In the Bible, it is written the word of God: "…now God is proclaiming to men everywhere that they should repent" (Acts 17:30). Repentance is one way of restoring a relationship with God.
“Therefore wake up and repent, that your sins may be blotted out, so that the Lord may bring dispensation” (Acts 3:19-20).
Repentance (metanoeo in Greek) is a way of experiencing metamorphosis in our lives. When a caterpillar makes a cocoon, a miracle happens that turns it into a butterfly. The same is true for humans: the miracle you will experience as a result of repentance is becoming a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Step
Step 1. Listen to John the Baptist's first sermon preaching:
"Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:2). Jesus (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15) sent His 12 apostles to continue the work of salvation by proclaiming that people must repent (Mark 6:12) and this was confirmed by Peter after the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38).
Step 2. Understand the true meaning of repentance
According to the original Greek text of the Bible, repentance in the New Testament means changing the mindset, not just regretting mistakes in the modern non-biblical sense. Click to find the real meaning.
Step 3. Change
Repentance means changing from the old man to the new man. Jesus said to His disciples: "If anyone wants to follow Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).
Step 4. Strengthen faith by repenting
Jesus said: "The time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel!" (Mark 1:15).
Step 5. Admit that you are a sinner
Regardless of one's age or good or bad, know that no human being deserves the glory of God. Like the story of Job in the Old Testament, we have all gone astray and must admit our mistakes. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Step 6. Repent of sin before God
Regret is the first step towards repentance (deciding to live according to God's word) so as not to experience disappointment in the future. “For God's willful sorrow produces repentance that brings salvation and no regrets, but worldly sorrow produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). One of the conditions for repentance is to leave a sinful life.
Step 7. Be humble
In order to repent, admit that you have violated God's commandments. "God opposes the proud, but has mercy on the humble" (James 4:6).
Step 8. Be proactive, not passive
"And when you cry out and come to pray to Me, I will hear you; if you seek Me, you will find Me; if you ask Me with all your heart, I will give you to find Me" (Jeremiah 29:12–19). 14).
Step 9. Expect to receive rewards as a result of repentance
"But now they longed for a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them" (Hebrews 11:6).
Step 10. Prepare to receive baptism
Baptism is a concrete act that shows that a person is ready to hear God's word and obey it. "Those who received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:41). "All the people who heard his words, including the tax collectors, recognized God's righteousness, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and scribes rejected God's purpose for them, because they did not want to be baptized. by John" (Luke 7:29-30).
Step 11. Ask, seek, and knock
This is what we must do because it is God's will. You are already carrying out God's word if you repent according to the words of Jesus, especially if you always ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "Therefore I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds and everyone who knocks, for him the door is opened. Which father of you, if his son asks for a fish from him, will give his son a snake instead of a fish? Or, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? So if you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to children. your children, how much less your Father who is in heaven! He will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" (Luke 11:9-13).
Step 12. Seek God relentlessly until He accepts your repentance
Jesus' disciples knew that God had accepted the conversion of Cornelius and his family and friends who were able to speak in tongues as they (Peter and his friends) had. (Acts 11:15-18., Acts 10:44-46).
Step 13. Live a life according to the teachings and example of Jesus
After God accepts your repentance, live your life always being humble, loving one another according to the words of Jesus (John 13:34-35), spreading the gospel, healing the sick (Matthew 10:7-8), and keeping holiness (Matthew 5:5). 20).
Tips
- Be humble so that you are able to do all the steps above well. Start by admitting that you know nothing, but that God knows everything. (Proverbs 3:5-10).
- People who do not believe in God can also ask for His help. According to God's word, He wants everyone to come to Him to repent because He is ready to help anyone. "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and will tell you great and incomprehensible things, things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
- Instead of trying to understand the entire Bible, you just need to change and let God change you. (Isaiah 55:6-9).
- Do not give up! Read the Bible every day so that God will pour out the Holy Spirit in response that He has accepted your repentance. (Acts 11:15-18).
- Religious opinions are not always in line with the biblical meaning. Therefore, focus on studying the Bible as best you can (Matthew 7:9-13).
- Believing in the gospel that proclaims Jesus or the good news about Jesus means believing that God's power can change your life in miraculous ways (Romans 1:16, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:5).
- In Romans 10:9 "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…", "to confess" means to say the same thing or agree. A person is said to be converted if he ignores his own understanding and agrees with what Jesus said. Click to find the original meaning of the word "confess"
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Learn all things related to Jesus and believe that He died, rose from the dead to save all mankind, then pray to God Almighty to repent, for example by saying:
"Father God, I want to live according to the way You show me, but I need Your help. Father, give me the helper You promised to free me from past sins that made me like dust (Matthew 3:11-12) and give me a new life. I am very grateful for all Your goodness. Please forgive my sins and free me from punishment so that I can start a new life. Thank you that I can experience Your goodness as You promised so that I can receive the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. Amen."
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Live every day loving each other. Tell others about Jesus Christ who acts as a mediator between man and God because He is the Son of God. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior for those who believe in Him, repent, live His commandments, and are willing to receive the Holy Spirit according to the Bible.
Following Jesus means attending meetings with fellow Christians, receiving baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a sign that you are receiving new life in Jesus name, praying to God, maintaining harmony, reading the Bible, and showing God's love for others by doing kind, forgiving, understanding one another, and loving one another among believers.
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Don't waste time explaining to God that you've wronged someone else and begging for forgiveness so you can make up again. There are still many opportunities to improve relationships. (Luke 18:9-14, 2 Corinthians 6:2).
Repentance is not a one-way interaction. God will respond to repentance in miraculous ways if you repent with all your heart
Warning
- Repentance is not an option. Jesus said: "No! I say to you. Unless you repent, you will all perish in this way" (Luke 13:3).
- A person who says he has repented, but does not want to receive baptism in the Holy Spirit has not actually repented because he is against God's plan. (John 3:5, John 6:63, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:9, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Titus 3:5).
- Those who profess to be followers of Christ are not necessarily converted. So, believe in God, not in humans. (Jeremiah 17:5-11).
- A person who says that he has repented, but does not want to receive baptism in water has not actually repented because he is against God's plan. To repent means to accept God's plan. (Luke 7:29-30).
