SUBJECT:  Repentance

QUESTION:  What is repentance?  How many times can I repent for the same sin?

ANSWER:

Regarding repentance:  You asked how many times.

Answer:  It is not about how many times but about...

1) Attitude (heart)

2) Forward progress

Repentance is a part of a larger picture.  The road toward perfection (Hebrews 6) is a process.  Overcoming sin, which is a part of the road toward perfection is also a process.  "Process" is a principle of God.  Everything about God is process.  Both sin and producing Godly fruit (fruit of the Spirit-Galatians 5:22-23) are processes.  Notice...

Sin:

James 1:14-15

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Note:  See the process?  Temptation to lust to enticement to sin and then to death.  Same with producing fruit or

Godly character.

2 Peter 1:4-8

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine

nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:3-5

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Note:  See the process here?  One Godly principle leading to another building up your personal character..becoming like Christ.

NOW:

Repentance is only valid IF you are committed to making forward progress toward having the character of Christ or

perfection.

You CANNOT stand in one place, sin the same sin over and over and just keep repenting.

"Repentance" has a specific definition.  Let us look at it from the Webster’s Unabridged 1913 edition:

Repentance

---The act of repenting; sorrow for what one has done or omitted to do.

---Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2. Corinthians 7:20.

---Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. Hammond.

---Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice from the conviction that it has offended God. Sorrow, fear,and anxiety are   properly not parts, but adjuncts, of repentance; yet they are too closely connected with it to be easily separated. ~ Rambler.

Note:  Look at that definition!!  Repentance is not JUST an attitude but ACTION.  To repent, the person must

RELINQUISH the sinful practice.  Moreover, sin must be REPLACED with Godly principles (Galatians 5:22-23).

See, it says "change of mind".  One changes his or her mind by replacing bad with good; sin for Godly principle.

It also says "conversion from sin".  What about that word "conversion"...

Conversion

1. The act of turning or changing from one state or condition to another, or the state of being changed; transmutation; change.

Note:  The words are telling the tale.  There is a lot to repentance.  It is serious before God.  It is not a "Get out of jail free" card.  It has with it great requirements.

I spoke about repentance being an attitude (item 1 above).  Notice this scripture...

1 Timothy 6:11-12

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,

meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good

profession before many witnesses.

 

Note:  "Flee these things (sins)" and "fight the good fight" and "lay hold on eternal life".  All these things are ACTIONS.  Repentance demands ACTION.  It demands forward progress.

All along the road to salvation we will sin now and again but as long as character is being built and forward progress is being made we can repent of those sins as part of the process.

In the definition, it says "turning from sin".  If we turn from sin, we must have turned toward Perfection.  Turn from sin and move closer to Perfection.   One step at a time, never leaving the process.

You also said something about "willfully sinning".  Yes, that is part of the unpardonable sin process.  It can very well be blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  Let us take a look at that word "willful"...

Willful (Page: 1654)

1. Of set purpose; self-determined; voluntary; as, willful murder. Foxe.

     In willful poverty chose to lead his life. Chaucer.

     Thou to me Art all things under heaven, all places thou, Who, for my willful crime, art banished hence.

     ~Milton.

2. Governed by the will without yielding to reason; obstinate; perverse; inflexible; stubborn; refractory; as, a willful man or horse. -- Will"ful*ly, adv. -- Will"ful*ness, n.

Note:  Look at those words!!  "obstinate, perverse, inflexible, stubborn"  all showing a seared mind, beyond the help of the Holy Spirit.

Some people mixup "slipping and sinning" and "willful sinning".  The difference is slipping and sinning can happen from weakness even though we know better.  Remember Paul's statement:

Romans 7:14-25

14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Willful sin on the other had is committed by someone that has made a lifelong decision to oppose God, the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit not to mention the Word of God (which is Spirit).

 
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