Repentance is the first and truest step into Christian journey. It is a stage where a sinner acknowledges his sins, and also deliberately turn away from sinful lifestyle, and then submits fully to God and his kingdom. Repentance involves unfeigned conviction, it is not just a mere thinking and decision to change and stay from sin. It must come from a place of regret and genuine recognition of one’s sinful past. While undergoing the process of repentance, we must understand how much it hurts God to see us go astray. God takes the act of repentance very seriously, because that is the only reason he sent his son, Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross of Calvary. One cannot be saved without total repentance, merely confessing Jesus as your Lord and personal savior has no effect until his lifestyle reflects in you. It is God’s greatest desire to see that all come to repentance. Join us in this article, as we study some edifying scriptures that will help us to search our hearts and also lead us to our God ordained kind of life.
The first step to repentance, is genuine acceptance that one has truly lived a life that is not pleasing to God. Recognizing the sinful lifestyle and how negatively it affects you, makes you sober, thereby taking you into a state of grief where one can ask God for forgiveness, and grace to live a better life. After, repentance, the next step is to thoroughly and consciously work out our salvation. At this stage, constant communion with God will help us stay on track through our Christian Journey. Let us not forget that whenever we go slack behind or go astray, God’s grace is sufficient to bring us back to him blameless.
SEE ALSO: 40 Important Bible Verses About God’s Mercy
What Does The Bible Say About Repentance?
The word repentance is one that is repeated in different Bible verses. The Bible talks about repentance as a very vital course in our heavenly race. In the New Testament, John the Baptist preached the message of repentance and salvation. He emphasized on repentance as the only way into the kingdom of God.
Luke 13:3 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you to will perish”. This very verse of the scripture conveys the message of Jesus to the world, on the need for repentance and salvation. 1 John1:19 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. This passage speaks on God’s willingness and graciousness to forgive us of all our iniquities once, we come to him. This an assurance to believers and those yet to be saved that no matter how weighty your sin is, God will ever kind and willing to bring you into the sonship of his son.
Proverbs 28:13 “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”. King Solomon speaking here, admonishes us on the importance of confessing our sins when we go against God’s ways. From the scripture, we can see that there blessings attached to confessing and renouncing our sins. Another clear message in this scripture is that, it is not enough to confess our sins, we should also renounce and come out from the sins we have confessed. Most importantly, we need to daily ask God for grace to stay away from sin and pursue only righteousness.
Bible Verses About Repentance
- 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
- 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. – 2 Peter 3:9
- From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. – Matthew 4:17
- 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. – Luke 15:7
- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
- 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. – 2 Chronicles 7:14
- But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. – Ezekiel 18:21
- The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! – Mark 1:15
- Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8
- Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. – Joel 2:13
- My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. – Psalm 51:17
- I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. – Luke 13:3
- 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? – Romans 2:4
- Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. – Proverbs 28:13
- Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. – Isaiah 55:7
- In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. – Acts 17:30
- Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. – Matthew 3:8
- Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. – Isaiah 1:18
- For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! – Ezekiel 18:32
- After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth. – Jeremiah 31:19
- Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. – Zechariah 1:3
- Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. – Lamentations 3:40
- Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth. – 2 Timothy 2:25
- No one, sir, she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin. – John 8:11
- If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9
- Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God. – Hebrews 6:1
- Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall. – Hosea 14:1
- And if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly. – 1 Kings 8:47
- Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. – Revelation 2:5
- Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. – Job 42:6
- But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
- Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Revelation 3:19
- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23
- For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him. – Matthew 21:32
- Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. – Luke 17:3
- And He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. – Luke 24:46-48
- For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing. – Isaiah 30:15
- And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. – Luke 5:31-32
- I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. – 2 Corinthians 7:9
- But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God – Romans 2:5
Share this:
