"Repentance"

Why do we need a weekly time set aside for confession? Because we need to repent of our sins. For Christians, to maintain a mature relationship with the Lord, we need to clean up our act and repent of our sins.

Luke 13:3 says, “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” Harsh, isn’t it?  No diminishment of the cost of Calvary. Repentance is so much more than regret. Even remorse does not capture the essence of repentance.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word SHUB is use for repentance – it means turning back, retracing one’s steps to get back on the right track. In the New Testament, the Greek work METANOIEN is used for repentance – it means a change of mind that culminates in a new way of thinking.

Repentance for the Christian today means an about face, a 180° turn. There is nothing temporary about it. In the eyes of Jesus, we are all sinners, in need of repentance. It is important for the cleansing of our psyches. It leads to forgiveness.  In order for our Christian faith to have credibility, we must turn away from our sin. Repentance is an ongoing prerequisite for peace of mind – for that peace that only the Prince of Peace can provide, that surpasses human comprehension.

Blessings!