“Repent!” says God - and all the people said, “Whatever for?” 

            Repent! The word is used all through the Bible. You can’t read very far before you discover that God says you need to do this.
            The word can conjure up pictures of weird-looking, wild-eyed people standing on street corners with signs telling people the end is near, so repent! Shape up! Get your sorry life together! You’re about to meet your Maker, and you’d better be better than you are now when that happens, or you’ll be in really big trouble!
            On the other hand, children - they have a different slant on repentance. What they do about being naughty is nothing - until they’re caught. Then they cry and apologize and say they’ll never do it again, all so they can hopefully lessen the punishment they are sure is coming their way.
            As a Christian, I used to combine the “repent the end is near” idea with “look sorry so you don’t get in as much trouble” view about repentance. When my conscience flared and told me I’d just done wrong, I’d worry that this was God telling me I’d better shape up or I’d be in really big trouble with Him (if I wasn’t already), so I’d pray, apologizing and promising to try harder not to do that thing again. I’d hope that this was enough to hold off divine discipline, then I’d grit my teeth and try harder the next time. I had no ideas that Romans 7 says that when I set up a standard of behaviour for myself like that (a law in my mind), and try my best to resist sin so as to meet that standard, I will lose every time (see “Why Is It that When I Try to Do the Right Thing, I Screw Up?”, under “Teachings”, “I’m saved - now what?”) So I’d try hard, fail, “repent”, try harder, fail, “repent”, try even harder, fail, “repent”. Well, you get the idea. I began to hate repentance. It seemed to do nothing for me except to be part of one big guilt trip.
            Until I began to wonder if maybe I had the wrong idea of what repentance is. If God keeps commanding it, and He is good, could repentance really be this useless? Sure, maybe “repenting” this way wiped this one sin off my guilt list, but my life didn’t seem to be improving at all. And isn’t the whole point of Christianity to become more and more like Jesus (Romans 8:29),[1] to move from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18)[2] rather than from guilt to guilt? So I began to think about repentance. What is it? Why is it so important? Why does heaven rejoice when we do it (Luke 15:7)?[3] Here is what I discovered.
            First, repenting is the opposite of perishing. Basically, we all have two choices - and only two - repent or perish:

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 

What does it mean to perish? 2 Peter 3:7 tells us: “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” This makes for some interesting discussion. Because most people would not consider themselves to be ungodly. “Ungodly” means murderers and terrorists and rapists - people like that. Since I am not one of those, I’m fine. When I die, I’ll go to heaven, no problem. I’m good enough to make it. When you ask if they’ve ever repented, they either haven’t a clue what you’re talking about, or they insist that there is no need.
            But 2 Peter 3:9 says that “everyone” has to repent or they perish. Meaning everyone falls into the “ungodly” category. So maybe people who think they’re good enough for heaven all on their own are wrong. Maybe “ungodly” doesn’t just mean murderers and terrorists and rapists - people like that.
            Actually, Scripture has a very high standard of being “godly”. Higher than most people tend to think. Although, if you really think about the word, what is it saying? It’s saying we need to be “godly” - “like God”. How much like God? Well, exactly like God: 

“Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16) 

(If you want to know more about how this impossible standard is possible, see the article “Don’t All Religions Lead to God?” under “Teachings”, “Why Would I Need God?”.)
            So repenting has something to do with changing us from being ungodly to being godly. Here is the first piece to our puzzle of “what is repentance?”. So the question at this point, dear reader, is this: Are you convinced that you are ungodly and have a desperate need to change that about yourself lest you perish? I realize that this may sound like God is some giant drill sergeant: “Shape up or you’ll be shipped out!” Which isn’t too appealing. Being so scared of hell that you repent makes repentance desperately necessary but not a highlight of your life.
            But Acts 3:19-20 says: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.” Again, this verse notes something negative about us that needs to change or we’ll perish. Here it is called “sin”. But there is a nice result, not just for the future (heaven), but for now: “times of refreshing” and Jesus as part of our lives.
            “Time of refreshing” sounds great, doesn’t it? And so does heaven in the sweet by and by. But what about having Jesus in your life? How does that sound? I have had the experience of working in several different large crusades, where people are urged to “come forward” and “give their lives to Christ”. They do, and pray the “sinner’s prayer”, telling God they are sorry for their sins and asking Jesus to forgive them. My role in the crusades was not to “lead people to Christ”. It was to follow up with them. In almost all cases, the people I was to follow up with were shocked to find that God wanted any more from them than they had already given. Spending the rest of their lives with Jesus had not been part of the deal they had made. They had not repented. They were still on the road to perdition. Except that now they were deceived into thinking they weren’t. Many of them, at the time they went forward, had been deeply sorrowful about the sins and shortcomings in their lives. But none of that seemed to have amounted to true repentance.
            Many people are very surprised to find that repentance is not the same thing as being sorry for your sins. And it doesn’t matter what your definition of “sorry” is, it isn’t repentance:  

·        “I’m sorry because I’m in a mess, may get into trouble or may lose face.” The Bible calls that “worldly sorrow” and says that it produces death (2 Corinthians 7:10).[4]

·        What about the “woe is me” kind of sorrow - “I’m such a bad Christian, I am so unworthy of God, what kind of witness am I!” That isn’t repentance either. It’s blasphemy, because Christ has made us totally worthy. Besides, the Bible says that godly repentance “leave no regret” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

·        How about sorrow because I have wounded God (Psalm 51:4): “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge”? Not that either. 

Because repentance is not sorrow for sin no matter what form that sorrow takes. Sorrow for sin can lead us to repent (2 Corinthians 7:10a): “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret”. But so can the kindness of God (Romans 2:4): “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”
            A final misconception about repentance is that it means “finding religion”. Joe, in the midst of a tragic loss, suddenly starts going to church and doing his best to help others. Surely that’s repentance! Maybe, but it’s not a sure guarantee. In Jesus’ day, the people who “had religion” - who went to church all the time and did all they knew to do to be good citizens and neighbours - were the Pharisees. But Jesus said of them (Matthew 5:20): “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
            So, if repentance isn’t being sorry for your sin, trying hard to turn over a new leaf, or getting religion, then what is it?
            Two people in the Bible come to mind when I try to understand repentance - Jesus’ disciple Peter and the son in a story Jesus told who asked that his father liquidate some of his assets so the son could have his inheritance ahead of time and spend in on good-time living.
            Peter’s situation was this. Peter (whose name Jesus had changed from Simon) had sworn to stick with Jesus to the death (Matthew 26:35).[5] But when Jesus refused to let him draw his sword to fight the armed guard who had come to arrest Jesus (Matthew 26:52),[6] Peter ran away, along with all the rest of Jesus’ disciples. But he followed at a distance, and sat in the courtyard while Jesus was put on trial before the high priest. He was spotted as one of Jesus’ followers on three separate occasions and, as many times, once with oaths, swore that he did not know Jesus. After the third denial (Luke 22:61-62): “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
            Peter’s sorrow was his start on the road to repentance. But He needed Jesus to draw him the rest of the way. After His resurrection, Jesus tackled the issue of Peter’s betrayal of Him. He asked, “Simon, do you love me?” (John 21:15). Peter said, “Yes, Lord . . . you know that I love you” (John 21:15). Jesus patiently asked the question as many times as Peter had disowned Him - three - and each time said, in response to Peter’s answer that he did, “Feed my sheep” (John 15:17-19). And Peter became a great pastor within the church.
            The prodigal son convinced his Dad to give him his inheritance early so he could live somewhere else and have a better time than he was having at home. Except things didn’t quite turn out as he had planned. He blew all his money all too quickly and all too foolishly, his money-hungry friends deserted him, and he found himself hungry in the midst of a famine. First, “he came to his senses” (Luke 15:17). That’s my childhood reaction to being found in a mess of my own creation - how can I get myself out of the misery I’ve brought upon myself? Not really repentance. The prodigal was simply trying to figure out how to better his lot in life (Luke 15:17-19): “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’” So he went home to his father - and found his father waiting, already looking for him to return, quick to embrace and restore his son to a place of honour in his home.
            Both these men turned. Like when you take a wrong turn in the road and have to made a U-turn to get back on the right road, these two men had to realize that life as they were living it was somehow wrong, and they needed to turn things around. The prodigal ran from his father. Then, when he realized that he was in a mess because of that, he ran back to the father. His attitude was far from perfect. He went back so he could eat, and he had a speech all made up so he could get back into his father’s home, maybe as a servant. But his attitude wasn’t the point. His change of direction was. And He found that the father’s love drew him the rest of the way back into his family as a treasured son. Peter wept bitterly. But Jesus drew him into repentance. “Simon, do you love me?” Jesus asked three times. And then: “Follow me” (John 21:19). And Peter turned once again from his fishing (John 21:3)[7] and followed.
            Given that repentance is about turning and changing directions, what do we need to turn from, and what do we turn to?
            Most Christians know that, for sure, we need to repent of or turn from our sin. But when asked what sin is, they would reply that sin is the bad things you do or think. However, that is not sin at all. Those are sins. Sin is something else again. Sin is about how you choose to live your life - with or without God. If you choose “without”, that’s sin. (For more, see “Bible Studies”, The Gospel”, “First, the Bad News”).
            Even religious people can be sinners. Jesus as much as said this when he told his disciples (Matthew 5:20): “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” How can that be? Jesus explained (Matthew 6): 

6:1  “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2  “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
. . . . .
5  “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
. . . . .
16  “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 

In this case, the people were being religious so they could feel good about themselves. They were good people, doing what’s rights. So God must approve just like the people around them approved. But Jesus didn’t approve. He called them “hyprocrites”.
            A little later in that same talk, Jesus said something even more startling about the fact that religious people may still be living life without God. He said (Matthew 7:21-23): 

21  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’“ 

Jesus looks at these poor people who have even been doing miracles in His name, and says: You haven’t done what my Father wanted. We never had a relationship.
            By this point, it may be obvious that people can be deceived as to whether they are living life with God or without Him. This may make some people very uncomfortable, wondering if they’re deceived or not - on their way to hell without even knowing it. To have concerns like this is not wrong. The Bible tells us (2 Peter 1:10a): “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.” Also, 1 John was written to help us settle the question of whether or not we are truly God’s child (1 John 5:13): “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” However, to be worried and knotted up about it is wrong. Not because this isn’t a critically important issue to settle. It is the most serious issue of all - one that impacts us for eternity. But to be panicked implies that it is up to us to answer the question, and how can we do that if we’re deceived? Can we “undeceive” ourselves? The answer is “no”. To think we are the ones who have to do just that is to wrongly understand who is responsible for repentance.
            Since we are the ones who repent, we assume that it is up to us to make it happen. It is up to us to recognize our sin and make the decision to turn. Nothing could be further from the truth. Repentance is a gift from God (Acts 5:31).[8] Jesus said (John 6:44): “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” No one can turn to God unless God makes the first move.
            Which sends people, who don’t understand the heart of God, into a real tizzy. What if God never gives me repentance? What is He never draws me? I’ll be lost forever. But God is just not like that. Peter said to the people who wondered why God seemed to be taking so long to return to the earth to judge it (2 Peter 3:9): “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
            So how does God draw people? He makes the first move by giving revelation -by “undeceiving” people and showing them they are on the wrong road. “Peter, do you love me?” You have a problem with me that is not yet resolved. Will you work it through with me today? The prodigal “came to his senses”. In other words, when God give revelation, the light goes on - I have a problem. The light doesn’t switch itself on. Nor do I turn it on. God pulls the chain, which is His way of saying, “Let’s look at this.”
            By now you may be realizing that we repent more often than the day we realize we are without hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12),[9] and receive Jesus into our lives. Indeed, we repent over and over til the day we die, as God shows us where are lives are still going wrong. This is what moves us to deeper experiences of God - from glory to glory. Because repentance is not just about turning from something, but is also about turning to. No matter what it is we turn from, we always turn to the same thing - to God Himself. No matter what it is about our lives that needs changing, the solution is always the same - God. Not pulling up our socks, not trying harder, not doing more. Just God.
            Christians tend to ignore the fact that it is God we need to tell us what we should turn from, and can be really good at telling one another what they should and shouldn’t be doing. With the result that we sometimes get the mixed-up idea that repenting is about gritting our teeth, pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps, and doing our darndest to stop doing old, sinful things and start doing new, godly things. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no self-effort in repentance at all.
            First of all, telling one another how to shape up generally accomplishes nothing - except perhaps what Jesus talked about in Matthew 23:4: “They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” Repentance is a gift (Acts 5:31): “God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.” It comes from God. He pricks at our hearts and stirs a dissatisfaction for the old and a love for the new (Philippians 2:13): “. . . for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”.
            Secondly, we change not by trying hard, but by turning to God to change us. Romans 6:11-13 shows the way: 

11  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 

(1) Count yourself dead to sin and alive to God. Know that sin does not define you. It does not have a death grip on you. You are free from sin and free to choose a better way.
(2) Offer yourself to God. Don’t try hard to be good like Jesus. Making you good like Jesus is God’s job (Romans 8): 

29  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 

(Philippians 2:13)
. . . for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 

Give God permission to change you, then trust Him to do just that.

            People who figure they are responsible for handling their sin on their own have never read Psalm 19:12-13: 

12  Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13  Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 

People who think they know what’s wrong with them have never considered “hidden faults”. They think they’re dealing only with the obvious stuff - that’s all that’s wrong with them. Those people will never know the full freedom Christ died to give them. Because sin is like an iceberg: 1/7 above the water and 6/7 below. But come to an understanding that you need God to reveal your sins and give Him permission to do that, and you’ll be in for the ride of your life. You’ll be amazed at what you see when He starts turning the lights on - and amazed at how free He will set you. Fortunately, He moves slow and easy - one or two things at a time. This is a lifelong journey into greater and greater freedom and, since our sins are the only thing that prevents intimacy with God (Isaiah 59:2),[10] it is also a journey into a deeper and more intimate walk with Him.
            So when we repent, we turn from our sin. But we also turn from (repent of) the world: 

1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 

            A simple definition of the “world” is that it is what drives life outside the Kingdom of God. It consists of the values, morals, goals, philosophies and ways of thinking of those who do not belong to God. For example, in North America, the world values getting ahead, being promoted, climbing the corporate ladder. So the question becomes: “Is this what God values?” Or do I need to repent from this and live by different values? Other things in the North American world include the fear of terrorism and of dread disease, chronic busyness, valuing only what is practical and useful and helpful to me, and a deep conviction that the government should look after me if I fall on hard times (provide unemployment insurance, disability benefits, free health care, welfare, etc.). The list could obviously go on … and on … and on. But even though the values may seem to be good, they may not be God’s values. For example, government provision for the disadvantaged is a good thing; but does it cause us as Christians to look to the government to provide for our needs, as opposed to God, thus setting up an idol in place of the true Provider?
            A third thing we are asked to repent of or turn from is all that is wrong with us. That short temper or anxious nature is not part of our character; it is what is wrecking our character (and probably our relationships). Jesus said He came to set us free (John 8:36),[11] period. That includes freedom from character flaws, our mental and emotional problems, the evil effects of past traumas on our lives today, our low self-esteem and fear, and so on. Through repentance, we can be free to be all that God created us to be.
            Finally, we are called to turn from the devil (Acts 26:18).[12] For some reason, when it comes to turning from the devil, we tend to use a different word than “repentance”, but it means the same thing. We usually say we “renounce” the devil and all his works. Satan is closely tied to the world since he is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).[13] It is he who is behind all the ungodly ways of thinking that are around us. But he has a special calling card, which draws many into his power, and that is the whole area of the occult and false religions. The Bible is clear that behind every idol (the gods of all the false religions) is a demon (1 Corinthians 10:19-20).[14] The occult includes any search for supernatural knowledge (astrology, fortune telling, ESP, séances) or power (witchcraft, spells, curses, magic) apart from God. People who repent from occult sin often also need deliverance from the demonic influence that supplied the special knowledge and power they received.
            So repentance is a turning away from things that are not of God. But, as already noted, that is not all. That would set us free from certain things but would not produce the deep changes that every Christian seeks, which would transform us into being like Christ. For that, we also need to turn to something, or rather, to someone - to God (Acts 20:21): “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”
            What can God be expected to do when we turn to Him? Basically, He can be expected to do all that needs to be done to set us free and make us to be like Jesus: 

2 Chronicles 7:14
. . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

1 John 2:15-17
15  Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16  For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.
17  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 

James 4:7, 10
7  Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
. . . . .
10  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 

Romans 6:12-14
12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
14  For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 

Romans 8:31-32
31  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

Zechariah 1:3 says: “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” This is repentance. It is a call to believers as well as to unbelievers. The call to both groups can be seen in the story of the prodigal son and his brother (Luke 15:11-32):

11  Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
12  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13  “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17  “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’
20  So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21  “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22  “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
24  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25  “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27  ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28  “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29  But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31  “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” 

            The younger son had turned his back on the father altogether. He is a picture of unbelievers - those who want nothing to do with the true God and just want to be left alone by Him to live life the way they want to. The older son was faithful to his father. He stayed home and served his father well. But one day, the day of his brother’s return home, it was revealed that part of his heart was not in tune with his father’s ways or values. He is a picture of me, the believer, the Christian whose heart is remade but is not yet perfect, and who realizes - one day that this is not right in my heart, and another day that something else is not right, and so on throughout life, as I move from glory to glory. Repentance is for all. It is a high call - to leave behind what can’t fully satisfy and ultimately leads to destruction, and to choose God, wholeness and eternal life.