Repentance – Leanna Hollis

The 12 Benefits of Repentance and Why Repentance Matters

1 Comment / Discipleship, Repentance, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

https://leannahollis.com/what-is-repentance-not-optional/Though seldom discussed, repentance, the benefits of repentance, and why repentance matters are seldom mentioned but vital topics for the church today. A recent conversation turned to the weekend women’s retreat we’d shared a few days before, the mighty move of God we saw, and the benefits of repentance we experienced. “How’d you get to that point?” my friend wanted to know. “We repented until we were done. When we had clean hearts, God moved,” I explained. There’s much more to the story of how we arrived at the point of clean hearts, but we’ll save it for another day. Today’s topic is the benefits of repentance that accompany the confession of sin. What is Repentance and Why Repentance Matters Repentance. It’s one of the least-talked-about topics in the church today but also the most necessary. It’s not enough to admit our sins. The next step, repentance—to turn away from the sin and stop doing it—is critical. It’s the “stop doing it” part that gets us, isn’t it? We don’t usually sin in ways we dislike. Instead, we enjoy our sin for a season. The pleasure we derive is why we do it and relinquishing something we enjoy isn’t all that much fun. Perhaps it would be, though, if we understood why repentance matters and the benefits of repentance. Why Repentance Matters: The Benefits of Repentance When I turned to Psalm 103 recently, I found a note in the margin made several years ago. “The Benefits Package.” You probably know this psalm. It begins with “Bless the Lord, O my soul” and continues with “forget none of His benefits.” The benefits of repentance make an impressive list and help us understand why repentance matters. The benefits of Repentance Package: Pardons all our iniquities Heals all our diseases Redeems our life from the pit Crowns us with lovingkindness Crowns us with compassion Satisfies our years with good thing Renews our youth like an eagle Performs righteous deeds for us Performs judgment for us when we are oppressed Lovingkindness toward us as high as the heavens Removes our sin as far as the east is from the west Compassion on those who fear Him In moments of sin (whether that of a sinful action or a sinful thought), it’s easy to forget why repentance matters. When we look at the benefits of repentance package, we want them all and we need them all. The problem, though, is I want the benefits without the trigger for benefit #1. “Pardons all our iniquities.” It’s obvious David presumes we’ll keep short accounts with the Lord. Look closely at this verse, friends. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities…” Psalm 103:2-3 The pardon for sin part is only possible if we do our repentance part. In a very real sense then, repentance matters because it triggers the 12-fold cascade of benefits the psalmist describes. There is no restriction on the age, sex, race, nationality, denomination, ministry, or past history of the repenter. Anyone who repents (confesses, turns from sin) and comes to Jesus gets the entire benefits package. With repentance, we get it all. We get it all. Ponder that for a long moment. If we want the benefits of repentance, we can have them if we simply confess and repent. Read through the list again and ponder what it might mean for your life. Do we want to be satisfied with good things all our lives? Do we want renewed youth? What about the compassion and lovingkindness of God toward us? Of course, we want these blessings. No one in their right mind wants to skip blessings or for God to be against them. Are you still asking why repentance matters? If we want all the benefits of repentance, we must do one simple thing: Repent. Today, let’s decide: Do we want God’s blessings or not? If so, let’s do what’s required. Admit our sin and turn from it. It’s that simple. It’s that hard, but it’s worth it. Why not have it all? How have you experienced the benefits of repentance? How have you experienced God’s blessing after repentance? Comment below. I’d love to hear from you. Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way. 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What is Repentance and What is the Definition of Repentance?

What is repentance? What is the definition of repentance? For disciples of Jesus, these two questions frame the all-important starting point in a relationship with Him. Repentance is one of the least talked-about topics in Christian circles today, but no less important because of our silence. It’s a critical element in salvation and our eternal destination, so it’s important to understand what repentance is, and what it is not. In our anything-goes culture, we long for grace and forgiveness but fail to consider the prerequisites of confession and repentance. Jesus’ words seem shocking and sobering to people accustomed to doing whatever they want. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5) What is the definition of repentance? The word translated as “repent” is metanoeō and literally means “to perceive afterward” with the implication of change. What the Bible defines as repentance includes a change of mind from a previously held view to one for the better, from our opinion of our sin to agreement with God’s opinion of it. It brings with it the idea that our repentance, or mind change, will be accompanied by a modification in behavior. Change is inherent in the idea of metanoeō. We’re as guilty as anyone of what we call “Scarlett O’Hara repentance”. In the movie Gone With the Wind, Rhett Butler says of Scarlett, “You’re like the thief who’s very, very sorry he got caught, but not at all sorry he stole.” 2 Scarlett-repentance makes an interesting storyline and keeps the action moving. It’s a good fiction twist, but it has nothing to do with what the Bible defines as repentance. What is the definition of repentance, then? When Jesus calls us to repentance, to metanoeō, He calls us to change both our minds and our behavior. This is not an emotional response to conviction, but an active response of mind and body. What is repentance? Repentance is an intentional change made in order to agree with God. For example, if we repent of adultery, we agree with God that adultery is a sin and our actions have been sinful. We ask for forgiveness based on our repentance. In our repentance, our mind changes. We no longer view adultery as acceptable behavior. In addition, our actions change and we no longer commit adultery. We completely remove ourselves from the relationship. The definition of repentance includes mind change, behavior change, and opportunity change. Asking God for forgiveness on our way to or from our adulterous lover’s house is not repentance. Adultery is an extreme example, but it holds true for every sin, from pride to unforgiveness to a critical, judgmental spirit. Sins of attitude and thought are sometimes harder to change than intentional action sins but, by the grace of God, true repentance is possible. Sins of thought and attitude “I can’t help what I think” is a commonly-held opinion, but Scripture disagrees. “Take every thought captive,” Paul wrote. (2 Corinthians 10:5) If we take our thoughts captive, when a sinful thought enters our mind, we immediately reject it and turn our thoughts toward those things that are good and pleasing to God. For example, when we encounter someone about whom you have ungodly thoughts, we are to train ourselves to speak (aloud or silently) only that which would be pleasing to God. We are not to dwell on the negative. If we can’t think anything positive, we’re to pray for the same grace toward them that we want toward ourselves. Change is not optional. We have two choices. Stay the same and perish. Repent and not perish (i.e. have eternal life). We can’t have it both ways. A relationship with Jesus in only possible with genuine repentance. Eternal life in heaven is only possible through Him. We will all choose one option or the other—to repent or not. What will you decide? “Now on the same occasion, there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’” Luke 13:1-5 NASB If you enjoyed reading “What is Repentance?”, you may also enjoy: The Benefits of Repentance and Why Repentance Matters We Who Are Barabbas When We Replace Rules with Repentance and Generosity Biting Cat and the Spring Clean-Up of Repentance Create in Me A Clean Heart – free email Bible study Want more articles? Sign up for our twice-a-month email for exclusive stories, freebies, and more or our free five-part Bible study on Psalm 51, Create in Me a Clean Heart. Be sure to check out our weekday devotionals at Today’s Encouragement “G3340 – metanoeō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb95).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 12 Apr, 2022. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3340/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/ Fleming, Victor, George Cukor, and Sam Wood. 1939. Gone with the Wind. United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash