Sin and Repentance
Introduction. Mistakes are such a common part of our lives that many proverbs have been devised to excuse or explain failure. “I’m only human.” “Everyone makes mistakes.” “Nobody’s perfect.” “I did the best I could.” “At least I tried.” “I’ll do better next time.” “It’s not my fault.” Though some use these to justify failure, they have no purpose. They do not fix the mistake or remove the consequences. Yet it is important for Jesus’ disciples to carefully ponder these “excuses” to be certain they are not making similar excuses when sinning against God.
Cain should have seen God’s rejection of his sacrifice as a grave error. He should have felt remorse and shame that God was not pleased. Yet instead of remorse, he became sullen and angry. He refused to take responsibility. Maybe in his heart he felt: “I did my best”, or “at least I tried”, but for whatever reason he did not repent or show any sorrow for his actions. God warned him that sin is not static; if he did not repent and “do well”, the evil of his works would be compounded. It was because Cain refused to repent over these evil works that Abel lost his life, and Cain left the presence of God to live his life alone as he saw fit. (Gen. 4:1-16; 1Jn. 3:12)
This is the first of 580 times “sin” is used in the OT and is revealed in three distinct ways. First, it is related to when someone missed a target or a goal: “seven hundred select men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair’s breadth and not miss.” (Judg 20:16-17). Second, we see it when those entrusted with possessions lose or misuse them. As Jacob told Laban, “that which was torn by beasts... I bore the loss of it.” (Gen. 31:39) Third, it was used of one who lost their way or missed the path: “whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” (Pr. 19:2).
Each of these ideas perfectly reveals how God identifies sin. When the goal and target God created man to perform is missed, it is sin. When the gifts and blessings God has given to man to enjoy are squandered or selfishly misused, God calls it sin. When the path God planned for man to walk is forsaken, God charges them with sin. God created the heavens and the earth along with the body and soul of each man. He wanted us to live as He lives and to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Any deviation from His will is sin.
God has revealed many different sides of sin. It is a trespass and transgression because in leaving the path and crossing a boundary that must never be passed, forbidden areas are entered. It is unrighteousness and ungodliness because we have ignored or stolen the rights of God or our fellow man for our own selfish use. It is iniquity and rebellion because we are acting in a lawless manner, refusing to obey and therefore opposing God. It is impurity, uncleanness and defilement, because each sin leaves the sinner spiritually polluted, ruined and disgusting to God.
Nothing reveals the terrible nature of sin more than the eternal consequences. The wages, earned and deserved, of each sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23). This is not speaking of the first death, experienced when the soul leaves the body. This is called the second death, a place reserved for Satan, his angels, and those among the children of men who follow his example. The terror of this death is summed up: “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” “The lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Rev. 20:15; 21:8; Mt. 25:41).
Cain’s descendants, while continuing to live out of God’s presence, gave themselves over to increasing uncleanness. (Gen. 4). Even in those days, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Thus, the consequences of Cain’s example to refuse to regret, show remorse, or repent of his own deeds, ended with the corruption of the entire world. It was said: “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Cain’s violent act also culminated with “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen. 6:5-11). Far worse was God’s response to this lack of respect and gratitude for all He had done: “the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.” God showed his displeasure with the ensuing global flood.
God will accept no excuses. Each must take fully responsibility for their own choices. The only way to be forgiven is through repentance. Repentance begins with a change of mind that always leads to regret and remorse and always ends with confession. Because a sin misses God’s target, leaves His path, and squanders God’s gifts, we must change our mind with intense regret and remorse for what we have done. Repentance is only complete with a compulsion to return to God and admit our failure to Him. The anguish and contrition of true repentance leads to confession and creates humility. God will both forgive and continue to dwell in fellowship with those who repent.
There must always be an acknowledgment and a confession. No excuse will absolve sinners from the need to come before God with a broken heart, filled with contrition and remorse. “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart– these, O God, You will not despise.” (Ps 34:18; 51:17). Jesus showed this when He said, “the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified’”(Lk. 18:13). The Spirit added “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn. 1:9)
There are two responses to sin. First, there is “worldly sorrow” that only focuses on the results as they begin and end in this age. There is no care or concern for offending God, for to them there is no sin. But “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,” and “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1Jn. 1:8-10). In contrast, there is “godly sorrow.” It is a “godly” sorrow because it stems from our care and concern for God. As noted above, it is an acute regret, sorrow and anguish that we left the path, missed the goal, and misused God’s gifts. All godly sorrow leads to a return to God. Paul told those in Corinth, “your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner” and “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2Cor. 7:9-10)
By the fruits of our actions, we will always know which sorrow we feel. When Peter preached the gospel, 3000 in godly sorrow “were cut to the heart” said “what must we do?” and “those who gladly received his word were baptized.” Those hearing Stephen, in worldly sorrow, were also “cut to the heart”, but in anger “they gnashed at him with their teeth … stopped their ears, … cast him out of the city and stoned him.” (Acts 2:38-41; 7:51-58).
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit has given us an important list of those things God expects before He will forgive.
Those who sorrow in a godly manner, show it first with their diligence to remove the sin as quickly as possible and to clear themselves, not with excuses, but through contrition, sincere repentance, and confession. There must be indignation felt for falling short and along with fear of the serious consequences. There must also be a vehement desire and zeal to do everything possible to make things right. Finally as a result there is the vindication arising from God after all His conditions are met.
Cain should have seen God’s rejection of his sacrifice as a grave error. He should have felt remorse and shame that God was not pleased. Yet instead of remorse, he became sullen and angry. He refused to take responsibility. Maybe in his heart he felt: “I did my best”, or “at least I tried”, but for whatever reason he did not repent or show any sorrow for his actions. God warned him that sin is not static; if he did not repent and “do well”, the evil of his works would be compounded. It was because Cain refused to repent over these evil works that Abel lost his life, and Cain left the presence of God to live his life alone as he saw fit. (Gen. 4:1-16; 1Jn. 3:12)
This is the first of 580 times “sin” is used in the OT and is revealed in three distinct ways. First, it is related to when someone missed a target or a goal: “seven hundred select men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair’s breadth and not miss.” (Judg 20:16-17). Second, we see it when those entrusted with possessions lose or misuse them. As Jacob told Laban, “that which was torn by beasts... I bore the loss of it.” (Gen. 31:39) Third, it was used of one who lost their way or missed the path: “whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” (Pr. 19:2).
Each of these ideas perfectly reveals how God identifies sin. When the goal and target God created man to perform is missed, it is sin. When the gifts and blessings God has given to man to enjoy are squandered or selfishly misused, God calls it sin. When the path God planned for man to walk is forsaken, God charges them with sin. God created the heavens and the earth along with the body and soul of each man. He wanted us to live as He lives and to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Any deviation from His will is sin.
God has revealed many different sides of sin. It is a trespass and transgression because in leaving the path and crossing a boundary that must never be passed, forbidden areas are entered. It is unrighteousness and ungodliness because we have ignored or stolen the rights of God or our fellow man for our own selfish use. It is iniquity and rebellion because we are acting in a lawless manner, refusing to obey and therefore opposing God. It is impurity, uncleanness and defilement, because each sin leaves the sinner spiritually polluted, ruined and disgusting to God.
Nothing reveals the terrible nature of sin more than the eternal consequences. The wages, earned and deserved, of each sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23). This is not speaking of the first death, experienced when the soul leaves the body. This is called the second death, a place reserved for Satan, his angels, and those among the children of men who follow his example. The terror of this death is summed up: “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” “The lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Rev. 20:15; 21:8; Mt. 25:41).
Cain’s descendants, while continuing to live out of God’s presence, gave themselves over to increasing uncleanness. (Gen. 4). Even in those days, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Thus, the consequences of Cain’s example to refuse to regret, show remorse, or repent of his own deeds, ended with the corruption of the entire world. It was said: “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Cain’s violent act also culminated with “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen. 6:5-11). Far worse was God’s response to this lack of respect and gratitude for all He had done: “the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.” God showed his displeasure with the ensuing global flood.
God will accept no excuses. Each must take fully responsibility for their own choices. The only way to be forgiven is through repentance. Repentance begins with a change of mind that always leads to regret and remorse and always ends with confession. Because a sin misses God’s target, leaves His path, and squanders God’s gifts, we must change our mind with intense regret and remorse for what we have done. Repentance is only complete with a compulsion to return to God and admit our failure to Him. The anguish and contrition of true repentance leads to confession and creates humility. God will both forgive and continue to dwell in fellowship with those who repent.
- For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isa. 57:15)
There must always be an acknowledgment and a confession. No excuse will absolve sinners from the need to come before God with a broken heart, filled with contrition and remorse. “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart– these, O God, You will not despise.” (Ps 34:18; 51:17). Jesus showed this when He said, “the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified’”(Lk. 18:13). The Spirit added “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn. 1:9)
There are two responses to sin. First, there is “worldly sorrow” that only focuses on the results as they begin and end in this age. There is no care or concern for offending God, for to them there is no sin. But “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,” and “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1Jn. 1:8-10). In contrast, there is “godly sorrow.” It is a “godly” sorrow because it stems from our care and concern for God. As noted above, it is an acute regret, sorrow and anguish that we left the path, missed the goal, and misused God’s gifts. All godly sorrow leads to a return to God. Paul told those in Corinth, “your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner” and “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2Cor. 7:9-10)
By the fruits of our actions, we will always know which sorrow we feel. When Peter preached the gospel, 3000 in godly sorrow “were cut to the heart” said “what must we do?” and “those who gladly received his word were baptized.” Those hearing Stephen, in worldly sorrow, were also “cut to the heart”, but in anger “they gnashed at him with their teeth … stopped their ears, … cast him out of the city and stoned him.” (Acts 2:38-41; 7:51-58).
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit has given us an important list of those things God expects before He will forgive.
- For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2Cor. 7:8-11)
Those who sorrow in a godly manner, show it first with their diligence to remove the sin as quickly as possible and to clear themselves, not with excuses, but through contrition, sincere repentance, and confession. There must be indignation felt for falling short and along with fear of the serious consequences. There must also be a vehement desire and zeal to do everything possible to make things right. Finally as a result there is the vindication arising from God after all His conditions are met.