Week 3: Repentance Express remorse for your sin and ask for God's forgiveness.
Read, Discuss and Pray Through The Following Topics:
Read: What is repentance? Wayne Grudem defines repentance as "a turning from sin and turning to God." He explains that it involves a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of actions, in which a person recognizes the sinfulness of their actions and turns away from them in order to follow God's commands and live in a right relationship with Him. Thomas Watson, a Puritan minister and author, defines repentance as "a grace of God's Spirit, whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed." He further states that repentance involves a change of mind and heart towards sin, turning away from it and turning towards God. He also emphasizes that true repentance will result in a change of actions and a turning away from one's sinful ways.
Guiding Passage:
Luke 15:18-19 - "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants."
Focus for prayer:
Confession of Sin: Pray through Psalm 51. Ask God to search your heart and reveal hidden sins.
Forgiveness: Pray through Isaiah 43:25 and ask God to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
Repentance: Pray through 2 Corinthians 7:10 and ask God to give you a broken and contrite heart, and to turn away from your sins.
Renewal: Pray through Ezekiel 36:26 and ask God to give you a new heart and a new spirit, and to renew your mind.
Obedience: Pray through John 14:15 and ask God to help you obey Him, and to keep His commands.
Holiness: Pray through 1 Peter 1:15-16 and ask God to help you be holy as He is holy.
Transformation: Pray through Romans 12:2 and ask God to transform your mind and renew your thinking, so that you will be able to discern His will.
Humility: Pray through James 4:6 and ask God to give you humility and to resist the devil.
Grace: Pray through Ephesians 2:8-9 and thank God for His grace and for the salvation that He has provided through Jesus Christ.
10. Love for God: Pray through Matthew 22:37 and ask God to give you a love for Him that is greater than any other love.
"Repentance is not something God demands of us as a payment for our sins, but as a way to turn away from our sins and towards Him. It's a process of change that transforms us and brings us closer to Him." - C.S. Lewis
Recommended Resource: "Repentance: The Missing Element in Evangelical Christianity" by David Powlison in the Journal of Biblical Counseling
Confession 35 Reasons Not To Sin (Jim Elliff)
Because a little sin leads to more sin.
Because my sin invites the discipline of God.
Because the time spent in sin is forever wasted.
Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.
Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.
Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.
Because I am doing what I do not have to do.
Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be.
Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.
Because my sin saddens the godly.
Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained when in reality I have lost.
Because sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss.
Because my sin may influence others to sin.
Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
Because sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
Because it is impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.
Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.
Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
Because sin and guilt may harm both mind and body.
Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.
Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.
Because my sin is adultery with the world.
Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.
Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.
Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.
Because to sin is not to love Christ.
Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to believe.
Because sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because it is worth anything on it’s own.
Because I promised God He would be Lord of my life.