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955. Behavioral Changes – How Do You Know if You’ve “Repented” Enough?

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If repentance is based upon changes in behavior or if it specifically means to turn from sin, how can someone know they have truly reached a place where they can be defined as one who has attained the required plateau of having repented? Turning from sinful behavior is good advice, but when religion includes it in the context of repenting, things get a bit vague and uncertain as to whether that means reducing your sin count or eliminating sin altogether ... and leaves people in a place where they wonder if they are right with God—unaware that God is no longer counting sins against them.

A works-based religious system touts a message that believers are broken people who are in constant need to be fixed and that it's our responsibility to accomplish this. Let's repent by changing our thinking—realizing God no longer sees us in Christ as "sinners" but as children who have been gifted with righteousness through an inheritance. We have the life of God and His Spirit abiding within as holy and perfected people. We can begin living from this reality and experience it in the here and now.



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954. Religion’s Well-Meant Bent to Misrepresent How to Repent

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John stood in the middle of a river calling for Jewish people to repent—because the kingdom of heaven was at hand—and to be cleansed with water. Although there is no record of the Pharisees being baptized by John, they also were not surprised or shocked by such a cleansing ritual where people would confess their sins ... which was common under the law. However, they were curious as to the motivation and purpose of this one who came from the priestly tribe. The old priests didn't go to the people, the people went to the priest.

After John's arrest, Jesus would go out among the Jewish people saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” But exactly what was it that Jesus was calling for these people to do when He said to repent—these who were under the Mosaic law? If we assume His intent was to get them to stop sinning, He could have simply stated to work harder at keeping the law they were trying to live up to (but constantly failed at doing). Yet we know the law never resulted in reducing sin, but increasing it.

As we've done many times on the podcast over the years, we'll review the meaning of the word repent or repentance from the Greek and provide some specific consistency within the context. To repent is a good thing, but empty religion has defined it in a way that makes it impossible for people to do and only leads to a sin consciousness which Jesus came to free people from.



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812. The 800 Club: Looking Back – Repentance and What It Means Under Grace

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We grace renegades often get accused of not talking about repentance enough. That’s really not accurate, but what comes to mind when you hear the word repent? If you’ve spent at least a few weeks in a church building, most likely you’ve been under the assumption that to repent means to stop sinning and start living a better and improved moral standard. That’s great advice, but is this the core of what repentance is supposed to be about? We revisit the meaning of repentance in the Greek and how this ties into what Jesus was trying to get the Jewish people to do when He told them to “repent and believe the good news.”

The gospel isn’t about attaining right-standing with God through what we do … or what the Jewish people were attempting to do by the works of the law. Repentance involves a change of mind by realizing the more excellent ministry of the New Covenant—which ended a religious merit system—and to begin trusting in what Jesus did to bring us to a place of righteousness and perfection.



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733. Repentance Is Not Based Upon Behavioral Changes

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Reducing the occurrence of sinful actions in our lives will be beneficial for us in this life on planet earth. However, empty religion has mistakenly defined repentance as “turning from sin” which causes people to flip the gospel inside out ... leaving people in a place of self-effort, fear and often results in condemnation. Repenting isn’t about behavior modification—anyone can do this whether they are saved or not.

Authentic repentance brings a change of mind, causing us to realize we can’t do anything to merit eternal life or God’s righteousness, forgiveness, sanctification, acceptance, etc. The “turning” that is often referenced is meant to be a departure from our works and efforts … to belief or faith in the work of Jesus. We don’t “do” anything to receive this.



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732. Repenting from What God Doesn’t Remember?

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Christians are bombarded with repentance missiles from all kinds of Bible teaching which varies by definition from one pulpit to the next. And yet the writer of Hebrews admonished believers to avoid the constant practice of feeling obligated to repeatedly lay down the same foundation of repentance from dead works. Feeling the need to “get right with God again” because of poor choices is not how repentance is defined.

This mindset has left people wallowing in a works-based doctrine and in a state of sin consciousness which Jesus came to deliver people from. Believers are gifted with God’s righteousness, and Jesus doesn’t call the righteous to repent, but rather those identified as sinners who are still born in Adam with a sin condition they are trying to fix through their own efforts — instead of trusting in the work of Christ by faith.



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731. Repent! (What It Does and Doesn’t Mean)

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The religious business has sold repentance as a behavioral change which results in sinning less. This places people into a sin consciousness which Jesus came to deliver people from.

It will lead towards a works-based religion, as well-meaning people vigorously strive to have their bad outweigh their good, thereby somehow making themselves more acceptable to God.

In the Greek language, this is not how repentance is defined, and it’s our discussion on this week’s program.



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655. Dead to Sin, Alive to Righteousness

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Behavior is important. Avoiding sin is profitable. But these are not the components that represent who you are as a believer in Jesus Christ. Your spiritual identity is based purely on a work that God did in you by faith as a result of the finished work of Jesus at the cross. Many new believers are told to repent from sin, stop sinning, work at avoiding sin, etc. — and if they blow it, they should seek a renewed forgiveness from God, and work at trying harder to become more holy and sanctified. This ends up pulling people into the very thing they are trying to avoid. If we would start letting believers know they are truly declared to be the righteousness of God and have been forgiven by blood that was shed once and for all, they can begin to realize and experience God's unconditional love. This unlimited supply of eternal grace provides the ability for us to be empowered in a way that religious rules and commandments cannot.



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651. Subscribing to Sin Management Inc.

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When many Christians consider repentance, it is usually viewed from the perspective of turning from sin. In essence, what they are really saying is to focus on reducing your sin count. This is not how repentance is defined. Less sinning is always going to be a positive thing for you and those around you. It’s simply not a part of the new righteous and holy nature that abides in you. However, falling into the trap of “sin management” will potentially cause us to chase after the flesh, develop a mindset of self-righteousness, and lead to boasting in ourselves while judging others who fall just as short as we have. Other than Jesus, nobody has ever been able to equal the requirement of perfect behavior as it was reflected through the law. Not one … before the cross or after. There is a better place to abide than working at managing your sin count, and that is with the power of grace found inside of a new and better covenant—where the Holy Spirit will remind us of God’s unconditional love, and that we have been gifted with His righteousness as a new creation in Christ.



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Now That I’m Under Grace, Should I Repent?

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Someone emailed me today asking about whether or not she needs to repent now that she is under grace. This got me thinking, which is a good thing! These kinds of questions only serve to help me on my own journey of grace as I hash out my answers. Romans 2:4 says that the goodness […]

The post Now That I’m Under Grace, Should I Repent? appeared first on Sandra McCollom.

543. What Does Repentance Really Mean?

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When you hear the word repent, what comes to mind? Do you think it means to stop sinning and improve behavior? Perhaps you've been told it means to be sorry for your sins and seek a renewed forgiveness from God. You may assume it involves changing what you do. Did you notice all of the above puts the responsibility on you and depends on your ability? Our response to God should not be based on our ability to perform in a way that is "moral" enough to gain acceptance from Him. Repentance is to have a change of mind. In what way should our thinking be changed? That's our discussion this week.



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542. Repeated Repentance vs. Forever Forgiveness

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Continuing from last week's discussion about 2 Chronicles 7:14, a passage that was directed at Israelites who were under the law... In that first covenant, they repeatedly found themselves in a position of needing to turn from sin whenever a command was broken. They were continuously seeking the face of God, praying, and offering sacrifices so they could be forgiven again and again, over and over. Contrast that with Christ, who obtained a ministry that is much more excellent than the old way that came through Moses. In this new ministry, forgiveness, justification and sanctification came through what He did by the shedding of His blood, once and for all.



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541. “If My People…”

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A popular verse in the Bible that is often used in the church world is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

On this week's program, we'll take a look at why this was pointed at the people of Israel in the first covenant and wasn't meant to be applied to those of us under the covenant of Christ. It's even better news than what Israel possessed!



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