Sorry! is not repentance.

Sorry is not Repentance

Many people make the mistake of thinking that sorry is repentance.

You can be sorry for something and end up doing it again, but you cannot truly repent for something and start indulging again.

Repentance is the changing of the heart.

Seeing and acknowledging the wrong in what it is that you are doing.

Making a conscious decision to no longer participate in the thing that you are doing.

John the Baptist started the preaching of repentance, when he was sent by God to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus the Christ. Matthew 3:1-2

John preached that the old ways of the Law of Moses had ran it’s course and that the customs in which sins were forgiven would be no more. Matthew 3:7-12

No longer would God accept a person saying that they were sorry and giving an offering for their sin.

A man would now be expected to change himself on the inside and could no longer hide his sin behind the word sorry and an animal blood sacrifice. Hebrews 9:13-14

The Bible says that the Law was given to the world as a schoolmaster, it was never meant to be in place forever, only until the coming of the Messiah (Jesus). Galatians 3:23-25

The Law was meant to keep things in order until Jesus came to teach people to have order from the inside out through repentance and the Holy Spirit. Luke 16:16

Notice that as Jesus healed people, that He told each of them to, “go and sin no more.”

Notice that true repentance brings about a change of heart toward the sin in which one has committed.

For it is written, “ be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Roman 12:1-2

And again it is said. “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Mary Magdalene had sold her body for money, prior to meeting Jesus Christ. Luke 8:2

Once accepting the good news of the gospel, how that repentance was offered unto the most sinful people on earth Mary accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Matthew 9:13

Jesus said to her, “your sins are forgiven you, go and sin no more.”

Now, did Jesus mean that she would not sin at all any more? Or was she to make the change in her heart that selling her body was wrong and that she could now see that there would never be any reason for justifying that particular sin anymore?

True repentance is performed on a case-by-case basis?

How can one repent for something they have not done?

How can I have a change of heart concerning drinking when I do not drink?

Why would there be a reason for you to repentance of a sin that you are not guilty of committing?

The answer is, you would not have to repent for something you did not do.

Which is why most people do not repent because they do not see anything wrong with what they are doing.

If a person was raised in a family where the father worked all the time, paid all the bills, stayed out drinking, sleeping with other women and the mother would not say anything about it.

That person while repeating the sins of his father would not know or think there was a need for repentance, seeing how in his own eyes this behavior was not wrong.

Repentance can only come by the Word of God.

Through the hearing or reading of the Word of God a person will begin to see what is right or wrong. Roman 10:17

Upon the revelation of their sin they will begin to feel very sorrowful and because of this feeling, want to change their life, looking never to repeat that sin anymore.

Repentance is truly a gift from God and can only be received by those who are called by God. Matthew 20:16

The rich man was given a chance to repent and did not.

King Herod was given a chance to repent and did not.

The religious leaders of John’s time were given a chance to repent and did not.

The people of Sodom & Gomorrah were given a chance to repent and did not.

Will you repent of the sins in which you commit? I pray that you will.

God bless until next time

Minister Lamar F. Porter

Most High God Ministries

2/10/2010