123-D Snapshot: Do I Really Need to Repent?
March 28,2023
Katherine Schultz
1 Topic: Repentance
Do I really need to repent? Don’t I just need to be a good person? Can’t my prayers just be about giving thanks and asking for what I need and want?
2 Scriptures
Ezekiel 18:21-23 “‘But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,’ declares the Lord God, ‘rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?’”
Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
3-D Worldview
Repentance is out of fashion. Almost since the time of Shakespeare, it has declined in use, and it’s not popular to talk about now.
But that’s unfortunate, because it’s the way Jesus and his followers tell us is the way to God. Because if you have been thinking that the way to be right with God is to do good works, and that will give you a place in heaven, you have missed the message of Jesus. Repentance, a complete turn in the opposite direction, is the essential message of the good news. We enter into a relationship with him by faith, repenting of our sins, and putting our trust in him to save us from their consequences. When we pray, we should be regularly acknowledging our gratitude for his sacrifice, as well as confessing our ongoing failings as his followers. We should turn away from the things that distract us from following him, repenting and keeping our hearts oriented toward him on a daily basis.
Now what do I do?
It’s so easy to get sidetracked with daily concerns, and go into “ask” mode right away in our prayers. But my relationship with God is dependent on keeping my accounts with him short, so I need to keep repentance in my mind. That’s what keeps me grateful, humble, and aware of his grace.
If you would like to see some other questions that can help you understand you worldview, check out the free pdf below.
References
Google Books. (n.d.). Repentance (1564-2019). Retrieved March 25, 2023, from https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=repentance&year_start=1564&year_end=2019&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=10
