Sermon on Repentance | Repentance Requires a Changed Mind

1. One must know what sin is before one can repent.

1) One cannot repent of something of which he is ignorant.

2) God’s word educates us as to sin. Romans 3:20 says, “”by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

2. One cannot repent of sin until he hears the word of God and believes it.

1) If he hears, but does not believe, then he will not repent (Matthew 7:24-27 ).

2) But he cannot believe without hearing the word (Romans 10:17).

3. This is the problem that the Israelites had in the wilderness.

1) Hebrews 3:16-19 “For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

2) Psalm 106:24-26 “Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:”

1. From the Greek word METANOIA which literally means to change the mind.

2. To change the mind we have to change our thoughts.

1) Out of lawlessness and into captivity. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

2) Out of negativism and into positivism. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

3) Out of fleshly thinking and into spiritual thinking. Galatians 5:24, 25 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

3. To change the mind we have to change our attitude.

1) We must be willing to fully give ourselves to God.

a. This means we must love God with everything we have. Matthew 23:37

b. It means if we draw back and hold something back from God we will be lost.

c. Hebrews 10:38, 39 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

2) We must be willing to go the extra mile.

a. The attitude of doing just enough to get by will not save you.

b. Matthew 5:41 “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”

c. We must ABOUND in the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

4. To change the mind we have to change our heart.”

1) We must have a contrite heart instead of a proud one.

a. Psalm 51:57 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

b. Psalm 24:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

c. Proverbs 16:18, 19 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

2) We must have a circumcised heart instead of a corrupt one.

a. Colossians 2:11 states, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:”

b. Romans 2:29 states, “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

1. Repentance is not merely being sorry and just simply saying, “I am sorry.”

1) 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

2) Matthew 21:28-32 “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”

2. This involves stopping the sin that is in one’s life.

1) Romans 6:1 “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.”

2) 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

3. This involves choosing to do what is right instead of what is wrong in the future.

1) Romans 6:17-22 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”

2) Colossians 3:5-17 Read

4. This involves restitution where possible.

1) It should not surprise us that God expects restitution. We read in Leviticus 6:1-4 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.”

2) Luke 3:7-14 John the baptizer taught this.

3) Jesus taught this. Luke 19:8 “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” Question: Where did Zacchaeus learn that he needed to do these things?

4) Paul taught this Acts 20:26

1. Acts 2:38

2. Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”

3. Luke 17:4 “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

4. Rejoicing in heaven. Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”