True Repentance

True Repentance I. repent: intr. To feel contrition, compunction, sorrow or regret for something one has done or left undone; to change one's mind with regard to past action or conduct through dissatisfaction with it or its results. A. Repentance involves emotion. 1. Shame obviously plays a vital role in repentance. JDG 18:7. 2. shame: The painful emotion arising from the consciousness of something dishonouring, ridiculous, or indecorous in one's own conduct or circumstances (or in those of others whose honour or disgrace one regards as one's own), or of being in a situation which offends one's sense of modesty or decency. 3. One may have emotion over one's own sins. ROM 6:21. 4. One may have emotion over others' sins. PSA 119:136, 158; JER 23:9. 5. Being without shame indicates a decadent state. JER 3:3; 6:15; EPH 4:17-19. 6. Repentance is born of genuine sorrow. 2CO 7:9-11 ct/w GEN 4:13. B. True repentance leads to a change in attitude and behavior. ISA 55:7. II. A beautiful example of genuine repentance is found in Psalm 51. A. vs. 1-2. Here is the ground of the plea: mercy to the undeserving. 1. mercy: Forbearance and compassion shown by one person to another who is in his power and who has no claim to receive kindness; kind and compassionate treatment in a case where severity is merited or expected. 2. David deserved death; the law condemned his actions. DEU 22:22. 3. David pleaded not his merits. Past merits will not excuse nor outweigh present vileness. EZE 18:24; ISA 64:6. 4. Compare David's plea with LUK 18:9-14. B. v. 3. Here is confession. IJO 1:9; PRO 28:13. C. v. 4. David owned God's justice in punishment. He sided with God against himself. c/w LEV 26:40-43; LUK 15:21. D. vs. 5-6. David acknowledged his sin nature. 1JO 1:8, 10; JOB 40:4; 42:6. E. v. 7. David appealed to God for cleansing. The hyssop speaks of atonement and purification. c/w EXO 12:22; NUM 19:18. F. v. 8. David sought consolation. Compare bones with PSA 38:3-8; 32:3-5. G. v. 9. David pleaded the blotting out of all his sins. ACT 3:19. H. v. 10. David sought renewal. This yearning for a clean heart is not an appeal for regeneration. 1. Heart is a metonym here. 2. metonym: A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated (as in 'lands belonging to the crown.'). 3. The heart is the apparatus of thought and intent. HEB 4:12. 4. It is also the apparatus of emotion. LEV 26:16; DEU 28:47. 5. It is also the apparatus of desire. PSA 37:4. 6. David is praying for clean thoughts, intents, emotions and desires. I. vs. 11-12. David desired restoration. 1. David did not want to suffer Samson's or Saul's fate. True Repentance Page 1 of 2 JDG 16:20; 1SAM 16:14. 2. Compare “free spirit” with 2CO 3:17. With cleansing and forgiveness comes liberty. J. v. 13. David resolved to then instruct others. 1. This psalm is an example of David doing as he had resolved. 2. PSA 101:2-3 is another such example. 3. Wise is the man who instructs others from the bitter lessons and great mercies he himself has experienced. 4. Incredible is the man who presumes to teach others righteousness while being himself uncleansed and in the bond of iniquity. PSA 50:16-17; ROM 2:21. K. vs. 14-15. David also resolved to minister to God. Received mercies should spur us to publish aloud His goodness and mercy. LUK 8:38-39. L. vs. 16-17. David recognized pure spiritual religion. 1. Form and ritual are no substitute for godly sorrow and repentance. ISA 1:10-20. 2. Bloody goats, bloody calves or crocodile tears are not the substance of pure repentance unto salvation but a broken and contrite heart is acceptable. PSA 34:18; MAT 5:3-4. M. v. 18. David forgot not the church. 1. His actions had “...given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme...” (2SAM 12:14). 2. He sought the welfare of the church. c/w 1CH 21:17. 3. In the face of God's justice, he prayed for revival. c/w HAB 3:2. N. v. 19. With the sin problem properly dealt with, restoration to divine service was possible. True Repentance Page 2 of 2