Christian/Religion Studies

Repentance - Repent:

To turn back from you current life, your current thought patterns, to turn away from being a slave of evil then to go on to being a good decent loving Christian. Matthew chapter 3, verse 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  To repent is to change your thinking of your life's pattern and considering the way that it is going and what a bleak future one has following the slavery of evil. Then to turn away from that live of slavery to evil and go to the life of the narrow path of God taught by Jesus the Christ. A genuine feeling of regret (sorrow) for the life that he or she has been living before they became a believer in God. The fact that a person can voluntarily repent and change his or her ways is a sure sign that we were living a life of "reaction" which led us to evil as we grew up. Once we finally realise what we were doing wrong we then changed our lifestyle and habits because we were able to see and know the evil that was in our "old life" and the hold that it had on us. True sorrow and pain are results of finally seeing the wrong that had been in your life. But that sorrow and pain are also motavators to show you that you care about your life and want to change it for your own good and for those who know and love you - all will gain and enjoy the new you - except those who are still living in the sin that you have left behind as you mature as a Christian. It is perfectly natural to grieve because of the old life and how you treated others but a solid realization that God loves you and what Jesus did for you "and" that up until this point you were a slave of evil without knowing it - with this knowledge and time you can come to forgive yourself and others. Psalm 51- Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  aloud of thy righteousness.  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not  despise... By repentance we turn away from the sins of the past, and with faith we turn to God in accepting Christ. Luke chapter 13, verse 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  Luke chapter 15, verse 10   Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.