True Repentance

Repentance, as defined by Monergism.com, is turning from the idol we serve to the true God. It also means to accept full responsibility for the sin we have committed. Please see the paragraph below taken from Monergism.com:

What do we mean by idols? How does that tie into sin? Sin is not just a transgression of a law of God. It involves a turning from God in unbelief and turning to something else as a "god". When I sin I am saying to God, "I do not trust you. I do not believe your way is good and best. I do not believe you are wise." In place of the true God I worship pleasure, a lover, a lie, my money, a career advancement, my reputation etc. We cannot worship God and sin. We cannot sin without worshiping idols. Deep in the heart of man there is a powerful pull of idolatry. We want to worship this other god because of the pleasure it brings us. That love for sin and our false lover can actually keep us from repentance.
- Mark Lauterbach - The Transforming Community 142-144

This quote blew me away when I read it. How often do we attempt to serve two masters, both God and our sin, because of the nature of our flesh. We place immediate gratification above the fulfillment of true repentance. What I mean by that statement is this: Our repentance at times is an admission of our sin( as if God were not aware of it already) without true intent to make any serious life-altering changes. Yes, we truly feel shame for the act that was committed, the transgression against God, but we loosely throw the term repentance out there as a way of feeling justified again before God. Where there is true repentance, there is victory! When we allow the power of the Spirit to convict us of our sin and as a result, turn away from the sin and towards God, there is no greater fulfillment!

Unfortunately, with the rise of relativism these days, we brutally undermine the glory of God's grace in forgiveness. It sounds gracious on the surface to say that God is not concerned with the law, just with love. Or that he has no expectations or standards, he is simply there to affirm me in whatever I happen to be. Though it sounds as if there is freedom in this imaginary God, there is one major problem; it destroys forgiveness. We have offended God. This is the reality that we are left with daily when we transgress against God. Because we have offended God and his Perfect standard, there becomes a need for forgiveness. God is the only one capable of granting this forgiveness because the offense is against Him. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ, this has been accomplished. The Gospel tells us that even if you are a murderer of the son of God, God himself stands ready to forgive you! Even more amazing is that this is not something you can earn or buy, it is a free gift to all who repent- who turn from darkness to light- and trust in the Lord to forgive them of their sins. True forgiveness can only occur where there is true repentance!