Understanding Repentance

Read the Parable of the Two Sons in Matthew 21:28-32 for an interesting perspective on what repentance really is.

Read it yourself, but I will summarize it here: A man tells his son to work in his vineyard. The son says, “I will not,” but later he regretted it and went. The second son was told the same. He said he would go, but he didn’t. Jesus asked which of the sons did the will of his father. The answer is obvious. So, note some important lessons:

1.   If you start off wrong, you don’t have to finish wrong.

2.   His regret (remorse) was a change of heart and mind.

3.   His regret motivated his correct action.

4.   The correct action wouldn’t have happened without a change of heart (and would have been empty even if he did change his actions).

5.   Had he not gone to work it would have demonstrated that he had not really regretted (repented) of his rebellion.

6.   Saying you’ll do a good thing isn’t enough – you have to follow through by doing or you are as wrong as those who rebel (or as wrong as those who lie and say they will do it, but don’t)

7.   Anyone can repent, no matter how rebellious or sinful they have been.

8.   God accepts repentance, we must accept it too.

Jesus warned those who act like they do the will of the Father when they say they will do it: “I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (because they are willing to truly repent) (Matt 21:31).

Beware of our self-righteousness that underestimates the power of repentance and God’s forgiveness!

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained…”
Acts 17:30-31

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