* Inward Decision / Outward Change

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke 5:32

In the natural world, armies have special induction rituals in which a prospective soldier must participate in order to join the forces. This "induction" makes him part of the army.

God also has a special plan for induction through which you become part of His spiritual army. His plan centers on two important concepts, repentance and conversion, which results in justification.

Furthermore, in the natural world, when a soldier joins an army, he must deny any previous allegiance he has had to another army or country. Likewise, when you join the army of God, you must repent of your allegiance to sin and the Kingdom of darkness. Allegience is demonstrated by repentance; a godly sorrow and forsaking all that is associated with the allegiance to the kingdom of darkness.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Acts 17:30

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Repentance is 

"an inward decision or change of mind resulting 

in the outward action of 

turning from sin to God and righteousness." 

Apostle Paul calls it "repentance toward God." 

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21

By the act of repenting you turn away from your sin and leave the Kingdom of darkness behind.

Repentance is a personal decision to change your allegiance from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God. This change of mind and turning from sin cannot be done in yourself.  It is the power of God which actually brings the change in the mind, heart, and life of a sinner:

Then God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.   Acts 11:18

Repentance is a gift of God:

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.   Acts 5:31

Although emotions may be involved in repentance, true repentance is a decision, not just an emotion or feeling.  Sorrow for sin and the shedding of tears is not enough in itself. This must be accompanied by an

 

inward decision that results in an outward change.

Repentance is important because:
→    God Commands It

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:   Acts 17:30

→    It Is Necessary To Avoid Spiritual Death:

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  Luke 13:3

→    It Is Necessary For Eternal Life:

Through repentance the penalty of death is removed and eternal life is granted:

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.   Acts 11:18

→    It Is Necessary For Forgiveness:

God cannot forgive your sins unless you repent:

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Acts 2:38

→    It Is God's Desire For All:

God does not want anyone to experience the spiritual death of eternal separation from God in Hell:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing  that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.   2 Peter 3:9

→    It Is The Reason Jesus Came Into The World:

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  Luke 5:32

→    It Is Necessary To Enter God's Kingdom:

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  Matthew 4:17

When you become part of the Kingdom of God, you are enlisting in God's army.

When you ask for forgiveness of sins you experience "conversion." Conversion means "to turn." When it is used in connection with Biblical repentance, it means to "turn from the wrong way to the right way." You leave the Kingdom of darkness and join the Kingdom of Light which is God.

And many of the children of Israel shall He turn to the Lord their God.    Luke 1:16

And all that dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw Him, and turned to the Lord.   Acts 9:35

And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.   Acts 11:21

Conversion is turning from the darkness of sin and the power of Satan to the light of God's righteousness:

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.   Acts 26:18

It is turning from worldly things to spiritual things:

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:   Acts 14:15

It is turning from false gods to the true and living God:

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;   1 Thessalonians 1:9

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONVERSION:

Conversion must accompany repentance. You must turn from the wrong to the right because . . .

→    It Is Necessary To Enter The Kingdom Of God:

Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.   Matthew 18:3

→    It Saves From Spiritual Death:

He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.   James 5:20

→    It Is Necessary For The Blotting Out Of Sin:

Our sin is written in the record of God until you repent and are converted, then our sins are blotted out:

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.   Acts 3:19

Repentance and conversion are best illustrated by a parable Jesus told of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-24).  This young man left his father and home, went to a distant land, and through sin wasted all he owned. Eventually this young man realized his condition. He was hungry, lonely, in rags, and tending pigs for a job. Then he made an important decision. He said, "I will arise and go to my father." This inward decision resulted in a change in his outward actions. He went home to his father to seek forgiveness.

Repentance...the change of mind: 

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.   Luke 15:17-19

The young man realized his sinful condition. He made a decision to go to his father and repent of his sin. This is an example of repentance, an inward decision which results in outward action.

Conversion...acting out the decision:  

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.   Luke 15:20

This scripture records how the young man arose and left the old life and went to his father to start a new life. This is an example of conversion.

Man is like the prodigal son. In his sinful condition he turned his back on God his Father and Heaven his home. Each step he takes is a step away from God and one step nearer the spiritual death of eternal separation from God. There is a major decision he must make. He must "come to himself" and recognize his spiritual condition. He must make a decision which will result in a change of spiritual direction.

When we repent from sin and make the decision to turn from our sinful ways this opens the door to a right relationship with God. This right relationship or right standing before God is called "justification":

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.  Romans 6:16-18

When you are justified by repentance and conversion, you are "saved" from a life of sin as well as from the penalties of sin. This is what it means to be "saved" and what the Bible is speaking of when the term "salvation" is used.

(Biblical Studies)

01/08/15
01/11/16
02/16/17
11/08/19

05/04/21