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Repentance

Repentance is the act of having a godly change of heart and mind that results in turning away from sin and intentionally turning back toward God.

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Repentance, at its core, is not merely feeling sorry for one's misdeeds, but a transformative change of heart and mind that compels an individual to actively turn away from sin and turn toward God.  This genuine shift begins with a realization and sorrow over one's violation of God's standards—a "godly sorrow"—and matures into a deliberate decision to adjust one's life, conduct, and attitude to align with God's will.  It is a necessary foundation for receiving forgiveness and salvation, as it demonstrates a willingness to abandon a self-directed life and submit to God's loving authority, ultimately bearing "fruit in keeping with repentance" through new patterns of righteous living.

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Repentance is a central theme throughout the Bible.  Here are some key verses about repentance from the New International Version (NIV):

 

📜 Call to Repentance

 

  • Matthew 4:17:  "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'"

  • Acts 17:30:  "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."

  • Luke 13:3:  "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

  • Mark 1:15:  "“The time has come,” he said.  “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”"

 

🌟 The Result of Repentance

 

  • Acts 3:19:  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

  • Acts 2:38:  "Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

  • Luke 15:7:  "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

  • Proverbs 28:13:  "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

 

💖 God's Desire for Repentance

 

  • 2 Peter 3:9:  "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

     

  • Romans 2:4:  "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"

     

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10:  "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

 

🌳 Repentance and Action

 

  • Matthew 3:8:  "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

  • 1 John 1:9:  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

     

  • 2 Chronicles 7:14:  "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

     

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🍇Fruit of Repentance

​​The Bible makes it clear that true repentance must be visible through a change in behavior, which is the "fruit of repentance."

 

The fruit of repentance looks like the genuine, tangible evidence that a person's heart and mind have actually turned away from sin and toward God.

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Here is a summary of what the fruit of repentance looks like, drawing from verses like Matthew 3:8 and Luke 3:8–14:

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🍎 I. Turning from Bad Actions (Stopping)

 

The first step of the fruit is ceasing the sinful behavior one is repenting from.

 

Former Sinful Action, Fruit of Repentance (New Action)

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Stealing/Cheating, Being honest, making restitution, and working hard to earn a living. (Example: Zacchaeus repaying fourfold in Luke 19:8)

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Extortion/Greed, Being content with one's pay and not collecting more than is required (for tax collectors).

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Slander/False Witness, Refraining from violence, false accusation, and speaking the truth.

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Selfishness/Hoarding, Sharing resources with those in need.

 

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🌳 II. Turning to Good Actions (Starting)

 

True repentance always leads to the adoption of righteous actions that reflect one's new direction.

 

  • Generosity:  Sharing clothes and food with those who have none (Luke 3:11).

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  • Justice and Righteousness:  Acting justly toward others, correcting oppression, and defending the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:16–17).6

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  • Worthy Deeds:  Paul, in his ministry, preached that people should "repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance" (Acts 26:20).

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  •  Godly  Sorrow:  The visible change that comes from being genuinely sorry for sin against God, rather than just being sorry about the consequences (2 Corinthians 7:10).

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✨ III. The Fruit of the Spirit

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Ultimately, the most lasting and encompassing fruit of a repentant heart—one that has been given a new spirit by God—is the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), which are attitudes and characteristics that replace sinful tendencies:

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  • Love

  • Joy

  • Peace

  • Patience

  • Kindness

  • Goodness

  • Faithfulness

  • Gentleness

  • Self-Control

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In short, the fruit of repentance is the observable difference in one's life and conduct that proves the change of heart was real and lasting.

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​The story of Zacchaeus is a perfect, short illustration of the fruit of repentance in action.

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Zacchaeus: Repentance in Action

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The account is found in Luke 19:1–10.

 

1. The Call to Repentance (Luke 19:5–6)

 

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector—a position notorious for corruption and extortion under Roman rule.  When Jesus saw him in the tree (because Zacchaeus was too short to see over the crowd), Jesus called him by name and invited Himself to Zacchaeus's house.

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2. The Change of Heart (Repentance) (Luke 19:8)

 

Meeting Jesus prompted a profound, immediate change in Zacchaeus.  He stood up and declared his repentance:

“Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

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This declaration contains two major pieces of fruit of repentance:

  • Generosity (Turning to Good Actions):  Giving half of his wealth to the poor was an act of extreme generosity and a complete reversal of his previous life of greed.

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  • Restitution (Making Right):  According to the Law (Numbers 5:7), if a person cheated someone, they were only required to pay back the amount stolen plus 20%.  Zacchaeus volunteered to pay four times the amount he had cheated.  This went far beyond the legal requirement and demonstrated a genuine, radical desire to make things right.

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3. The Result (Salvation) (Luke 19:9–10)

 

Jesus affirmed that Zacchaeus's repentance was genuine, declaring that salvation had come to his house:

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"Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.'"

Zacchaeus didn't just say he was sorry; he proved it through actions that cost him his wealth and reversed the harm he had caused.  This is the fruit of repentance—a complete, costly, and visible turning toward righteousness.

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Prophecy Passage

Desire & Devotion to Salvation

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Matthew 6:14-15:16

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ our Lord."

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