Repentance

BISHOP FREDRICK SIMIYU DOME

THE FATHRE’S HEART GOSPEL MINISTRIES-KENYA

Email:fhgospelministries@yahoo.com/fresimiyu@gmail .com

P.O BOX 39-TONGAREN-KENYA

+254-725-930-394

+1785-305-0780

REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS (Hebrews 6:1-2)

Key Verses: When they the people heard this ,they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers  ,what shall we do? Peter replied,   ”Repent and be baptized ,every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And   you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” Acts 2:37-38”Repent,then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out ,that time of refreshing may come from the Lord” Acts 3:19

Introduction: Laying the foundation of repentance   from dead works include first of all initial repentance which turns us from darkness to light.(2 Cor 3;16)…”When one turns to the Lord ,the veil is taken away.  We see ourselves as sinners in God’s sight and acknowledge this. We turn from our life of sin to God.It clears away all lies and excuses and we are then able to call sin, sin . Repentance is the digging down deep to establish the foundation on solid Rock.(Hosea 10:12,13).

1.Repentance is our Begining   Point-(Acts 17:30,1 Cor 1:18,2:14.)

We can not begin anew life in Christ without  first turning from our old life of sin.

Repentance is the inner transition from self  dependence to self  government to submission to God .(Isiah 53:6)-we have all turned to our own ways !The Kingdom of God means having some   one rule over us -having  a realy  King. We can not crown Jesus Lord of our lives in practical experience except through the assistance of the Holy Spirit in the realm of repentance. Calling Jesus “Lord “with full Biblical meaning requires the renouncing of self rule or imagined “independence “.It includes the acknowledgement of the need of some  one else to guide and direct our lifes. Repentance   is our acknowledgement that we are finished with the way we have be en living and are now ready to embrace His new life. This transference is of dependence was considered so basic in the Testament that every major tearcher introduced the gospel with the necessity of repentance.2

A. Repentance  is the first word  of the Gospel .Repentance is not optional-it is the first response we make to Christ’s Lordship-He is commanding us to turn around.

   1.Mesaage of John the Baptist ----Mathew 3:1-28-10

 2. Message of Lord Jesus Christ------Mark  1:14-15 Lk 5:32,24:46-47

3.Message of Discilpes                 Mark 6:12,Acts2:38

4.Message of early Church           Acts 20:20-21;26:2 2 Peter 3:9,

B. Repentance begins with a revelation of God.

     John 6:44,65, John 16:7-8

The word “revelation” comes from the word  “reveal” meaning :to take of the cover”.2 Cor 4:33-4.

“Repent and believe” Scriptural repentance : repentance of this kind is something that begins with God ,and not with man .It originates  not in the will of man ,but bin a free and sovereign grace of God .Apart from the working of God’s grace and the moving of God’s Spirit ,man left alone to himself is incapable of repentance. For this reason the Psalmist cries out three times in (Psalms 80 in verses 3,7 , and 19)”Turns again O Lord.. and we shall be saved.” Likewise  , Jeremiah cries in Lamentation (5:21)Turn thou us unto thee ,O Lord and we shall be turned”. Man can   not turn to God unless God Himself first moves and draws man. The first move is always with God.”3

Psalms 80:3,7,19 ,Lam 5:21,Rom 5:6-11,Acts 16:14 Jer 31:3,4,12.

1.       Repentance is the first step we take in personally receiving the   salvation that comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ   .(Acts 2:37-38,Acts 4:12,17:30-31)

2.       God is a God of mercy but there can be no mercy without the acknowledging of the truth. (John 1:17,1 John 1;5-10;Rom 1:18-19;Rom 3:19-26;5:12-21;Proverbs 16:6”By mercy and truth inquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil”

3.       “Mercy “T he very nature of God is mercy.  God is not willing that any should perish  (2Peter 3:9)He is a Holy God and He can  not allow sin because sin has a penality. Jesus came and paid the  penality  for sin for us.(John 3:16 -17;Rom 5:6-11,6:23;2Cor 5:18-21;1John 4:8-10

4.       “Truth” We must acknowledge our sin and that we are lost without accepting and applying what Christ has done for us on the cross.  We must ask forgiveness for our sin and turn from living a life of sin.(Rom 3:23,24;6:16,23 2Cor 5:15—17

5.       When mercy and truth become a reality in our hearts ,we want to live in righteousness (upright and in right standing with God)Peace comes from living a righteous life..(John 16:33,Isaiah26:3-4,32;17-18;Psalms 85:10.”Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other”.

II A. True Repentance is the response to conviction -Change -Ezakiel33:14 -16

1.Repentance is not forgiveness of sin -but forgiveness of sin will be a result of genuine repentance. When we turn from our sinful ways to walk in faith towards God confessing that we are sinners, we have fallen short of the glory of God and need His forgiveness, He redeems us and forgive our sin and cleanses Us in His blood -we become new creatures as He positions us in ”Christ”. Now become redeemed saints not forgiven sinners! (Acts 3:19)

2. It is  not just conviction of sin or feeling guility. Conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit will always come before genuine repentance but conviction does not always lead to repentance .(Acts 24:24-25;Acts 26:28Now compare Acts 2:36 with Acts 7:54

3. It is not just emotionalism and tears .The repentance reffered to in the New Testament is not an emotiom, but a descision. Some people are just sorry they got caught and are not sorry for what they have done. See the example of Pharoah in exodus 8:8-15;9:27-35;10:16-20-When Pharaoh so that there was relief ,he would harden his heart against Moses and the Israelites.2Cor 7:9-10

Mathew 27:3-5-Judas “repented”(KJM)The Greek word used here for “repented”  is not the Greek  word” metanoein” which means a decision or change of mind ,but a Greek word “metameleine” Which means emotion, remorse, anguish.  Even if Judas experienced great anguish and remorse of soul, he did not change his direction in life or “repent.”

Genesis 27:34;Hebrews 12:16-17-We see the same emotional anguish in Esau. He depised  his birthright,or his responsibility as a son ,obedient to the father, caring for the family ,etc,.When  he did this ,he lost the blessings that went with birthright. In the King James version it says “he found no place for repentance”. An alternative translation founding  the mergin of (KJM)IS: HE found no way to change his mind.

4. It is not just confession of sins-but when a person genuinely repents ,he will confess that he is sinful and sinned against God.(Proverbs 28:13,18;Judas confessed “I have sinned” but he did not repent(Mathew27:3-5) Pharaoh Confessed  “I have sinned “ but he too did not repent.(Mathew 9:27,35;10:16,17,20)

5. It is not reformation or trying to “turn over a new leaf” in your natural strength.

There can be no lasing change without a true change .  We can break habits by the will of flesh , but only the Holy Spirit creating inner change can make new creatures. 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 7:18 ;8:2,;2 Cor 3:4-6;5:17;Hosea10:12-13

6.       It is not being religious   .The Pharisees were very religious and had all the out word signs of religion but never experienced the power of a genuine repentance.(Mathew 23:25-28;3:7-11;Rom 10:3-4

7.        It is not mental faith or” believe ism” It is not accepting a set of doctrines   or beliefs without any realy change of heart and life,  which is” repentance “.Faith without first repenting will be an empty confession. Jesus and His Apostles preached “repent and believe “(James 2:19-20; Mathew15:7-9;Gal 2:16

B. What Repentance is…….

A. Definition of  Repentance

    The original Greek word “metanoein “used in New Testament for” to repent ”means :To change your mind, thinking  ,views, and purpose regarding a matter. It refers to a change in heart attitude, which results in a new direction for the whole life. Acts 3:9” Think differently and turn about” ,Acts 3:26…God sent Jesus …to bless you…in turning away from your inquities”.”If we turn back to the Old Testament ,we find that the word there commonly translated “to repent “ means  literally “to turn” to  return or to turn back” This harmonizes perfectly with the meaning of repentance as revealed in the New Testament. The New Testament word denotes the inner decision, the inner change of mind; the old   Testament word denotes the out ward actio  which is the expression of the inward change of mind-the act of turning back, of turning around. Thus, the New Testament emphasizes the inward nature of true repentance ; the Old Testament emphasizes the out ward expression in action of the inner change.   Putting together, we form this complete picture of repentance: repentance is an inner change of mind resulting in an out ward turning back, or turning around, to face   and move in a completely new direction.”4

Many enjoy the move of God but they don’t genuinely repent, change their life’s  perspective  making His activates the focus and ambition of their lives ‘5

2. The parable of the prodigal Son -Luke 15:11-32

Jesus gives us an example of true repentance .

Vs.13 The son leaves home and want to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Sinful pleasure doesn’t last! Hebrews 11:25 and it leads to worse and worse-2 Tim 3:13,  Jer 16:12

Vs.14 The son begins to be  in” want ”and miserable. Sinful pleasures never “fulfils   us’ but leaves us still searching! This is the universal need of man-Proverbs 27:20   the eyes of man are never satisfied.”

Vs 15. Sin enslaves Us -he joins himself to “a citizen of that country and he sent him in the into his fields to feed swine”

Vs 17 The son comes to His senses -conviction. He logically realizes that he is worse than ever before!

Vs 18 The son makes a decision to return to the Father   beginning of repentance. He begins to experience a change of heart-a sorrowful  heart- felt recognition that he has sinned.

Vs 20-21 The son takes    action   and returns   back to the Father-completion of repentance. He acts up on what he comes to realize in his mind and heart, he arises   to leave his sinful life with its old ways and habits   comes to his father to start a new life, and verbally confesses his sin. (In his natural, unregenerate, sinful   condition, every man that was ever born has turned   his back on God, his Father, and on heaven his home. In this   condition,

  each step he takes   is a step away from God   and   from heaven. As he walks this way, the light is behind him and the shadows are before him. The further he goes   the longer and darker the shadows become. Each step that   he takes is one step nearer the end -one step  the grave   nearer hell, nearer the endless darkness   of a lost eternity. For every man that takes this course, there is one thing that he must do first   one essential act that he must make. He must stop   he must change his mind  change his direction ,turn back ,turn around, face the opposite way,  turn his back to the shadows and face toward the light. This first essential act is called in the scripture “Repentance” It is the first step that any sinner must make who desires to be reconciled  to God.

3.REPENTANCE INVOLVES THE WHOLE MAN:

 We have defined   repentance as a total change in man. Repentance changes four basic arears in Us :,emotion, will, intellect, and spirit. It involves a complete transfer of our love and investment from sin and selfish aims to God.(Mathew 22:37,38)

1)Emotions -the way we feel.

.There will be Godly sorrow-Psalms51:3-10,17-18

.There will be humbleness--Isaiah57:15;Psalms 34:18

.We will have a sense of shame –Ezra 9:6, I saiah 6:5

.We will have a hatred for sin and our sinful ways—Psalms 97:10

2)Mind—change of viewpoint, the way we think.

.We see sin as God sees it –Psalms 51 :5,6

.We realize that we not only  “do “sin but we are sinful-Psalms 51:1,2

.We acknowledge God’s judgement regarding sin—Romans 13:2-6

.We stop making excuses—Psalms 51:3,4

3.Will-This is where we choose a new purpose in life -We decide to turn around .

.We accept responsibility for our own action and character- James 1:14-15

.We determine to do something about it –Luke 15:18

.We decide to break off sin and call on God’s mercy-Proverbs 28:13

.We reject the old habits of sin to receive the new life –Romans 13:12-14

4)OUR SPIRIT- as we allow God to change us in emotion, mind  and ,will He also changes our Spiritual condition—we become “new creatures”---2 Corinthians 5:17

.Repentance is our response to God -------John 6:44,regeneration(new birth)is God’s response to Us –Acts 3:26;Titus 3:4-5

.We are changed from death to life –Ephesians 2:1

.We are transferred from the Kingdom of darkness in to the Kingdom of light-Colosians 1:13,14;Eph5:8-14

.We are  changed from alien to acceptance –Ephesians 1:3-6; 2:12,13