Understands True Repentance

Understands True Repentance

A HERO’S TALE

Early in Jeremiah’s ministry, God told him to do something interesting. He wanted Jeremiah to travel into what was formerly the northern kingdom of Israel and give the people an important message.

Assyria had conquered Israel 100 years earlier. The people living in Israel during Jeremiah’s life were a mixed race of Israelites and different pagan ethnic groups that Assyria had resettled there. The people had intermarried and combined their religions, trying to worship both the one true God and many false idols. Bad idea.

So Jeremiah spoke God’s words to the people: “O Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever. Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the LORD your God and . . . refused to listen to my voice” (Jeremiah 3:12-13).

Despite Israel’s wickedness, God mercifully offered his people a second chance. But Israel had to do something to receive his forgiveness. Can you guess what it was? (Hint: Look again at the verses above and find the command God gave them.)

DECODING THE MESSAGE

Did you make your guess? Good. Here’s the answer: God told the people they must “acknowledge [their] guilt.” (Great job if you got the answer right!) In other words, God wanted them to repent.

To understand how we can be saved from our sins, we have to understand repentance. First, we must understand that it is God’s grace, not our own efforts, that saves us. If God didn’t call people to himself, no one would be saved.

But we have a responsibility too. When God’s Spirit pulls on our hearts, we must respond. That response, as Jeremiah 3:13 and today’s verse say, is to repent. Repenting involves several things:

• feeling godly sorrow for our sin
• turning from sin
• making a commitment to follow Jesus

Repenting is not just saying “I’m sorry.” It involves a heart that truly wants to stop sinning and obey God. It’s doing a 180-degree turn from a life of sin and choosing a life of faith and obedience to God instead.

So spin the wheel on sin, repent, and turn to God!

BATTLE PLAN

Have you disobeyed God recently? Practice repentance by praying the following: “God, I’m sorry for _________ [name your sin]. Please forgive me and help me to obey you instead.”