Page 31 - what a christianbelieveslastfinaltest3a_Neat
P. 31
Repentance from sin
response begins with REPENTANCE.
When man becomes aware of his true condition and when he
sees the true nature of GOD, the desire to confess to himself
what he is really like increases.
As he begins to have an encounter with God, the desire to
change his condition and turn away from it also begins to
grow within.
The word REPENTANCE literally means:
To understand afterwards, by reflection, to have a change of
mind for the better, a change of purpose, to reverse the
effects of previous thinking.
In the New Testament the word REPENTANCE is used
chiefly in reference to SIN.
So it can be said that REPENTANCE is 'realisation of what
sin is and what its results are, leading to having a change
of mind about it, abandoning sin and everything to do
with it AND a turning towards God's holy will.'
What is repentance? It begins with grieving as one would
grieve at a funeral. But instead of grieving over another, it is
for oneself. Luke 18 v13 'The tax collector stood at a
distance and could not look up to heaven and said 'God
have mercy on me a sinner'.'
The promise to the one who is grieving is in Matthew 5 v4
'Blessed are they that mourn, they shall be comforted.'
This mourning comes from seeing that sin is more than
something that harms us but is evil done by us toward a good
and holy God.
31