But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
Into the Text
Repentance is a blessing. It is an incredible gift that God would show us our need for repentance, and then He showers us with even more grace and kindness by leading us to it.Â
God responds to our repentance. He knows when we have fallen into patterns of sin and when we are caught in the desires of our flesh or the things of the world. His desire is for us to humble ourselves, pray, seek to please Him, and turn from our sins. He promises that when we do, He will forgive us.Â
Repentance is not just for those who are followers of Jesus. Repentance is the first step in having a relationship with God. If we do not yet have a relationship with God, we must first recognize that our sin is a problem and is keeping us from Him. Repentance is simply an acknowledgment that we are sinful, that we cannot save ourselves, and that we need God to save us.
As we repent, we need to believe that Jesus’ sacrifice was enough to cover our sins. We accept God’s forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ. We ask God to give us the strength to turn from our sin and obey Him, so the next time the temptation comes, we won’t give in.Â
Unfortunately, as long as we are in this life, we will need to repent daily. But thankfully, God’s mercies are new every morning. It’s never too late to repent while we are still alive. Whether you’ve never repented from your sin and placed your faith in Christ, or you’ve drifted far from God and fallen into sinful patterns, or you’re walking with God but still struggling with sin (as we all are), you can always repent. What a gracious gift we have in repentance, in the ability to confess our sins and accept God’s gracious forgiveness.Â