WHAT DOES REPENTANCE ENTAILS?

This moment in time, The LORD God Almighty, The LORD Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit is going to help us walk through the meaning and the breakdown of Repentance i.e., the very key parameters and elements of Repentance.

We will in essence be dissecting what it entails to have embraced Repentance for the forgiveness of sins and turning away from sins.

Repentance entails the following and has got the following elements/parameters:

1-Returning to The LORD:

Returning to The LORD entails turning away from sin, because it is sin that separates us (mankind everywhere) from The LORD God Almighty, The LORD Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. In order to be able to know and understand that we are in sin, we have to hear/understand the word of God as is stipulated in His Holy book: The Holy Bible.

Once somebody has received/heard the word (The pure message of The LORD), then they should pick it and run with it to the feet of The LORD Jesus Christ. This is well captured in the book of Hosea 14:1-2 which states as follows: “Return, Israel, to The LORD your God.  Your sins have been your downfall!  Take words with you and return to The LORD.”

This is also very powerfully captured in the Book of Revelation 2:4-5, which states as follows: ‘“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you Repent.”’

The same is also very beautifully phrased in the book of Romans 10:14-17 which states as follows: ‘“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our message?”  Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”’

2- Asking The LORD to Forgive us Our Sins:

Once we run to the feet of The LORD Jesus Christ, then we humbly with sincerity from our hearts ask Him to have mercy on us and to forgive us our sins. This is well captured in the book of Hosea 14:2 which states: ‘“……Say to him:  “Forgive all our sins……”’

3-The Grace of The LORD:

It is very critical to note that it is only by the grace of The LORD that we get saved (born-again) and our Repentance is accepted before The LORD. In other words, we don’t deserve it, but The LORD in His mercy and grace forgives us our sins and then walks with us in His presence. This is well captured in the book of Hosea 14:2 which states: “……and receive us graciously.”

This is even further expounded on very greatly in the book of Ephesians 2:4-10 which states as follows: ‘“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”’

4-The Worship and The Praise of The LORD:

Once The LORD has accepted us in His presence by cleansing us and refining us and washing our sins away through His precious Blood and the renewing of our minds, then The LORD touches our lips with His Holy Fire so that we may offer the sacrifice of praise and worship unto Him; a living sacrifice through our bodies/lips. The worship in Spirit and in Truth, so that we be in the perfect will of The LORD. This is very well captured in the book of Hosea 14: 2 which states as follows: “……that we may offer the fruit of our lips.”

This is also very beautifully captured in the book of Romans 12:1-2 which states as follows: ‘“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”’

5- Knowing that No one else can save us except The LORD:

Our salvation does not come through foreign powers or “successful” nations. It also does not come from our wealth, level of education, level of rank/position in a corporate ladder, the amount of money we have in our account/bank, military capability, physical capability, political acumen, social capability etc. Our salvation only comes through The Blood of The LORD Jesus Christ. This is well summarized in the book of Hosea 14:3 which states as follows: “Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses.”

This has also been captured very beautifully in the book of Psalm 37:39-40 which states as follows: “The salvation of the righteous comes from The LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.  The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”

6- The need to turn away from sins, idolatry and falsehood:

Once we embrace The LORD, we need to turn away from all sins, idolatry and falsehood; for then we shall have embraced the Truth, and the Truth shall have set us free, for we shall have embraced and returned to the Truth: which is the worship of The LORD in Spirit and Truth. 

This is very well captured in the book of John 8: 34-36 which states as follows: ‘“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”’

We thus shall now not worship false gods (or partake of false religions) like Krishna (Hinduism), Mohammed (Islam), Allah (Islam), Buddha (Buddhism), devil worship, Free Masonry, New age movement, chrislam, new world order, illuminati, Jesuits, Sikhism etc.

This is well captured in the book of Hosea 14: 3 which states as follows: “………We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made……”

REPENTANCE PRAYER:

Precious Jesus,

I acknowledge today that you are LORD and Savior of all mankind,

and today I have recognized my shortfall,

I Repent and turn away from all Sin.

Please cover me with your Precious Blood,

and establish your Word in my life,

that I may be found in Righteousness and Holiness

and write my name in your Book of Life

and baptize me with the power of the Holy Spirit

in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

AMEN.

 

Your Brother in Christ Jesus and a Shepherd of The LORD,

 

 

 Kevin Mirasi