Repentance is an integral element of the Christian faith and a major part of following God’s will. So what does it mean, why is it important, and what are the steps involved?
The word repentance literally means to turn away from sin and to turn towards the teachings and word of God. This is an essential part of staying on the path of righteousness that God has laid down for believers. In terms of salvation, repentance is an invitation to experience a change of heart and mind, a commitment and desire to devote ourselves to God, and to walk in righteous pathways. For the believer, true repentance means realizing they have sinned against God, confessing those sins, and ultimately being forgiven.
Step One: Acknowledging You Have Sinned
The first step of repentance is recognizing and admitting that there has been wrongdoing and that you have sinned. This requires humility and an honest view of your own faults, allowing yourself to see the hurt and the wrongs that you have caused. It’s not an easy task and for some it can take more time than for others. Without owning up to the wrong however, there can be no path forward – no true repentance.
Coming to terms with our own sin is essential to true change, learning from mistakes and becoming a better person. Saint Augustine once said “Confession is the highest form of humility”; it’s a recognition of powerlessness, of recognizing our own failures and the need for something more, for the need of God in our lives.
Step Two: Deeply Feel The Guilt And Pain Caused By Your Sins
The second step of repentance is feeling the guilt and pain that we have caused others because of our wrongs and also the sadness, disappointment and reproach of God. This requires empathy, an ability to see our own hurts and the hurt in others. It acknowledges the bleak truth – that sin has consequences and that it’s not just about being forgiven; there must also be responsibility taken for our actions and for the hurt it has caused.
“The power of genuine repentance does not lie in the fact that God forgives us, but in the fact that we are hurt and sorry for our transgressions.”
– R.C. Sproul
Step Three: Make A Clear Decision To Change Your Ways
Making the decision to turn away from sin is an essential part of true repentance. While this may seem obvious, it requires commitment and an effort to change one’s life and behaviour, to actively seek out the path that God has set before us. It requires establishing right practices and attitudes; avoiding certain temptations, habits and people; and replacing them with a faith-filled lifestyle. This step is about living differently, about new beginnings.
The Bible shows us many cases of people making a decisive turn from sinful ways to those of God. King David committed horrible sins, but made a clear decision upon recognition of them to strive for repentance and to follow God for the rest of his life. His realization of God’s power and his sincere change of attitude and behavior brought about God’s forgiveness. Peter (one of Jesus’s disciples) likewise realised his weaknesses and wrongdoings, made a clear decision to renounce them, and rejoiced in the forgiveness granted by Jesus.
Step Four: Seek and Accept Forgiveness
Step four of repentance includes seeking out and accepting God’s forgiveness and reconciling with those we have wronged. The Bible tells us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Seeking and accepting forgiveness requires, if possible, confronting those we have wronged, personally or through prayer and genuinely apologizing – being willing to restore our relationship with them. This is integral to true repentance, oftentimes a more difficult step, as it requires the courage to face people and the commitment to growing our faith.
“A humble acknowledgement of wrong-doing and an honest request for forgiveness will lead us to a place of peace and genuine joy.”
– Max Lucado
Step Five: Change and Truly Live For God
The final step of repentance is a continued change and a commitment to God’s ways and teachings; it’s a desire and effort to stick with what is right and repenting whenever we may fall again. This requires steadfastness and the recognition that, while the first four steps are essential, they are not the end. As Christian mentioned in the Bible book of John, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1:7). Living with this knowledge requires conviction and faith, and these qualities, combined with the five steps, are integral components in true repentance.
The five steps of repentance are essential when it comes to the Christian faith. Recognizing and admitting our faults, feeling and understanding the pain we have caused, committing to change our ways, apologizing for wrongs, and returning to God’s ways are all necessary components in the repentance process. Oftentimes we falter and let our own pride, judgement and desires get in the way of true repentance, but it is up to us to recommit bring ourselves closer to God and rejoice in the absolution for which we have been promised.
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