Page 29 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Repentance: Turning from Sin to God

Although it is all-important to recognize sin and confess it, it is
equally important to turn away from sin and forsake it completely.
Remember the example of the boy’s sorrow over disobeying his mother
and breaking the cookie jar. His sorrow was not true repentance. Why?
He had no intention of turning away from future temptations to satisfy
his desire for sweets. To repent is to turn away from sin.

While each person in need of salvation comes from a unique lifestyle
and sinful bondage, Scripture states some of the things people are
delivered from. Paul observed that believers in Thessalonica “turned
to God from idols” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Earlier he asserted that his
mission was to turn unbelievers from “worthless things to the living
God” (Acts 14:13–15). It also involved turning people from darkness to
light and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:17–18).

Repentance is not just feeling sorrowful about sinful actions. True
repentance turns away from sin. For example, Maurice was caught
cheating on his examination. The instructor punished him by giving him
a zero. Maurice regretted being caught and failing his test, but he was
not at all sorry about the times he cheated and was not caught. He was
sorrowful but not repentant. In fact, he was ready to cheat again at the
first opportunity.

Mary also cheated on her examination, but her conscience bothered
her. She went to her instructor, confessed her dishonesty, and offered to
accept the penalty. She was truly repentant because she decided to stop
cheating. Someone has said, “Heaven
is full of repentant people who were
once sinners; hell is full of regretful
people.” Regret or sorrow for one’s Heaven is full of
actions is not enough; turning from sin repentant people
is also required if one is to know the joy
of having sins forgiven. who were once
sinners; hell is full
Luke 16:19–31 portrays the rich man
in hell crying out for pity. At this point, of regretful people.
he was full of sorrow, but it was too
late for him to repent. Those who don’t
repent now will someday weep and wail in sorrow (Matthew 13:42, 50;

::: 21 :::