Page 28 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

and righteousness. But when the people of Nineveh repented, His
other unchanging qualities—mercy and patience—became evident
as He “repented” and spared the city. In this example, God did not
change; the people of Nineveh did. All Scripture that refers to God’s
“repenting” should be understood in this way.

Examples of Repentance

In the New Testament, we see examples of repentance that show
clearly what this word means. In Matthew 21:28–31, Jesus gives the
Parable of the Two Sons. In this parable, the Father asked his older son
to go and work in the vineyard. The son responded, “I will not,” but later
he changed his mind and went. The Greek word translated “changed his
mind” (expressing repentance) also means “to feel regret, experience a
change of feelings, remorse.” Other words used for repent and repentance
give us the meaning of “one who has arrived at a different view of things.”
The person has had a change of mind and heart, recognized errors and
shortcomings, is sincerely sorry for them, and is willing to forsake or
renounce them. The person who repents, then, demonstrates a different
attitude toward sin and God.

Repentance may include a spirit of grief (Luke 18:13) and a broken
spirit (Psalm 51:17). As people confess their sins, they may be greatly
moved by the awfulness of sin. Some, like Peter, may weep bitterly
(Luke 22:62). But regardless of the extent of grief that one feels or
expresses, the important thing is confessing sins and forsaking them.
No amount of emotion will make up for confessing and forsaking sin.

Repentance includes godly
sorrow for sin. The regret of the
Regardless of the truly repentant person involves

extent of grief one a deep sadness of heart, not
because he or she will be punished
feels, the important but for the terrible wrong done to

thing is confessing sins the holy, loving, and gracious God.
Paul spoke of this kind of sorrow
and forsaking them. to the believers in Corinth: “Godly

sorrow brings repentance that
leads to salvation and leaves no
regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

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