Repentance in the Bible: Is It Required for Forgiveness?
“It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that everyone may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin” Jeremiah 36: 3.
Jeremiah was God’s “weeping prophet” to His wayward and rebellious people in the 6th and 7th centuries before the birth of Christ. In this prophecy he is making a clear connection between disaster and unrepentant sin.
The Condition for Forgiveness
There is absolutely a condition attached to forgiveness. And that condition is repentance. We can ask for forgiveness until the proverbial cows come home. But if we continue in our sin, and continue to excuse, justify and rationalize it rather than deal with it, we are not forgiven.
To read the entire chapter for context, click here.
If we are really sorry for our sin, we will turn from it. (I’m not saying this is easy. Or that it’s immediate. Very often this is a process.) And we are not forgiven unless we are truly sorry. And if we are not forgiven of our sin, we will be judged for it.
Here’s the progression: Remorse for our sin> Repent> Forgiveness> Escape judgement.
Repentance In the Bible: It’s Easy to Deceive Ourselves
It’s easy to deceive ourselves about our sin and think that God understands, it’s too hard to overcome, other people do it and they don’t seem to be judged.
But this is exactly the kind of attitude the Israelites had toward the giants living in their promise land. And it was that attitude that kept them from inheriting it. This was the mentality that caused them to perish in the wilderness (Numbers 13: 32, 33).
Sin IS Too Hard To Overcome
The truth is our sin IS too hard to overcome in our own strength. We cannot overcome it without the power of the Spirit. It requires faith and dependence on God.
But just as disaster was pronounced against every Israelite who refused to turn from his evil ways, blessing, abundance, promise land living is promised to every Israelite (and Christian) who turns from his sin. And becomes “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”(James 1: 2-4).
But to refuse to turn from our sin is to take the broad path of “freedom” from self-restraint, self-control and self-denial. It’s easier, more pleasant and safer at first. But it leads to destruction (Mathew 7: 13, 14).
To repent and turn from our sin is the narrow path that represents affliction, trouble and suffering tribulation. It’s more stressful, painful and difficult at first. But it leads to life.
We don’t want to suffer, be denied or go through anything. That’s why we choose that broad path.
To read another post related to Repentance in the Bible: Is It Required for Forgiveness? see Adversity and God’s Presence In the Bible: The Link.