Artwork by Daniel Venturo
An Illustration
Jesus illustrated what it means to repent by telling a story found in Luke 18:10-13:
Two men went up to the temple to pray. . . . The Pharisee [a religious leader] stood by himself and prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” But the tax collector [a traitor of the Jewish nation] stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
(Read Psalm 51 to see another example of repentance.)
An Explanation
The tax collector, Jesus says, demonstrated true repentance—he went home “justified” (right with God).
Based on this story, repentance means:
· Humility: The tax collector didn’t even look up to Heaven. He knew that he didn’t deserve to talk to God.
· Sorrow: The tax collector beat his chest in anguish. He was so sad about his sin that he didn’t care what anyone else thought (see II Cor. 7:10).
· Crying out: The tax collector begged God for mercy. Unlike the Pharisee, he didn’t compare himself with other people. He knew he was a sinner and confessed it.
· Change: The tax collector went home right with God. His repentance revealed his faith in God.
The word “repentance” literally means to change your mind. When you repent, you change your mind about sin, turn away from it, and follow what is right. Other passages in Scripture tell us that one who truly repents no longer “makes a practice of sinning” (I Jn. 3:9; see also II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22-32; Col. 3:9-17). You may mess up sometimes, but you will keep being sorry about your sin and continue to turn away from it (I Jn. 1:7, 9). God will help you go the right way (II Tim. 2:25).
Repentance is a transformation of the heart and mind. It’s like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
So, repentance is not just asking God for forgiveness every day and then going back to the same sins. Repentance results in a totally new way of life and a different way of thinking.
Jesus commands everyone, “Repent and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Repentance goes hand in hand with faith—they are two sides of the same coin. True repentance results in true faith in the Gospel. It’s not only being sorry for your sin but also trusting that Jesus can do something about it.
The Most Important Thing
What did Jesus do about it? God can extend mercy to guilty sinners (and we all have sinned) because Jesus, God in the flesh, died in the place of sinners, was buried, and rose again. You must ask God for mercy, trusting in Jesus and turning from your sin. Once you do this, you'll become a new person who now desires to do God's will.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved.