-Strength for Today- "True Repentance" - 2 Corinthians 7:10
The word “repent”, or “repentance” implies that there must be a “change of mind,” because the “mind” is the “seat-bed” of our moral reflection. Therefore, to “repent,” or for there to be an act of “repentance”, requires the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon things that ever happens to a person. It is the beginning of an understanding of God. Jesus said that “When He is come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness…” - John 16:8.
Conviction shows us God's standard and what needs to change. “Repentance” begins with understanding where we’ve gone astray. Real repentance arises from the knowledge that we've sinned against God, and will always bring a person to the point of saying, “I have sinned.” It’s not that that person’s relationship with others bothers them, but the broken relationship with God brings sorrow to the soul. To this David cried out, “Against Thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” –Psalm 51:4.
Anything less is just plain old simple sorrow for having made a “foolish mistake,” and is but a reflection of “guilt,” which isn’t “genuine repentance.” But is just a “knee- jerk reaction” that’s caused by “self-disgust.” Dr. H.D. Washington once said in regards to repentance, “People need to arrive at a point where they realize that they aren’t saved, and need to repent, or if you’re saved, you need to repent daily -1 John 1:9.
The surest sign that God is at work in a person’s life is when that person is “godly sorry,” and means what they say. Because true repentance will show a life-style change. Because the wonders of repentance will become evident. This new life will reveal itself in:
· Conscious repentance, followed by
· Unconscious holiness,
Which is a gift of God. Peter says it this way, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness: but is long suffering to us-ward, nor willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” – 2 Peter 3:9
So don’t allow worldly ignorance to stand in the way of your understanding of sin. Right where you are today, examine yourself to see if you’ve forgotten how to be truly repentant. Fall on your face and allow the Holy Spirit to “convict” you to change.
Plez lovelady, Jr., PhD