Why Must We Repent of Our Sins?
Share
Luke 15:11-32 tells us of the Prodigal Son who left his Father only to waste all of his inheritance. When the son returns, shamed and desperate, the Father welcomes him with joyful, open arms. He celebrates the return of the lost son.
Repentance positions us to receive the grace freely offered to us through Christ. When we turn back towards God, He welcomes us with loving, open arms. Forgiveness is always available to us, but repentance opens our hearts to receive it.
Repentance leads to times of refreshing. When we ask God to bridge the gap that our sin has created, a renewed sense of closeness to the Lord is unlocked. As we repent, God begins to restore our joy, remove our shame, offer us peace and hope for the future, and He softens our hardened hearts.
A life stuck due to hidden sin is bogged down with heaviness and shame. But God promises that when we confess our sins, we will experience freedom. Repentance is a gift.
But repentance is not a one-time event. Life offers us constant challenges and temptations. We must continually bring our actions, thoughts, and choices to the foot of the cross. Sanctification involves the daily turning towards Christ, or in other words, daily repentance.
As we mature in Christ, our ability to repent quickly increases. We have to learn to resist the pride in us that says we know best, and embrace humility that leads us to repentance.
Repentance begins when we are convicted by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 teaches, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” God’s Spirit guides us towards repentance. When we feel that conviction, we offer an honest confession to the Lord and sometimes others whom we may have hurt. We commit to turning away from our sinful behavior, leaving our old selves behind.
Often, we have to find others who can keep us accountable to this commitment to change as we seek to walk in new obedience to God’s way. Repentance is not perfection; it's a new direction for our lives that honors God.
Ultimately, repentance is a part of God’s amazing grace. He calls us to turn back towards Him because he does not want us to be far from him. Jesus’ death on the cross proves that repentance leads to God’s mercy as Jesus’ blood covers our sins.
Is there something God is prompting you to turn from today? Take a humble step towards Jesus, towards the cross, towards God’s love, and embrace God’s freedom that is unlocked in repentance.
Grief is a word we primarily associate with loss. But do you grieve your sin? Here's how godly grief produces healthy repentance - and why we so desperately need repentance to grow in our faith.
Photo credit: Unsplash/benwhitephotography
