Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.

What is repentance?

I hear people say, “I have been forgiven.” When they say this, their intended message is they have repented. What is the difference? When I take my foot and stomp on your toes, you get mad. I ask for forgiveness and hopefully you do forgive me. Then, I do this over and over again. Where has forgiveness gotten us? Probably a black eye. But if I ask forgiveness and change my actions and do not repeat the behavior, I have repented.

We many times go to God and ask forgiveness. But our behavior does not change. Have we repented and learned to correct our behavior? No, we just want to think we are in the good graces of God. We have not fully acknowledged that we understand what our sin has done. If we did understand, then we would seek not to repeat the wrong we have done.

Why repent?

2 Cor. 7:10 For Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. This says it all. We repent to receive salvation. Salvation is the free gift from God, that cost Him the death, burial and resurrection of His son Jesus. To be sorrowful and not repent just leads us to want a salve for our soreness; this is asking for forgiveness without repentance. This leads to death.

Salvation is the grace God gives us through His mercy that leads us to a relationship with Him through the blood of Jesus. If our sin cost God to allow His perfect, sinless Son to die and suffer for our penalty of sin, then we need to turn away from that sin. This is a point we need to understand. God is righteous and cannot tolerate sin. It calls for judgement with a penalty of death.

What if I do not think I have sinned and need repentance?

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We cannot help it. We are born sinners. It was engrained in our DNA through the first sin from Adam and Eve. We are under this curse while not repenting and turning to Christ as our Lord and Savior. No good work or amount of giving can lead us to salvation. The only way is through Jesus Christ. His sacrifice saves us. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.