Repentance is a change in how we think that leads to a change in how we live our lives. When we really change our mind about something, it will change how we think about it, talk about it, feel about it, and act about it. What I am suggesting is that true repentance is more than just a mental game or mental assent.. Repentance is a decisive change in direction. It’s a change of mind that leads to a change of thinking that leads to a change of attitude that leads to a change of feeling that leads to a change of values that leads to a change in how we live.

We may be surprised to learn that the word repent in the Greek New Testament simply means to turn around. It was a military term describing a soldier marching in one direction and doing an about-face, 180-degree turn. And when the word

repent is used spiritually, it means to change our heart, mind, and habits.

Repenting perfectly describes what happens when we come to Christ. We no longer reject Christ, but now we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. We do a spiritual about-face, which in turn changes everything.

Not only do we change our mind about Christ, but we change our mind, by His Grace and empowerment,about sin and discover what it means to honour God. We come to the full realisation that it’s no longer about performance and that it’s about a heart attitude that confesses Christ. We seek to honour Him in every aspect of life.

As a result we should not be afraid of the word repent? In fact we should embrace the idea of doing a spiritual about-face, turning to Christ and away from sin in our life. In all of this we must remember that His Grace is sufficient and that when we are weak that He is strong.(2 Corinthians 12:9)

Erick Bouwmeester