into sin. I'd think, "I'k already a Christian and withal I'm still disappointing and declining God in this way. How can I still expect Him to forgive me?"

Thankfully, God bodacious me by reminding me of this truth: "If we confess our sins, He is true-blue and just and will forgive the states our sins and purify u.s. from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:ix).

Since then, I've fabricated it a betoken to confess my sins before God no matter how "unworthy" or "unclean" I might feel, knowing that He will forgive me my sins and purify me, and then that I will exist righteous before Him again.

But every bit God reached out to united states of america before we came to know Him, He is still reaching out to u.s. and calling the states to return to Him today if we've fallen in sin: "Return to Me, and I will return to you" (Zechariah one:iii, Malachi 3:7). God promises to restore usa when nosotros repent of our sins (Jeremiah 15:19).

2. Repentance helps us to be humble

I observe that when I have problem repenting, it's often because I have pride issues in my life. Pride is spiritual blindness that causes us to recall our standards are better than God's standards.

The contrary of pride is humility, and i definition of it, which I really similar, says, "Humility means like-minded with the truth." Mayhap that is why Paul says that repentance leads usa to know the truth and then that we can come to our senses (two Timothy two:25-26). When I apologize and learn to agree with the truth of God's standards of righteousness and sin, I am growing in humility.

God values humility; He shows favor to those who are humble, but He opposes and mocks those who are proud (Proverbs iii:34, James iv:half-dozen). And so permit's be quick to apologize, so that we may grow in humility and receive and enjoy God's favor.

3. Repentance drives the devil away from the states

During the times when I was willfully disobeying God, I found it so much harder to believe God's truths. Instead, the voices of guilt, doubt, fear and condemnation would ring a lot louder in my heart. Thoughts like, "God doesn't honey y'all anymore," "You've really diddled information technology this fourth dimension. God won't give you a second hazard," and "God has given up on y'all now" would go on harassing me, giving me no peace.

But when I repented and returned to God, these deceptive whispers of the enemy would start to fade and I'd be more able to perceive and receive the truths of God again.

The Bible tells the states, "Submit yourselves . . . to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from y'all" (James 4:7). In this verse, submission to God means washing our hands and purifying our hearts from sin and double-mindedness (James 4:viii).

When we sin, we're actually giving the devil permission to draw virtually to us, for "[t]he 1 who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning" (1 John three:8). The enemy is close to those who does what he does (John eight:44). And when he is well-nigh us, he "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10).

When we submit to God past repenting, we're proclaiming that we belong to God and we tin fight against the devil and his evil influences in our lives.

4. Repentance frees u.s.a. from the torment of sin

I've found this to be truthful in my life. When I insisted on my own sinful ways, the one who suffered the most was me. Although sin may feel good, it ultimately hurts more than it seems to promise.

And when I wasn't willing to confess my sins to God and others due to pride and shame, I found myself standing in my sins because the devil had gained a foothold in my life to ensnare me in the darkness. It'south only when I brought these sins into the lite by confessing them to people I trusted, that those sins started to lose their ability to further deceive and hurt me.

I'chiliad thankful that God gives united states confession and repentance as the means by which we can receive His mercy. Because Jesus is our smashing loftier priest who is always interceding for the states before God (Hebrews 4:fourteen; vii:25), nosotros tin can "approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and notice grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews iv:16).

The Bible gives us this promise: "Repent, then, and turn to God, and so that your sins may exist wiped out, that times of refreshing may come up from the Lord" (Acts three:19). If we practice not apologize, we volition not exist able to receive aid and relief from the torment of sin.

5. Repentance leads us to fullness of life with Jesus

Sin volition pb to spiritual death. God'due south Word tells us obviously that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and Jesus said, "unless you repent, you as well will all perish" (Luke xiii:three). On the contrary, repentance leads to life (Acts 11:18) and conservancy (ii Corinthians 7:10).

Ultimately, when we repent, nosotros are inviting Jesus to have fellowship with us. After urging Christians to "be earnest and apologize," Jesus said, "Here I am! I stand up at the door and knock. If anyone hears My vox and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me" (Revelation 3:19-20).

The immeasurable joy of having intimate fellowship with God is what Jesus won for u.s.a. through His death and resurrection, and so that we "may have life, and have it to the full" (John ten:10). Information technology certainly beats the deceptive and fleeting "joy" of any kind of sin by any measure out!

Eternity doesn't start when we go to heaven. Information technology starts right now with having fullness of life with God, and repentance allows us to have that.

Would you repent daily to draw near to God today?

Also Read:

You know that living as a Christian involves killing your sin merely sometimes you do the things you know aren't right and enjoy them, and every time you exercise, you experience similar yous've let God down again.

About Raphael Zhang

Raphael enjoys reading and writing, and experiences them as means of connecting with the Discussion besides cute for words. He believes there'due south no such thing as having too many books. Having been led past Jehovah-Rapha to journeying out of brokenness toward wholeness, he is passionate about bringing God'south healing to others, then that the brokenhearted can become wholehearted in loving God and people with all their heart, soul, heed, and strength. He'southward also crazy about cheeses, just his greatest dear is still Jesus.

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Source: https://ymi.today/2017/01/5-reasons-you-should-repent-again-and-again/

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