Disclaimer: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13
I have not yet had my editor look this over so please forgive me for any grammatical errors. I had to get this out as soon as possible due to the importance of the subject matter.
Job posed the right question that every soul should ask and that is: what are the sins I am guilty of? “How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin”. Job 13:23. He later showed with great humility and sincerity of heart true repentance. “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes”. Job 42:6
We need to learn what true repentance is. This concept has been watered down and twisted in its modern day teaching and application. Repentance is handled as if it was a nominal doctrine. It is lightly addressed as if not to offend any potential “converts”. Sadly that when this is done conversion is actually not occurring in the heart of the hearer but instead a selfish feel-good sensation happens that gives the individual the false assurance that they are saved from hell. All this provides are warm fuzzies in the tummy, tickled ears and numbed minds until people end up ultimately in hell…
Job did not like what he saw in himself and repented in dust and ashes. We need to learn to be more like Job and know what repentance truly is and make it a pivotal practice in our everyday lives. It is not a nominal concept but it is instead critical to the condition of our souls. Without repentance we perish.
I saw one of many examples of this watering down and twisting of what repentance is at a so-called revival that I attended some time ago. The speaker, a self-professed evangelist, failed to deliver the full biblical definition of sin and repentance. Instead he quickly and vaguely described sin and repentance as “sin, you know, it’s when you went left when you should have gone right”. That was the only time he came close to mentioning what sin and repentance were. It was nothing but a feel good, soul damning message that did nothing but give false assurances to anyone within earshot.
That man will be judged for not preaching the entire gospel of Jesus Christ.
“O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”.
God’s word clearly shows why repentance ought to be preached boldly, clearly and without compromise.
We will look at, somewhat in order as they appear in the Bible, some verses that address what repentance is.
In Psalm 34:14-19 we see that God hears the repenting cry of the sinner. This cry is accompanied by a conscious effort to stop doing the evil they were doing and turn and do good. Repentance is acknowledged by God if it is done out of a genuinely righteous heart which means it is not done out of selfless motives. God saves only those whose cry of repentance comes from a broken and contrite heart.
Psalms 34:14-19 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Today’s preachers deliver a watered down message of repentance as I mentioned earlier. They more often than not say you only need to be sorry for your sin and somehow that is enough. They might even float a verse by itself so it can be used to emphasize their watered down point such as Psalm 38:18 where the psalmist said “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin”. This verse should be taken in context with the remainder of scripture but more specifically with the previous verse, verse 17 where we read “For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.” Clearly just saying “I’m sorry” is not adequate at all.
The perfect example of a prayer of repentance is given to us in Psalm 51. This was David’s plea to God after the abomination that he did with Bathsheba. Take this prayer in contrast with the watered down “sinner’s prayer” of today and you can clearly see that David’s personal and direct cry out to God is the correct way to repent of one’s sins. The so-called “sinner’s prayer” of today where one vaguely mentions that they are a sinner, without going into any details at all, and where the person superficially states that he will turn from his sin pales in comparison to what the Bible says we ought to be doing.
The modern day practice of having someone repeat the sinner’s prayer after them is actually unbiblical and contradicts God’s word where we are told that there is only one mediator between God and man and that is the man Christ Jesus. We ought not to be playing the role of the mediator at any level in regards to repentance towards God.
It’s like when a man commits adultery and then goes and tells a friend that he feels bad for doing it and that he wants to make it right. If the friend handled it as would someone using the sinner’s prayer technique then instead of telling the person to go directly to the wife to ask forgiveness he would instead take the adulterous man to the wife and say “now repeat after me, “Wife, I am sorry for the wrong I did, I know I did wrong and will no longer do it again, can you please forgive me and let me come back home?”
Now that would not only be silly but it would be altogether wrong as it would lack the personal and direct contact that would be reasonably required from the perspective of the wife. Having that friend there is not only awkward but it would be offensive to the wife who was sinned against.
God wants us to not only be sorry for our sins but to come directly to Him to ask for forgiveness and He wants to hear a broken and contrite heart that truly intends to never go back to that sin again. That is true repentance.
Psalms 51:1-17 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 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.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Godly repentance is not just confessing your sins but you must forsake them in order to obtain mercy from God. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” Proverbs 28:13.
The purpose of repentance is to get right with God. We must seek Him and forsake our evil ways and return to God and then God will have mercy and pardon our sins.
As you can see this is contrary to what the church teaches today, that lip service and/or minimal efforts are all that are required. Instead it should be a matter of complete surrender and submission to God and a complete turning away from the sins that separate us from Him.
Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
God told Jeremiah that repentance is accepted by Him only if it is thorough. One cannot lightly amend their ways and continue to dabble in the sin and expect to be forgiven and accepted by God.
This is not works based salvation as many will cry out but instead it is God’s requirement for citizenship within His Kingdom. His Word demonstrates this throughout.
The actual forgiveness was done by Jesus on the Cross. People today get this mixed up. Without Jesus’ death on the cross we could not be reconciled back to God no matter what we do. Even afterwards our efforts still do not save us but they do demonstrate true allegiance to God. (See James chapter 2).
Jeremiah 7:5-7 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
In Jeremiah chapter 8 God speaks about His people and how they would not repent and yet they still thought they were ok and that they had done nothing wrong. This sounds so much like people in the so-called church today. The hearts of men have not changed since Jeremiah’s time. They expect to be able to indulge in their sins and at the same time to be forgiven and saved by God. That is not how it works and God makes it very clear in His word.
Jeremiah 8:6-9 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
We need more people today that have the heart of Jeremiah. People need to cry (lament) out to the living God and repent for their evil ways. Without this we cannot be pardoned. Without this we die in our sins.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. Lamentations 3:40-42
By this point in the reading of this someone is likely going to be thinking that these verses are all Old Testament and not the New Testament and so they somehow have no bearing on us today. We will address that in a fuller context a bit later but it must be remembered that God does not change and that the Bible says He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 and other places…).
Ezekiel states that after one repents God then puts a new heart and spirit within the individual. We see that there will be outward evidences of that inward transformation in that they will walk in God’s statutes and keep His ordinances.
This brings to mind what Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. Obeying God is not legalism but the church today somehow has twisted obedience into legalism and thus has promoted an “anything goes, greasy grace” mentality. They falsely assure people that they are OK if they live in sin because “they are only human” and that God will forgive them no matter what. They completely ignore God’s word where it says “should we keep on sinning so that grace may abound? God forbid”.
By saying we are only human and we are going to mess up and it is ok is not a Christian (Biblical) doctrine but instead it is a doctrine of humanism. It is doctrine straight out of hell. The Bible clearly states that we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and that it is possible to walk in the newness of life under God’s power and sin not. Folks literally respond with hateful tones when they hear these truths today as they totally ignore the fact that the Bible states emphatically that with God all things are possible and that we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us. (see Philippians 4:13 and Matthew 19:26).
Don’t miss the point here. I am saying that this is all done through God’s power and not our own.
Also keep in mind that the Bible states we are new creatures not humanists…
1 John 1:6-10 is often carried to the extreme so that the context is lost in regards to saints and sin. Folks will say that verse 7 states that we are going to always sin. Instead, when taken in context it tells us that when a saint does sin as it does happen on occasion with those who are in Jesus then we have a way to address that sin and it is through repentance. We confess our sins to Him and He cleanses us. Without that we separate ourselves from Him and thus walk in darkness. If we do not confess the sin and turn from it then we are choosing to walk in darkness and if we continue to walk in darkness and say that we are OK with God then we are liars and the truth is not in us. What we see in verse 6 is what is happening on a grand scale in today’s modern church. Many are living lives of sin and the pastors and the sinners are all saying they are ok based on that ungodly doctrine mentioned earlier, once saved always saved. The truth is not in you if you fall into this category and you need to repent and turn from your sin.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:6-10
Do not miss the fact that chapter two continues with the same thread of thought. Not all chapter breaks are logical as we see in this case. So as to make sure we do not miss what he is saying John continues the thought by saying that he is telling us these things so we do not sin. John is saying it is possible but if one slips we have an advocate to save us, if we repent and do not continue on in the sin. This power of forgiveness is available to anyone who would submit themselves to Jesus and walk under His power.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:1-3
As I mentioned just previously, here is what Ezekiel stated on the issue of repentance. Ezekiel, like all of the prophets of the Old Testament, cried out for the people to repent and turn from their sins and to turn back to God. If we do this then we get a new heart and will then have the spiritual desire to walk after Him in obedience to Him. I just said this to someone the other day, this is not tedious for the believer as the true believer is excited to be able to be under the authority, guidance and care of their almighty Creator. His yoke truly is not heavy and his burden is indeed light.
And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:18-20
Therefore say unto the house of Israel
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?... Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel
Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel Israel
God is saying here in Ezekiel 33 the same things He stated earlier on in Ezekiel chapter 3. He clearly stated that we are called to warn the wicked that they need to repent and turn away from their sins.
Interesting enough is that this applies to both the wicked and the righteous in regards to the targeted audience of this warning. The righteous per Biblical standards are in a right standing with God. This has to be a dilemma for the once saved always saved doctrine adherents. Typically they just blow it off saying that this is the Old Testament so it no longer applies. This discussion needs far more time than this writing allows at the moment to fully discuss but the gist of what Ezekiel is saying in both passages is that the end result is eternal spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God, for both the righteous and wicked if they do not repent and turn back to God. Repentance is required and that is a full turning away from iniquity.
Those who do not truly know God have no idea what eternal separation from Him really means. Sad to say some will find out the hard way once their life of rebellion here on earth is finalized.
In the book of Jonah we have a great example of an entire city repenting from their sins and turning back to God.
Jonah was literally a hell-fire preacher in the fullest sense of what hell-fire preaching is. He was angry with the Ninevite people and he was also angry with God. He was angry with the people because of their sins and their rebellion towards God. It is ironic that he was also rebellious towards God as he resisted in obeying God. Jonah was told by God to go and warn the people that they were going to be destroyed for their sins. Jonah not doubt knew that if he did this there was the chance that the people would repent and turn to God. He knew that God is a God of mercy and grace and if the people repented and turned away from their sins and turned back to Him then He would forgive them.
Jonah, after much convincing (storms, whale, etc…), finally went and did what he was told to do. He did only the bare minimum of what God commanded of him. He told the people that God was going to destroy them for their sins. He said nothing about God’s saving grace if the people were to repent. He wanted to see God follow through with destroying this wicked people. He did not want to leave open any chance for the people to escape the coming judgment. Sad but some people are like Jonah in this regards today…
Much to Jonah’s disappointment the people knew in their hearts what they should do. The people, without being told to do so, repented and turned from their sins and turned back to God. The result of their repentance was forgiveness and God spared them His wrath.
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. Jonah 3:8-10
In the Old Testament we see this as truth, that if people turn from their sins then God opens the door for forgiveness. The only difference between the Old and New Testament is that the final overall penalty for sin was completely paid for by Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. This is yet another discussion that this writing does not have the bandwidth to discuss. The quick and easy answer is this, Jesus paid it all. Those that came before look towards that day and those that came after look back to that day but all are saved by what happened on that day. Their repentance does not actually save them but repentance is the conditional response that God requires in order to have access to what Christ did for us on the cross.
The religious leaders of the day put an emphasis on man’s traditions over God’s traditions and thus put the people in danger of God’s wrath. Their teachings got the people further and further apart from God’s plan of salvation that they could not see that the Messiah was on His way. John called them out on their wickedness and preached that they should repent and start bearing Godly fruit.
This is so much like what the preachers of today are doing to the people. They are twisting and watering down the scriptures so much so that the people are outside of God’s kingdom and they are not aware of their dilemma. No one is warning people of the wrath to come and that they should be bearing fruits of repentance. This means the leaders should be preaching that people ought to be living Godly and sinless lives that are pleasing to the LORD. Instead, as mentioned earlier, they preach a greasy grace gospel that lets people live in their sins with the false assurance that they are saved no matter what.
That is not what the Bible teaches in regards to what true repentance is.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight… But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:2,7-8
Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of heaven was at hand. All of the citizens of His Father’s kingdom know what true repentance is through personal experience having already repented themselves and turned back to God. We see this throughout the Bible but it is really focused on in Hebrews and throughout the gospels and in Paul’s letters as well. It can be said that Revelation is a book about repentance, forgiveness and justice. All of these are pivotal concepts within the Kingdom. To branch off into a look into the exact specifics in regards to what the kingdom of heaven is about would be yet another study that this writing cannot accommodate but one thing can be said of it, repentance plays a big role there.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:10-13
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida Tyre and Sidon
Today we see a so-called church embracing sin but pretending to preach against it. They hold back from preaching hard against sin and abstain from emphasizing the need for repentance. They preach a gospel that allows folks to return to the vomit and mire that is sin (see 2 Peter 2:20-22) with the false assurance that there will always be forgiveness even if the sinner will not give up his sin. This mentality thus allows folks to continue living in the bondage of their sins instead of being free from them.
You cannot serve two masters and have God still be your saviour. He shares His throne with no one. If you live in the flesh then you will be dependent upon your flesh to save you which it cannot. You see it’s not about a work’s based salvation because Jesus’ death paid the penalty for our sins. What it comes down to is that it is a matter of it being a work’s based damnation. Now that is Biblical and something that we should take very seriously and avoid at all costs. Do not live in the flesh but instead live in the Spirit serving the God of the universe.
Stand up believers and warn others of the wrath to come. Tell others they can be free from sin.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:20-22
Today we have preachers not calling out sin and thus not excluding those living in continuous sin from the so-called “fellowship”. Sinners who are unsaved, evangelized non-believers, are thus encouraged to not just be in attendance in the church services but they are allowed to actually be part of the membership rosters. Jeremiah tells us that this is the very behavior that caused the fall of Israel
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. Lamentations 1:10
A further study on Christian fellowship shows that the Biblical definition is in opposition to what the modern church teaches. This is yet another topic that is too broad to be covered in this particular piece. One thing is for certain though; repentance plays a huge part in what constitutes true fellowship.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh
Here we see Jesus bridging the gap between the Old and New Testaments that many insist cannot be done with topics such as repentance. Jesus said that people who do not repent and turn back to God such as the Ninevites did would be judged by the Ninevites. While the Ninevites were spared after they repented, those who came after and repent not will reap the wrath of God.
The Ninevites listened to a man who did not have their best interest in mind. They believed and repented of their sins and God spared them despite Jonah’s desire to see them destroyed. God Himself came in the flesh and unlike Jonah He actually cared for those who were in rebellion with God. Jesus willingly died for us, the rebellious. He came, on purpose, to sacrifice Himself so that we could live forever. He lived a life of service for mankind and then sacrificially offered Himself so that souls could be reconciled back to God. We have clear record of this historically as well as spiritually in the many lives that would follow Jesus and would testify of what He did for mankind. With this incredible witness of what God has done those who reject the gift by refusing to repent with broken and contrite hearts will have no excuse and thus they will be judged. The judgment will be severe, eternal and justified.
The point has already been made time and again with the above scriptures so there is no need to further belabor the point. Below are even more scriptures that attest to what repentance is and how important of a role it plays in every soul’s eternal outcome. Please take the time to read and meditate on these and all of the Bible and decide for yourself whom you will serve, your flesh or God. If you choose God then you must repent, turn to Him and live in the forgiveness that Jesus offered up for you on the cross. Be ready in anticipation to meet your God one day in eternity. What an awesome day that will be! As Job said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27.
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 (and 5)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins… Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God , And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. Mark 6:12
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:31-32
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida Tyre and Sidon
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. Luke 11:32-33
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:1-10,
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15:17-20
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:10-14
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John 5:14
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more…I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:11, 24
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:37-42
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord… Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Acts 3:19, 26
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:27-31
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21
But shewed first unto them of Damascus , and at Jerusalem , and throughout all the coasts of Judaea , and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Acts 26:20
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. 2 Corinthians 7:9-12
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:8-10
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:7-9
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory… And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. Revelation 16:9, 11
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent… Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth… And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. Revelation 2:5, 16, 21-22
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Revelation 9:20-21
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee… As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:2-3, 19
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
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