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My final thought from Sunday’s sermon was, “What is going on when repentance is hard?”  The only answer I had was, “Because my focus is still on ME!”

Repentance is necessary because I sin.  I sin because I am wrongly self-focused, self-interested, self-pursuing, self-satisfying, self-elevating, self-worshipping, et c. 

We all are all too familiar with pseudo-repentance; a worldly type of selfish sorrow that is merely a fragile façade of self-protection.  Such repentance is disingenuous, half-hearted (at best), deceitful, and only a turn toward what, in my own self-assessment, is “the best option for me at this time.”  This only leads to destruction.  At such times, my focus hasn’t changed, my ultimate desire hasn’t changed, I am still seeking the ‘Sovereign Self’; even though some external behaviors might appear different.

Genuine biblical repentance occurs when the LORD alone is our focus, goal, prize, and means of repentance.  Our focus is the glory of God in Christ Jesus.  There is a wholesale shift of desire from self to God in who he actually is and in what he has done, is doing and will do.  There is a confession with actual words, specifically identifying the objective standard that was violated, laying claim to my waywardness, rebellion and status of being wrong. 

Repentance is always first and foremost to the LORD God.  But we often need to repent to one another.

  • If you have only offered pseudo-repentance to the LORD, will you humbly go to him in genuine biblical repentance?
  • If you have only offered pseudo-repentance to someone else, will you humbly go to them in genuine biblical repentance?
  • If you have been a recipient of pseudo-repentance from someone else, will you pray for them, love them, and entrust their heart to the LORD?
  • If you have been a recipient of pseudo-repentance from me, will you let me know so I can offer you genuine biblical repentance?
  • If I have been the recipient of pseudo-repentance from you, will you humbly come to me in genuine biblical repentance?