In the Bible the word forgiveness is often paired with another important word: repentance.
The word “repent” has a bad reputation— but it is undeserved. Perhaps the bad reputation comes from the misuse of the word “repent” in cartoons, TV shows, and movies which portray the stereotype of a frowning evangelist carrying a placard which reads, “Repent, the end is nigh.” Fortunately, those stereotypes are greatly exaggerated. I have never met a real “turn or burn” evangelist. (Maybe I have just been lucky.)
The word “repent” might have a bad reputation because it has a negative sense. It sounds like, “Thou shalt not…”. But this negative sense, is only half of its meaning. Repentance also means, “Thou shalt….” To turn around and start doing the right thing is always a positive!
The Old Testament word for repentance means to change direction. The New Testament word means to change your mind. Repentance is a way of turning around: from wrong to right; from self-love to love of others; from serving the devil to serving God. Both the turning from… and the turning to… are positive.
Perhaps you have heard the story of Mickey Cohen who was once the most prominent mobster in Los Angeles. In 1949, during a Billy Graham crusade, Graham and Cohen met. Graham shared the gospel with Cohen and thought that he was interested in believing. However, when Cohen was told that if he followed Christ, he would have to give up his lavish lifestyle and his life as a mobster, he said, “You never told me I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So, what’s the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that—if that’s Christianity—count me out.”
Cohen may have wanted religion, but he was unwilling to repent. It cost too much. What Cohen may not have understood is that sin is like a cancer on our souls. If we don’t remove it, it will surely destroy our lives, ultimately killing us. Repentance is a major step in getting rid of the cancer.
Let’s distinguish two stages of repentance: conversion and daily repentances. Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian life. It is a life-change that begins with repentance. (We will talk about daily repentances in a later column.)
Why should I (or anyone else) repent? There are several reasons:
•I recognize that I am making wrong choices and I want to stop.
•I recognize that sin is controlling me and making a mess of my life and of the lives of those around me.
•I recognize that my life is headed in the wrong direction—away from God.
•I don’t want to spend eternity separated from God. Or, on the flip side, I should repent if:
•I value right over wrong.
•I recognize that the God of the Bible is the true God and I need to serve him.
•I am attracted to Jesus and I want to get to know him in a personal way.
•I am impressed with the goodness of Christians and I want to find what they have found.
•I want to spend eternity with God.
These are all valid reasons to repent. Conversion, the beginning of the Christian life, is repentance + faith, usually in response to hearing the gospel. Conversion is the choice to walk a different road. Sometimes It may imply leaving another religion or philosophy or an ungodly life in order to follow Christ. Conversion is to “turn to God from idols” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). For most of us, the idols we turn from are not images of pagan deities but things like popularity, social status, or material possessions which have become our gods. For me, the idol I had to turn from was getting top grades in school. In a future column I will tell how I turned to God from my idol.
Conversion does not make life easier— it probably makes life harder!
It does not make a person rich or healthy or sin-free. But conversion does one very-positive thing: as we walk the new road ahead, we walk with Jesus. And that is worth it, whatever the cost. For Mickey Cohen to reject Christianity because it “cost too much” was tragic—and I hope he reconsidered while he had the opportunity.
Years ago, a Chinese friend who was not a Christian, and I were talking about what it means to follow God. She said, “When you have been walking one road your whole life, it is difficult to think of changing and walking a different road!” She was right, but that is what Jesus asks us to do. That friend has since become a believer and is now walking the new road with joy in her heart! Conversion is worth it! That’s the positive side of repentance!
Greg Giles is a published author, who, along with his wife Jean, has embraced the call to serve and teach around the globe. Their life together has included missionary work in Liberia, Bangladesh, teaching in China, and raising a family in Bemidji, Minnesota. Between global travels and local commitments, including serving as superintendent of Corn Bible Academy and their current part-time roles at Corn Heritage Village, the Gileses have found “home” in many places; yet, they now happily reside in retirement in Cordell. Please visit his website at reflections-on-wisdom.com.