How do I Repent?

[SeekingSalvation90]

I'm confused as to how to do it, can anyone tell me? I thought about doing it this way

1.Confessing my sins to Jesus
2.Asking for Forgiveness
3.Being Baptized again
4.Turn away from sin and avoid committing them again.

When confessing do I go through my list or do I just admit that I'm a sinner and I need a savior, should I write a list of all my sins and confess them?

Do speak with my mouth or in my mind?

Thanks.

 

[Ark100]

You dont need number 3 everytime you confess sins.
I think you should just ask God for forgiveness,(with your mouth open it, speak, humble yourself before him and speak from your heart) also ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit who will lead you to all truth.
You cant do it on your own, you need the Holy Spirit. Pray that God helps you.

 

[If Not For Grace]

The Best in the business in my opinion was King David. He knew how to repent..Read his writings..Remember he "was a man after God's own heart". Go to the expert.

 

[M i n t s u]

Ark100 is right. Confess your sins, with your mouth, and from your heart, and ask God to give you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only way you will be capable of bearing good fruit.

 

[ezeric]

I'm confused as to how to do it, can anyone tell me? I thought about doing it this way

1.Confessing my sins to Jesus
2.Asking for Forgiveness
3.Being Baptized again
4.Turn away from sin and avoid committing them again.

When confessing do I go through my list or do I just admit that I'm a sinner and I need a savior, should I write a list of all my sins and confess them?

Do speak with my mouth or in my mind?

Thanks.

NO! Leave that list in the garbage!

"Repentance" really simply means 'changing your thinking', and you've already done that!
Doing all that listed stuff only will put you under more guilt, (like don't you have enough of that already?) something that JESUS came to remove and put us in the right standing with GOD (DADDY/FATHER).
Which HE has done - do you trust it?

You don't need more action but simple trusting HIM (who LOVES you).

-eric

The Exchanged Life

 

[hedrick]

If someone else is involved, was any damage done, whether physical or damage to your relationship? An apology is probably called for, and maybe trying to make things right.

In addition to confession to God in prayer, if it's something you have done several times, think about how to avoid it in the future.

If you have trouble either forgiving yourself or dealing with a repeated sin, consider involving someone else. It could be a more mature Christian, or an "accountability partner."

Finally, make sure it's really a sin. A lot of people here are upset by things that either aren't sins or are a lot less serious than they think.

 

[Ark100]

NO! Leave that list in the garbage!

"Repentance" really simply means 'changing your thinking', and you've already done that!
Doing all that listed stuff only will put you under more guilt, (like don't you have enough of that already?) something that JESUS came to remove and put us in the right standing with GOD (DADDY/FATHER).
Which HE has done - do you trust it?

You don't need more action but simple trusting HIM (who LOVES you).

-eric

The Exchanged Life

What kind of biblical advice are you giving to people who are here seeking the truth? Do you think mentioning love and grace means that people should never account for anything.

This is a sign of watered down gospel and you should be careful how you lead people on.
How can you ask him to leave confessing sins to Jesus in a garbage!!! Who does that?

Who has not sinned and fallen short? You think merely thinking that sins dont matter therefore you shouldn't bother is what grace means?

Even in the Bible, we are asked to confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness from the FATHER. Who are you to tell him to leave the list in a garbage.

How does asking God to forgive him of his sins equal to putting himself under more guilt? a lot of what you have said is very similar to what a staunch unbeliever would say or think. Someone who has no idea or inkling about the gospel would say things like that.

OP. I would sincerely advice you to ALWAYS ask for forgiveness of all sins EVERYDAY from the Lord, dont be deceived by 'feel good' messages. God is truly gracious, loving and very Kind, but please always humble yourself before Him. Acknowledge you are a sinner to Him if you sin, and ask Him to change you through the Holy Spirit for you cant do it on your own.

Goodluck.

 

[Aibrean]

He's not giving Biblical advice, Ark.

To the OP: Your list is Biblical, however if you have already been baptized once, you do not need to be baptized again.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Yes, repentance is turning from sin and changing yourself (step #4), but you still need to confess to obtain forgiveness.

Doesn't it make sense if you have guilt from sin, to ask for forgiveness and KNOW by the promises in the Bible (like above verse) that you are forgiven? That is why your steps #1 and 2 are so important. Otherwise there is no absolution.

 

[paul1149]

SS90,

It will help to consider the purpose of repentance. It is to bring us back into intimate relationship with God. Making a list of sins, or making a list of things to do to effectively repent, is good as long as it serves that greater purpose. But if the list itself becomes the main issue, it actually will get in the way.

What God wants is a turning back to Himself with our whole hearts. We need to lean into that will everything we have. As Hedrick mentioned, if making things right on the horizontal is involved then that must be dealt with. If considering ways to avoid falling back into a besetting sin is involved then that needs to be taken into account as well.

But the object of the whole thing is to draw near to God and let Him minister the healing reality of a relationship with Him based on grace into our hearts. If you keep that in mind, it will guide you as to how best to achieve that end. If you miss a step here or there, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to show you, as long as your heart is toward Him. Jesus always proves Himself faithful in our weak areas.

 

[Aibrean]

SS90,

It will help to consider the purpose of repentance. It is to bring us back into intimate relationship with God. Making a list of sins, or making a list of things to do to effectively repent, is good as long as it serves that greater purpose. But if the list itself becomes the main issue, it actually will get in the way.

It's quite obvious that his intent is to understand the process of repentance and forgiveness (i.e. the steps listed). I agree against a list of sins. There is no way to remember everything. God knows the heart and the details. Coming forward with a humble and repentant spirit asking forgiveness for all sins done is enough.

 

[SeekingSalvation90]

Thank you all for the reply's I greatly appreciate them.

Paul1149, Yes the list I have written make me fee very guilty and I think I should confess all of the sins on the list.

Ark100, Thank you your words make it better.

Hedrick, Yes I believe that I should apologize to the people I have hurt.

God Bless all of you.

 

[ezeric]

Thank you all for the reply's I greatly appreciate them.

Paul1149, Yes the list I have written make me fee very guilty and I think I should confess all of the sins on the list.

Ark100, Thank you your words make it better.

Hedrick, Yes I believe that I should apologize to the people I have hurt.

God Bless all of you.

Thats good if that helps you - Praise the LORD!

But if you are wishing for joy and its after more failure, and heaped up guilt instead of freedom, you will realize that it comes in simply trusting what JESUS has done.

The confession of sin is simple. Confession means to 'agree with' or 'say the same thing as' the other. So if you confess your sins, you agree that what you've done is wrong - we've all sinned (not just you).

Confession says "you (GOD) are right - I'm wrong".

But the Good News! *Note* don't open your mouth if the Good News (Gospel) isn't Good News but Bad News.

JESUS has already taken away the Sin of the World. John 1:29
Do you believe this?

So your sins are taken away, and there is nothing on GOD'S side to you that is in trouble or in error but really simply our perceptions of HIM and our limitations in trusting LOVE.

Because guilt and condemnation has nothing to do with the Christian walk.

If you are free from all that, then that's is excellent, you are able to help others!

-eric
The Exchanged Life

 

[CounselorForChrist]

If I had to do #3 every time then I'd be baptized often. >.< For me I pray to God for forgive me for sinning, I ask for his strength to always change for the better. After that I put my words into actions by trying not to sin. Does it always work? No, but overtime I have overcome many things.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Seeking Salvation90. Tell Jesus that you repent, with your mouth,
then follow Jesus`s Commandments in Matthew 22, verses 35-40.
Jesus tells us straightforward, and easy to remember: " The first and great Commandments is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is: Love thy neighbour as thyself." On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. ( Jesus`s Words)
How do I repent? A good start is: treat all you know and all you meet, as you would love to be treated: with kindness and friendly words, with helping hands ( if needed) and always be a good neighbour. God will see and love what you are doing, and God will approve and bless you.
Love is very catching, and Love will overcome all enmity and wrong behaviour, Love will also change our whole way of life, we will become less selfish and
more loving. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Love will change all things for the better, even we, will become more loving and caring. But we will never know, until we
sincerely try. Jesus told us " Ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and
share all Love and Joy with our neighbour, friends and not friends.
We might stumble and forget often, but then we ask God to forgive us, and
carry on Loving God with all our beings, and loving our neighbour as ourselves.
How do I Repent? Show God that we Love God, and follow His Commandments to Love God and our neighbour. Everything we say or do, or
advocate or stand for, should be done in Love and Compassion. I say this with
love, Seeking Salvation90. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. God Is Love, and God wants loving children/sons and daughters.

 

[susyan]

To opening post, I didn't read all of the replies, but this is what the Word seems to instruct:

1. acknowledge that you are lost without God
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2. ask Christ into your heart and give you a clean slate, forgiving all your past sins, and walk right with Him thereafter, yeilding to the Holy Spirit's guidance
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9,10 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Ephesians 3:17 - That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Revelation 1:5 - And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Romans 8:1,4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit...That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

3. get baptised
Mathew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

*****

then thereafter in your daily Christian life, day by day,

4. every time you fall into sin, or are convicted of sin, ask for forgiveness, and accept His forgiveness
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

5. if a past sin is brought to remembrance that you have already asked for forgiveness and received from Him, just agree with Him that it was a sin and thank Him for the forgiveness that He gave you, and cast that remembrance of sin back to Him
1Peter - 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Just my two cents in case it benefits you and anybody reading this

 

[ChrisHolland619]

Get rid of your "lists" and just get with God.

True repentance is not a repetitious vow you make in your head. It's a TURNING from your sin, a DESIRE to do what God wants. It is an outlook change, you let God change your perspective of sin. You'll still mess up, but that's when you repent again, ask for forgiveness, and move on stronger with His help.

You don't need to be baptized every time you sin. That's absurd. We sin every hour of every day. You are baptized once, AFTER salvation, it has nothing to do with salvation.

 

[SeekingSalvation90]

Thanks Susyan, You have brought some really good information there for me

ChrisHolland619, Thank You for the response, That's one thing that's still kind of weighing me down about "the list" I'm 100% sure if I should speak them out loud then ask for forgiveness for them all.

 

[StormHawk]

I'm confused as to how to do it, can anyone tell me?

After the conversion of the gentiles, Peter reported:

"Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." (Acts 11:17-18)

"repent" literally means change of mind.

"unto life" means they believed the message that God now shares his life, his Spirit with whosoever chooses to believe.

The gentiles had seen and heard the difference this makes (see Acts 10v38-48). This inspired faith in them and they received the Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues - have you?

If not, I hope you will contact a church where all have, hearing and seeing the difference will cause you to repent and receive power over sin - something better!

 

[SeekingSalvation90]

After the conversion of the gentiles, Peter reported:

The gentiles had seen and heard the difference this makes (see Acts 10v38-48). This inspired faith in them and they received the Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues - have you?

If not, I hope you will contact a church where all have, hearing and seeing the difference will cause you to repent and receive power over sin - something better!

So if I don't speak in tongues that means I have not been saved? and as for a church well...I don't trust many people.

 

[StormHawk]

So if I don't speak in tongues that means I have not been saved? and as for a church well...I don't trust many people.

Most people's idea of what is "the church", "the gospel", "a Christian" is not what Jesus set up in Acts.

Revelation 18:3 warns how all nations and kings have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornication - joining elements of the original with other ideas to result in sterile, words-only versions that confuse people (like alcohol).

The antedote is to put aside the pre-conceptions you have got from attending these "churches" and get back to the original. There are a few that are doing this, I'm with one.

It was known precisely when people received salvation (deliverence from "the flesh") by receiving the Spirit (Romans 8:8-9, Titus 3:5) - God bare independent witness with his sign of speaking in tongues.