They asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?” Acts 2:37.
Peter said, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins” (verse 38). A few days later he answered the same question by saying, “Repent, then, and turn to God.” Acts 3:19.
To repent means to be sorry for sin and to turn away from it. We will not give up sin unless we see how sinful it is. There will be no real change in our lives until we stop loving sin and decide to turn from it.
Many people do not really understand true repentance. Millions are sorry that they have sinned. They even change their ways, because they are afraid that their wrongdoing will cause them suffering. But this is not true repentance; it is not the kind the Bible tells about. These people are sorry that sin may make them suffer, but they are not sorry for the sin itself.
Esau was sorry to lose forever his father’s blessing and riches because of his sin. Balaam was afraid when he saw the angel standing in his pathway with a sword in his hand. He said, “I have sinned,” because he was afraid of losing his life. But he was not really sorry for his sin. He did not change his mind or feel terrible about his evil plan.
Peter said, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins” (verse 38). A few days later he answered the same question by saying, “Repent, then, and turn to God.” Acts 3:19.
To repent means to be sorry for sin and to turn away from it. We will not give up sin unless we see how sinful it is. There will be no real change in our lives until we stop loving sin and decide to turn from it.
Many people do not really understand true repentance. Millions are sorry that they have sinned. They even change their ways, because they are afraid that their wrongdoing will cause them suffering. But this is not true repentance; it is not the kind the Bible tells about. These people are sorry that sin may make them suffer, but they are not sorry for the sin itself.
Esau was sorry to lose forever his father’s blessing and riches because of his sin. Balaam was afraid when he saw the angel standing in his pathway with a sword in his hand. He said, “I have sinned,” because he was afraid of losing his life. But he was not really sorry for his sin. He did not change his mind or feel terrible about his evil plan.
Judas Iscariot sold his Lord to those who planned to kill Him. Then he cried out, “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death!” Matthew 27:4. This confession was forced from his guilty heart by a terrible fear of punishment. He was afraid that he might have to suffer for what he had done, but he felt no deep, heart-breaking sorrow for selling the perfect Son of God to die. He was not sorry that he had turned away from Jesus, the Holy One of Israel.
When Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was being punished by God, he was willing to say he had sinned. He wanted to escape further pain and loss. But he turned against God again as soon as the suffering stopped.
All these men were sorry that sin had brought bad results, but they were not sorry for the sin itself.
When we yield to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience is awakened. We begin to see how broad and sacred is God’s holy law, and that it is the basis of God’s government in heaven and in earth. Jesus, “the light that comes into the world and shines on all people” (John 1:9), shines into the secret places of our mind and shows up the hidden thoughts. We see how righteous God is, and we feel afraid to come, guilty and unclean, before the Searcher of hearts. Then we see the love of God, the beauty of His holiness, and the joy of His purity. We desire to be made pure so that we can be friends with God again.
David’s prayer after he had greatly sinned shows us what true sorrow is like. His repentance was sincere and deep. He did not try to make his wrong act seem small. He did not try to escape the results of what he had done. David saw that his sin was great and that his heart was unclean. He hated his sin. He prayed not only for forgiveness but for a clean heart. He wanted the joy of holiness—to be brought back into harmony with God. He wrote: “Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from deceit.” Psalm 32:1, 2.
“Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! ... I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins.... Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.... Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.... Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.... Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.” Psalm 51:1-14.
Repentance of this kind is beyond the reach of our own power. It comes only from Christ, who went to heaven and has given us spiritual gifts.
Many people do not understand repentance, so they fail to receive the help Christ wants to give them. They think they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent. They believe that repentance prepares the way for the forgiveness of their sins.
It is true that a person must repent before he is forgiven, for only when one is truly sorry for his sin will he feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait until he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Must the need for repentance keep the sinner away from the Saviour?
The Bible does not teach that the sinner must repent before he can accept Christ’s invitation, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”
When Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was being punished by God, he was willing to say he had sinned. He wanted to escape further pain and loss. But he turned against God again as soon as the suffering stopped.
All these men were sorry that sin had brought bad results, but they were not sorry for the sin itself.
When we yield to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience is awakened. We begin to see how broad and sacred is God’s holy law, and that it is the basis of God’s government in heaven and in earth. Jesus, “the light that comes into the world and shines on all people” (John 1:9), shines into the secret places of our mind and shows up the hidden thoughts. We see how righteous God is, and we feel afraid to come, guilty and unclean, before the Searcher of hearts. Then we see the love of God, the beauty of His holiness, and the joy of His purity. We desire to be made pure so that we can be friends with God again.
David’s prayer after he had greatly sinned shows us what true sorrow is like. His repentance was sincere and deep. He did not try to make his wrong act seem small. He did not try to escape the results of what he had done. David saw that his sin was great and that his heart was unclean. He hated his sin. He prayed not only for forgiveness but for a clean heart. He wanted the joy of holiness—to be brought back into harmony with God. He wrote: “Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from deceit.” Psalm 32:1, 2.
“Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! ... I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins.... Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.... Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.... Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.... Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.” Psalm 51:1-14.
Repentance of this kind is beyond the reach of our own power. It comes only from Christ, who went to heaven and has given us spiritual gifts.
Many people do not understand repentance, so they fail to receive the help Christ wants to give them. They think they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent. They believe that repentance prepares the way for the forgiveness of their sins.
It is true that a person must repent before he is forgiven, for only when one is truly sorry for his sin will he feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait until he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Must the need for repentance keep the sinner away from the Saviour?
The Bible does not teach that the sinner must repent before he can accept Christ’s invitation, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28. Christ’s grace, His power, leads a person to truly repent. Peter made this clear when he said of Jesus, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31, KJV. The Spirit of Christ leads us to repent and be pardoned by God.
Every right desire comes from Christ. He is the only one who can make us hate sin. Every time we feel a desire for truth and purity, every time we see our own sinfulness, we can know that the Holy Spirit is working on our hearts.
Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” John 12:32. Christ must be shown to the sinner as the Saviour who died for the sins of the world; and as we see the Son of God on the cross of Calvary we begin to understand God’s plan to save us. Then the goodness of God leads us to repentance. –Contributed by Mary/Author Unknown
Every right desire comes from Christ. He is the only one who can make us hate sin. Every time we feel a desire for truth and purity, every time we see our own sinfulness, we can know that the Holy Spirit is working on our hearts.
Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” John 12:32. Christ must be shown to the sinner as the Saviour who died for the sins of the world; and as we see the Son of God on the cross of Calvary we begin to understand God’s plan to save us. Then the goodness of God leads us to repentance. –Contributed by Mary/Author Unknown
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