A Short Word On Repentance

As I have written before, in the midst of my darkness I encountered a group of people who loved me, piece by piece, back into life. In my case, repentance was not primarily drawn by fear or compulsion, but by the goodness of God.

I want to emphasize this, so that repentance would not become something external or performance-based, but rather an encounter with Jesus. 

It is in that encounter that we begin to see ourselves as we truly are—what we are, and what we are not. In His goodness, God allows us to experience Him and opens our eyes to see both Him and our true condition.

"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
(Romans 2:4, 1933/38)

Repentance is born when a person sees something, encounters something, and tastes something they did not have before.

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matthew 4:17)

Notice the order:
the kingdom has come near → therefore repent.

God takes the initiative.
The human being responds.

"The kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and in his joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field." (Matthew 13:44)

The man found the treasure.
He saw its value.
He sold everything with joy.

Not by force.
Not under compulsion.

Repentance is always connected to revelation, encounter, or calling:
Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord → "Woe is me! I am undone" (Isaiah 6).
Peter saw the power of Jesus → "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5).

Repentance does not begin with human willpower,
but with an encounter with God.

Our true condition

"You were dead in your trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1)
"You were once darkness." (Ephesians 5:8)
"Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." (John 8:34)
"You were His enemies in your evil deeds." (Colossians 1:21)
"We were by nature children of wrath." (Ephesians 2:3)
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father." (John 8:44)
"…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2–3)
"…and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:25–26)
"We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)

What, then, is repentance?

God sent the apostle Paul:

"I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God." … that all should repent, turn to God, and do deeds that demonstrate their repentance.
(Acts 26:18, 20)

Repentance is not a feeling.
It is not remorse, shame, or self-pity.
It is not "I'm sorry"—nor a promise to try harder.

Repentance is dying to death.
Biblically, repentance means that one rule ends and another begins.
It is a transfer of authority.

In repentance:
the king "self" is dethroned
one's own will dies
the ruler of this world loses his grip
the slavery of sin ends
and the reign of Christ begins

That is why repentance is always the starting point.
Without it, Jesus does not move freely in a person's life—not because He does not want to, but because the heart has not been prepared.

"Prepare the way of the Lord."

Repentance is clearing the road.
Removing obstacles.
Emptying the throne.

Repentance is not trimming branches.
Scripture does not call us to:
tidy up our lives
improve our habits
manage sin better

Repentance is not pruning branches.
It is tearing out roots.

That is why repentance hurts.
That is why it looks like foolishness.
That is why the world does not understand it.

Self-pity is not repentance.
Scripture knows a sorrow that leads nowhere.

Cain said:
"My punishment is greater than I can bear."
No humility. No responsibility. Murder.

Esau said:
"Jacob stole."
No change. No turning. A victim mindset.
As long as a person remains a victim, repentance is impossible.

Repentance begins the moment a person says:
I am guilty.

What you sow, you will reap.
The actions of others do not free you from your own responsibility.

The purpose of the Law is to show that we are guilty.
The Law is like a thermometer.
It shows the truth—but it does not heal.

The gospel benefits no one
who does not know that he is:
sick,
sinful,
poor,
dead.

Repentance is started when the heart is pierced:
"I need to turn."

Only then does the gospel become life.

Scripture says:
death reigned through Adam
sin reigned
we were by nature children of wrath

But now:
the reign of death has been replaced by the reign of grace.

In repentance a person:
dies to sin
dies to his own will
dies to his own image
dies to self-rule

And grace begins to reign.

Grace is not permission to continue in sin.
Not permission to remain the same.
Not a theological explanation.

Grace is power.

Noah found grace—and built the ark.
Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness.
Grace trains, disciplines, guides, and sets free.
Grace gives the power to live differently.

Repentance is a path, not a moment.
It is not a one-time decision.
It is a way of life:
daily dying,
daily letting go,
daily yielding to the reign of Christ.

"If anyone wants to follow Me…"

No coercion.
No pressure.
No manipulation.

A voluntary death—and real life.

Repentance is when a person stops defending himself, relinquishes control, and allows the grace of God to do what a human being cannot do on his own.

And in the moment when God sets a person free from the power of sin and the devil, the person is free to follow Jesus voluntarily. At that moment, there is great joy in heaven.

"I say to you, likewise there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
(Luke 15:7)