Repentance literally means to “perceive afterwards.” Hence, the word denotes a change of mind subsequent to some event(s) or experience(s). From a biblical standpoint, repentance is a change of mind that results in a turning of one’s heart to God.
Consider these words of Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19, NIV). This verse reveals two benefits of repentance. One, repentance is the means by which our sins are blotted out. Two, repentance ushers in times of refreshing from the Lord.
Repentance is not only required for sinners who need to be saved. It is also required for believers who have lost their way through sinful behavior. It is the latter scenario that I will speak to in this post.
The Burden of Impenitence
For Christians, persisting in sin becomes a burden. That’s because the Holy Spirit indwells us, and He will not let us have peace when we persist in sinful behavior. This grieves the Holy Spirit. And He will convey that grief to us.
“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30, KJV
Sometimes, a Christian who persists in sinful behavior will not open up to godly counsel about his conduct. He may even become angry with those who try to minister to him about his behavior. But the longer he persists in such behavior, the heavier the burden of sin will become. A genuine Christian can never have inner peace while persisting in sinful behavior.
Perhaps that’s where some of you find yourself today as you read this post.
But the good news is that you can experience times of refreshing from the Lord, even today. He promises forgiveness upon repentance. His forgiveness removes the burden of sin, paving the way for times of refreshing.
Some Christians today downplay the subject of sin and the importance of repentance. They say because we are saved by grace and not by works.
We are saved by grace. But God is still holy. And the Holy Spirit will not allow us to persist in sin and still have peace about our relationship with the Lord. That’s why impenitence toward sin is a heavy weight to bear for a Christian. Through repentance, we turn our heart back to God and experience freedom from the burden of sin.
Copyright © 2023 by Frank King. All rights reserved.