Text:Matthew 21; Acts 3
Today the Lord has lead me on a little journey to look at repentance. I believe the church has only had it partially right for the last several decades. If you were to ask the majority of church goers to define repentance, what would be the most common answer? Feeling bad for doing wrong. A few might even go into the idea of making right whatever wrong was committed. These would be good but incomplete answers according to scripture. I truly believe that we need to understand how the scriptures define repentance and start living again as the children of God. We need to start living again as people of repentance.
The scripture defines repentance in three stages. Brokenness, forgiveness, and then full repentance. Brokenness is the feeling bad for failure or doing wrong. This is the first step but we cannot stop here. Brokenness leads to forgiveness. This is the making restitution for the wrong doing. Again, we cannot stop here because if we follow these steps it should lead us to true repentance. Repentance is the returning to the high place. Returning to God and out standing as the children of the King is the final step in full repentance. This is born out in scripture in several places.
Look at II Chronicles 7:14. This verse is used many times by people who do not understand full repentance. We humble ourselves which is brokenness. Then we pray which is forgiveness and getting right with God. Finally, we seek His face and turn from our wicked ways which is full repentance. This is returning to the high place. Once full repentance has taken place God promises to hear and heal us. This is full repentance.
It is then modeled in the New Testament in James 4. You see the idea of brokenness and forgiveness leading to full repentance. As God’s people turn to Him and return to the high place, God will then pour out grace and lift up His people.
May we live full lives of true repentance. The church must rise to the call and be the Light in this dark world. It is God’s people that will change the course of mankind and allow God’s grace and revival to break out but it starts with repentance.