As a child, I remember my Dad, who was also a pastor, pounding the pulpit sometimes. He did not do it often, but it was certainly memorable. He was a little bit scary, which was likely his intent because he was warning us about the seriousness of sin and its consequences. He was, at times, like the old image of a fire-and-brimstone preacher delivering the message that you need to repent of your sin or face eternal damnation. In our day and age, such a display from a preacher in the western world would be recorded, put on the internet, and then ridiculed by many as a crazy fundamentalist. But Dad had a point because the Bible is clear that part of the good news about Jesus is the bad news that we are sinners who need to repent.
John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus himself preached a message of repentance, saying, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Peter reiterated in his Pentecost sermon, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Finally, Paul said, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Repentance means changing our minds and going in a different direction. In biblical terms, it means acknowledging that we are wrong and turning toward Jesus to follow Him. Therefore, repentance leads to good results in our lives, but it can seem bad because, at first, we have to acknowledge that we have done wrong. Very few of us like admitting that we are wrong, and change can be hard. But when we know how much Jesus loves us, then turning from our own ways and towards Him is easier.
Sometimes, though, we do not deal with sin properly. In some cases, we feel bad about getting caught or experiencing the consequences of our sin. This is what Paul is talking about when we experience worldly grief. This is not true sorrow for our sin but simply a desire not to experience the consequences of our sin. We might also wrongly deal with sin by holding on to guilt and shame, thinking that what is necessary for true forgiveness from God is to punish ourselves. This can lead to depression, and for me, in my early 20s, it even almost led me to suicide.
Instead, God wants us to deal with sin through the means of confession and repentance. The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Jesus died to take the consequences for our sins, and we can trust God that when we repent, we are cleansed and forgiven!! I do not want to pound the pulpit, but I do desire for you to experience the freedom that God intends you to have. When you know you have done wrong, do not hold on to it, but come to Him, repent, and experience His mercy and love.
