Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: The difference between true repentance and false repentance. Many understand the term repentance to mean "a turning from sin." Regretting sin and turning from it is related to repentance, but it is not the precise meaning of the word. In the Bible, the word repent means "to change one's mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14; Acts 3:19). An unrepentant person knows that he or she has sinned and refuses to ask God for forgiveness or turn away from the sin. The unrepentant show no remorse for their wrongdoing and don't feel the need to change. Unrepentance is the sin of willfully remaining sinful!
The word repentance means to change one's way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness. In repentance, a person is given a true sense of the heinous nature of sin and, hating it, they turn to God through Christ with the desire to part ways with it. It is a gift that God gives to us and true repentance leads to eternal life (2 Tim. 2:25). The Bible does make it clear that not all repentance is genuine, though. Paul said to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point, you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter." Based on this Scripture and others, here are some of the distinguishing characteristics between true and false repentance:
True repentance does not regret parting ways with sin; false repentance does. Because God grants us a clear view of our sins in repentance, we don't regret the loss of them. False repentance is characterized by a continual longing for the "old life." Although a person may have made certain external changes in their life, their heart is continually drawn back to the sins they miss. Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Lk. 9:62). He also said, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish" (Lk 13:3). Therefore, we all must be mindful that the Day of the Lord is fastly approaching! If we deliberately live a life of unrepentant sin and habitually live wicked lives, our only expectation is of fiery judgment that will consume God's enemies. "It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]" (study Hebrews 10:24-31)! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!
