Repentance begins with a comprehension of sin. In this first step, one becomes aware of sin. The Holy Spirit gives a knowledge of sin and the awareness of sinful behavior which leads to true repentance. For example, the prodigal son came to himself, realized his condition, and began the road to repentance and reformation (Luke 15.17).

The knowledge of sin produces sorrow for that sin. This sorrow comes not because someone discovered your sin or because of the effects of the sin. The sorrow that leads to repentance causes you to mourn for offending a holy God. It produces a broken heart. No greater example of this aspect of repentance exists than in the life of David. Psalm 51 records the realization of his sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah, her husband. It details the Godly sorrow that he felt for his sin against God. David sums it up in Psalms 51:17:

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

Godly sorrow does work repentance (2 Corinthians 7.10).

Repentance requires confession of sin. In many ways, it seems that confession means nothing more today than mere admission of commission of sin. Too often people admit to errors, mistakes, and misunderstandings. But they come short of true confession of sin. True confession of sin means to call it what God calls it. It recognizes the offense against a holy God and its deserved judgment. It makes no excuses nor exceptions. At this point the prodigal son made his stirring declaration in Luke 15.18:

"…I have sinned against heaven, and before thee."

Many search for forgiveness without confession and repentance. But the promise of forgiveness and cleansing comes after true confession of sin(s) (1 John 1.9).

Thorough confession of sin(s) brings one to feel shame for the sin(s) confessed. A complete realization of one's sin and the viewing of it as God sees it brings shame. This shame includes guilt, humiliation, and embarrassment. Again, the prodigal son illustrates this truth clearly. After the realization of his sin and its confession, he calls himself unworthy of position of a son. He thought that he had lost that right because of his offensive behavior (Luke 15.21). True repentance includes shame for sin.

Shame for sin brings a hatred for the sin(s) that leads one to turn from it. It brings a change of heart, attitude, and desires which results in a change of behavior. In fact, this change illustrates the literal meaning of our text from 2 Chronicles 7.14, "...turn from their wicked ways." To turn means to cease from, to quit, and to turn back. Further, it describes one who leaves off an evil way.

Thus we have viewed the completeness of repentance. I pray that the Holy Spirit has opened your eyes to see these Biblical truths. They give us a full account of what God demands of us. He intends for them to instruct us and to mold our judgment to the truth in obedience. Their application in life brings rest to the conscience and comfort for doubt.

Where has the Holy Spirit identified your failure to apply these truths in your life? To reject them diminishes the truth of God's demands and rejects the work of the Spirit in our lives. It leads to a lack of personal holiness and hinders growth in righteousness.

Your unrepented sin(s) grieve the Holy Spirit and brings disapproval and reproof from God. I pray that the Holy Spirit will apply these truths in your life today, bring you to repentance for your sin(s), and begin a spiritual transformation in you that will revolutionize your life.

Bibliography

1 Brown, Francis, D. D., D. Litt.; Driver, S. R., D. D., Litt. D.; Briggs, Charles A., D. D., D. Litt. The Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon (Hendrickson, Peabody, MA) 1979.

2 Harris, R. Laird, Editor; Archer, Jr., Gleason and Waltke, Bruce K. Associate Editors. Theological Wordbook Of The Old Testament (Moody Press, Chicago) 2 Vols., 1980.

3 Strong, James, S. T. D., LL. D. The Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible (Abingdon, New York) 1890.

4 Thayer, Joseph Henry, D. D. A Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids) 1977.

5 Unger, Merrill, F., Th. M., Th. D., Ph. D., White, Jr., William, Th. M, Of The Old Ph. D., Editors. Nelson's Expository Dictionary Testament (Thomas Nelson, Nashville) 1980.

6 Watson, Thomas. The Doctrine Of Repentance. Banner Of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA) 1994.