How to Repent of Your Sins

Understand What Repentance Really Is

And Why God Must Be the One Who Gives It  

 Over the years it seems that the word "repentance" has often been abused by evangelists who preach an in-your-face message. It seems many love to bludgeon people with guilt, attempting to hammer their listeners down on their knees. I find these such messages full of a judgmental spirit.

Of course nonbelievers love to make fun of these preachers, labeling them as religious extremists like the guy who stands by the side of the road with a sign that reads: "Repent! The End of the World is At Hand!"

Because of this, many don't fully understand what repentance is all about. The true meaning of the word repentance is simply "to change one's mind" about something. So when the Bible says you need to repent what is meant is that you will let God open your mind and your eyes about sin.

You see, sin is a universal problem we all face. Most people realize they're sinners to some degree, but they don't really see their sin as being all that bad. If that's your situation, then you haven't seen the true nature of what sin really is. You need to adopt God's opinion about the nature of evil. If you never truly change your thinking about how bad your nature is, even if you feel a little convicted about your sin, it will probably won't result in any real lasting change in your behavior. Why? Because you don't feel much of a real need and "your Christianity" will likely be based upon an illusion.

This is why it is so vital for you to change your mind about the problem (or shall we say the condition of sin) that we all have. God wants to convict your heart so that you view your sin in the same way he does—that it is an evil so wicked that it brings upon each of us our very own Eternal Life Death Sentence.

Just How Bad Is Sin?

Think the results of sin invading our world. Evil was so bad on earth that God gave mankind his Law (as in the 10 Commandments and others) to tell the world what his standards were. But men love to sin. And absolutely no one could keep those simple commandments. That's right. In all of human history no one (accept Jesus from Nazareth) has been able to live a sinless life and keep all of God's commandments.

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