Do you feel like you need to make a change?
There are people who, even before knowing God, recognize they are tired of life as it is and want a change. They start cutting off bad habits and friends—not because of God, but because they sense that their current direction cannot include those things.
Perhaps, that is you. Let us tell you that God loves you and it is Him drawing you. Romans 2:4 says, "...knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance..." This need to change is the love of God leading you in a different direction- the direction that He is in. God is holy and He demands that we be holy (1 Pet. 5:15-17), but his love and grace recognizes we can't be holy by ourselves so he draws you to himself and then leads you to a change of mind (repentance) and gives you a way to clean your conscious (baptism) by faith.
The word to define this process of change is, repentance.
What Is Repentance?
Repentance means a change of direction and mind. Changing your actions without changing your mind means nothing. 2 Cor. 7:10 explains, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
Being godly sorry speaks of a grief that is of God. When you start to feel sad—not because you got caught or because someone might find out what you did—but because you’re mourning the fact that you failed God, then you are experiencing godly sorrow.
Godly sorrow is not repentance itself but “worketh” it. Worketh means it puts it into action, accomplishing or resulting in repentance. When you truly consider God and your actions, the result will be repentance.
Repentance is not just about dropping something but changing direction. You’re moving from one way toward another. In going toward God, your direction now has a compass, a goal, a destination, and a purpose. You’re not surrendering something for nothing; you’re surrendering something for everything. You will have everything in Christ Jesus. (Psalm 84:11) Your definition of “everything” will change, but we are complete in Him. (Col. 2:10)
How Do I Know I Have Repented?
2 Cor. 7:11 paints a great picture of a repentant heart. It describes the characteristics of someone who has truly repented:
“For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”
This scripture highlights how godly sorrow triggers carefulness or diligence, a clearing of guilt, a self-defense, indignation or irritation at what once bound you, vehement desire to stay distant from sin, zeal to maintain separation from it, and revenge or restitution for the time lost and the effects of sin.
When you’ve truly repented, you won’t mourn what you had to leave behind or fear falling back into sin. You will come out of it seeing sin for what it is and looking for retribution against its effects.
Do you feel this way immediately? Not necessarily, but keep moving in the right direction. The more distance you create between yourself and your sin, the more your repentance will reflect these results. Keep pressing toward the mark (Php. 3:14) and looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith (Heb. 12:2). Don’t worry—the Author won’t lose you in the middle of your story. Keep going.
A Prayer of Repentance
Dear God,
Teach me to love what You love and hate what You hate. Teach me to chase what You want for me and not what I want for myself. Teach me to trust that even when I cannot have my way, You truly know and are doing what is best for me. Free me from the memories of pleasures as I see them, and instead help me to see what You saw in my pleasure.
Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. (Psalms 119:35-37)
What Do I Do After I Have Repented?
Never. Look. Back.
When you change direction, keep going the way you’re headed. The next step, according to Acts 2:38, is clear: “Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Why be baptized? 1 Peter 3:21 answers this when it says, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us...the answer of a good conscience." This is the act of faith that becomes the answer, or defense of a good conscious towards God. It's like there's been a list of everything that you've ever done wrong, but when you are baptized calling on the name of the Lord, that list is erased. People may remember what you have done or been, but with God, you are now guilt free. Knowing that God has forgiven you, you can now have a clear conscious. Baptism isn't cleaning up your outside, it's cleaning up your inside. Jesus died for your sins to be separated from you and baptism is how you share in what He did on the cross. It's the start of new life. (Romans 6:4)
Do you want to be baptized?
Need help finding a place to be baptized? Reach out to us!
In 2020, I saw a Facebook post where someone in the comments was asking to be baptized. Normally, I don’t comment on others’ posts, but this pricked my heart. I told her I would help if the person who initially offered fell through.
Then I prayed. I asked God to guide her to the right place to be baptized correctly—because there are different ways of doing it, but only one biblical way. I was grateful when she reached out to say the other person had fallen through. Though I was in Indianapolis and she was in Baltimore, within 24 hours she and her two children were baptized in Jesus’ name.
I cannot emphasize the necessity of baptism while also downplaying it. When you are ready—when you have repented and believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins—it’s time to be baptized.
Message us. We are here for you.
If you’ve already been baptized but find yourself needing to repent again, the next blog is for you.
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