True Repentance: Turning From Sin, Turning to Christ
True Repentance: Turning From Sin, Turning to Christ
Today we are going to examine a topic that is often misunderstood in modern Christianity: repentance.
Many assume repentance simply means saying, “I’m sorry,” and then continuing in the same sin without any true change. But according to Scripture, repentance is far deeper than an apology — it is a complete transformation of the heart.
Luke 13:3 — “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Repentance is not optional. Jesus declared that without repentance there is no life, no forgiveness, and no salvation. Not because repentance earns grace — but because the grace of God produces repentance in a heart He has made new.
Biblical repentance involves:
- A change of mind about sin — we see it as God sees it
- A change of heart toward God — we desire what He desires
- A change of life — we turn from sin and turn to Christ
True repentance is not simply turning away from guilt — it is turning toward a Savior. Without Christ, repentance is only regret. But with Christ, repentance becomes a doorway to forgiveness, renewal, and eternal life.
So what does true repentance look like according to Scripture? The Bible gives us five essential truths that reveal the depth and beauty of God’s work in a repentant heart.
Truth 1 — God Alone Defines Right and Wrong
True repentance begins with one foundational truth: God is the One who determines what is right and what is wrong. He is the Creator — we are His creation. His authority is absolute and unchanging.
Isaiah 45:22 — “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
The commandments God has given are not suggestions, not cultural guidelines, and not outdated moral ideas. They are holy standards from a holy God.
Psalm 19:7 — “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…”
God's law does more than instruct — it convicts. It reveals His perfection and exposes our desperate need for grace. When we stand before God’s law, all self-righteousness is destroyed.
A man cannot repent unless he first realizes he has broken the commandments of his righteous King.
Why the Law Matters
- It exposes our sin
- It silences our excuses
- It reveals our guilt before a holy God
- It drives us to Christ — the only Savior
Romans 3:20 — “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
The problem in our culture is not that people reject the idea of God. Many believe He exists. The issue is that they do not believe God has authority over them.
If God has no authority — there is no sin.
If there is no sin — there is no need to repent.
If there is no repentance — there is no salvation.
That is why repentance begins with God Himself: His rule, His holiness, and His rightful authority over our lives. Until a person sees God as King, he will never see his sin as rebellion.
Truth 2 — We All Stand Guilty Before a Holy God
Before a sinner can repent, he must understand the truth about his condition:
We are not good people who make occasional mistakes.
We are sinners who have broken God’s law — repeatedly, willingly, knowingly.
Romans 3:10 — “There is none righteous, no, not one.”
The evidence is overwhelming:
We lie.
We lust.
We take God’s name lightly.
We love the world more than the One who made it.
We don’t just break God’s law — His law exposes how broken we are.
James 2:10 — “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
One sin.
One violation.
One act of rebellion — and the verdict is: guilty.
Sin is not a mistake.
Sin is treason against the Creator and King.
The Universal Condition
- We were born sinners (Psalm 51:5)
- We love our sin (John 3:19)
- We cannot save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8–9)
Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Hell is not unjust — it is the fair, righteous penalty for our rebellion.
Romans 6:23a — “For the wages of sin is death…”
Without repentance, without forgiveness, without a Savior — we stand condemned.
But conviction is not the end… it is the beginning.
God does not expose our sin to destroy us — He exposes our sin to save us.
Romans 2:4 — “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.”
The Law brings us to our knees.
Grace lifts us to Christ.
Conviction without hope is despair.
Conviction with Christ is salvation.
Truth 3 — True Repentance Is a Heart Changed by God
Many believe repentance simply means saying, “I’m sorry.” But biblical repentance is far more than regret — It is a God-given transformation of the heart that turns us from sin and toward Christ.
Acts 11:18 — “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
Scripture is clear:
Repentance is not a human achievement — it is a gift granted by God.
The natural man does not want God.
He does not seek God.
He does not fear God.
He does not repent unless God draws him.
John 6:44 — “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him…”
Repentance Is Not a Work We Perform
We cannot “clean ourselves up” to earn heaven. Repentance does not save us — Christ saves us. Repentance is the evidence that God is already saving us.
Ephesians 2:8–9 — “For by grace are ye saved through faith… not of works, lest any man should boast.”
If salvation depended on our performance, heaven would be filled with pride — and God will not share His glory with another.
Repentance Is a Surrender
When God opens our eyes to our sin, we don’t bargain with Him — We fall on our knees and cry for mercy.
Psalm 51:17 — “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”
Repentance is not us climbing up to God — It is God reaching down and changing our hearts.
And when God changes a heart, that heart no longer runs toward sin — but away from it. Repentance does not remove the battle — it begins the battle against sin.
Truth 4 — Repentance Produces a Real Turning From Sin
When God grants repentance, He does not leave us in the same condition we were in before. We do not continue running toward the very sins that nailed Christ to the cross. Repentance is a change of direction — a new path of obedience.
Romans 6:2 — “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
True Christians still stumble — even the apostle Paul struggled with sin. But believers do not make peace with sin or excuse it as, “That’s just who I am.”
Romans 7:24 — “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
The war against our flesh is daily — not optional. Christians battle temptation — they do not embrace it. We confess, forsake, and flee sin because God has changed our desires.
Proverbs 28:13 — “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Repentant Hearts Hate What God Hates
- We reject lust — not excuse it
- We fight pride — not feed it
- We turn from lies — not justify them
- We resist anger — not celebrate it
We do not say, “God understands, I’m only human.” We say, “God, have mercy — give me strength to overcome.”
1 John 3:9 — “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin…”
This does not teach sinless perfection. It means a true believer cannot continue living in rebellion without conviction from God.
Repentance is not perfection — it is a new direction.
James 2:17 — “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead…”
If there is no change — there is no repentance. And if there is no repentance — there is no salvation.
Truth 5 — Recognizing We Need a Savior
Repentance reveals something vital — we cannot save ourselves. We do not merely need help. We need rescue. The Bible does not say we are spiritually weak — it says we are dead in trespasses and sins.
Ephesians 2:1 — “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
Dead people cannot revive themselves. Hopeless people cannot find their own hope. Guilty people cannot erase their guilt. Only God has the power to give life to the dead.
Scripture declares that our condition is universal — without exception:
Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
This is why Jesus Christ came — not for the righteous, not for those who think they are “good enough”…
but for the broken, the guilty, the condemned.
Luke 5:32 — “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
We need a Savior — not a life coach.
We need a Substitute — not self-improvement.
We need Jesus Christ:
- Who lived the perfect life we failed to live
- Who died the death we deserved to die
- Who rose from the grave as the victorious King
Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Salvation is not earned by repentance — it is received by grace. But true repentance always turns us to Christ, because He alone can save.
We flee from our sin — into the arms of our Savior.
John 14:6 — “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
The Cross Is Where Repentance Leads Us
Repentance without Christ only leads to self-condemnation. But repentance that runs to Christ leads to forgiveness, transformation, and eternal life.
At the cross we see the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s love. There, the wrath we deserved fell on Jesus — so the mercy He deserved could fall on us.
Repentance turns the sinner’s eyes away from their sin — and fixes them on the Savior.
Application — A Call to Examine Ourselves
Repentance is not just the doorway into the Christian life — it is the daily path we walk. Christ did not come to make sin safe. He came to destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8 — “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
True repentance refuses to make peace with sin. It declares war — even when it costs us comfort, habits, or relationships.
To the believer:
Do not settle for a casual, compromised Christianity. Examine your walk. Confess quickly. Turn from sin eagerly. Show by your life that Jesus is your Lord — not merely your escape from hell.
To the unbeliever or the lukewarm churchgoer:
If you remain in your sin, you remain under wrath — not because God delights in punishment, but because sin is rebellion against a holy God.
Acts 17:30 — “God … commandeth all men every where to repent.”
You cannot save yourself.
You cannot earn favor.
You cannot bargain with God.
But Christ came to call sinners to repentance — yes, sinners like you and me.
Run from your sin — run to Christ.
He is willing. He is mighty. He is the only Savior of sinners.
Closing Prayer
Father, we come before You acknowledging our sin, our weakness, and our need.
Give us hearts that hate what You hate, and love what You love.
Lead us in true repentance — not mere words, but transformed lives.
Strengthen us by Your Spirit to flee from sin and run to Christ daily.
May we walk in obedience, humility, and holy fear.
And for those still far from You — bring them to repentance and faith in the Savior.
All glory be to You alone, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.