Chapter 2

Repentance: A Way of Life

by Lynne Green and Sue Anderson

The way we live our lives involves many factors, most of which we experience daily in the routines of life. As we explore how to make repentance not only a part of those routines but an indispensable part of our characters, we must first consider what repentance is and why we should practice it.

What Is Repentance?

Acts 26:20 is perhaps the best definition in the Bible of what repentance involves: “First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.”

Turning to God and changing our lives is the essence of repentance. The Greek word for repent is “metanoia.” “Meta” means “to change” and is the root from which “metamorphosis” comes. “Noia” refers to the mind, as in “paranoia.” Thus, the literal definition of “metanoia” is a change of mind.

Many people believe that repentance is merely feeling sorry for something done. To the Pharisees and Sadducees, however, John the Baptist said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance“(Matthew 3:8). Partial or emotional repentance is not true Biblical repentance because God has always commanded radical change in our lives, the result of a definite change of mind. A person who has Biblically repented will show obvious changes, the kind Paul described in 2 Corinthians 7:11: eagerness to change, alarm at the consequences, a longing to be what God wants and enough concern to do it. The latter attitude is what leads us to consistent growth in the Lord, changes that will be seen in our lives. We “feel” sorry and then “change “our actions. That is repentance.

Why Should I Repent?

The motivation to repent comes from understanding its purpose in our lives. First, repentance is absolutely essential for a person to become a Christian and to have his sins forgiven. Acts 2:28 clearly states that repentance is necessary for salvation. God has given humans two choices in this area: repent or perish (Luke 13:3). Jesus and God want us to become more and more like Jesus for the rest of our lives. When we overcome sin in our life it brings a joy that is hard to explain.

We know we are becoming more like Him who sacrificed His life so that we can be with God for eternity. He is not trying to scare us into submission but warning us that we will harm and ultimately destroy our relationship with him if we consistently sin. That is why some disciples leave God’s Kingdom (the parable of the soils, Matthew 13). Learning to become like the Lord is more complicated than overcoming sin. We must learn to walk as He walked.

Matthew 10 is a very challenging scripture. So challenging that we don’t hear it preached very much. Jesus is sending the twelve apostles out to “practice what He has taught them.” Matthew 10:37-42 reads: “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he certainly will not lose his reward.”

God, Christ and the Holy Spirit expressed love from Genesis to Revelation. How are you expressing your repentance and dedication to them in response?

Last summer, I went through a trying period in which I continually overslept and didn’t want to be productive. I felt guilty for being lazy and didn’t believe that changing my attitude would make the situation any better. I finally set my mind on overcoming my sin. True to God’s promise, my renewed discipline went beyond pleasing the Lord. It also made me happy by relieving my guilty feelings and enabling me to become more like him.

2 Corinthians 7:10 teaches that repentance leads to salvation and leaves no regret. I certainly had no regrets about being more like our Lord, being victorious in overcoming my sinful nature. When we repent and begin to live in obedience to God again, we will experience the fulfillment and joy of living the way we were created to live, to grow to be like Christ more and more.

How to Repent to Become Like Our Lord

Repentance is not a one-time decision made at conversion when we make Jesus the Lord of our future. Repentance is a way of life. It is a lifetime challenge for all of us. Consider the following four principles: desire, decision, discipline and determination and the role they play in our initial and ongoing repentance.

Desire

What motivates an athlete nearing the end of a practice session when all his muscles are crying out to stop? Desire. The will to win pushes him beyond endurance. Desire is also the force that causes us to make changes in our lives as Christians. Love for God and appreciation for His plan for us to be with Him (not separated) for eternity (our present life is a vapor in comparison) should motivate us to change anything that is displeasing to him. Titus 2:11-13 says: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We are anticipating our eternal life with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.

One of the greatest challenges to any student is to consistently earn good grades. In college, I found that when my motivation to learn was strong. I could finish my homework and concentrate while I was studying. When my motivation or desire was weak, it was very difficult to study. So, too, in the Christian life, we cannot live long on legalistic motivation. (see the parable of the sower). If our heart and gratitude to God that our sins have been forgiven and desire to do God’s will aren’t firmly in our minds, it will be difficult to fight against our sinful nature. Satan is always tempting us with our sinful nature. What will happen? Our intense desire should be to live our lives to please God by becoming more and more like Christ, our perfect example.

Our desire is produced by seeing ourselves and the world as God does. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 reads: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” How accurately does this passage describe the people of the United States today? We need to pray for the world, that God’s will will be done, and that he will allow for a place for some to worship in peace.

In 2 Samuel 12:1-7, King David, after being confronted by Nathan, saw himself as God did. This caused him to change his behavior. Psalm 51 describes his desire to be a completely different person:

Have mercy on me, O God,
  according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion
  blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
  and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
  and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
  and done what is evil in your sight;

so you are right in your verdict
  and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
  sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
  you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
  wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
  let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
  and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
  and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
  or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
  and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
  so that sinners will turn back to you.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
  you who are God my Savior,
  and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

Open my lips, Lord,
  and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
  you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings….

Verse 17 continues:

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
  a broken and contrite heart
  you, God, will not despise.

Jesus came to forgive our sins and give us all a way to gain the Holy Spirit when we decide to follow Him and are baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38 and following).

Decision

We must make specific, measurable decisions and goals in order to succeed in repentance. The prodigal son in Luke 15 made concrete decisions:

1. He decided what he was going to do
2. He decided what he was going to say

then he implemented his decisions. We also must decide what to do and say and then make it happen. Write down precise goals. It is difficult to convert general ideas into action unless they are broken down into specifics.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus tells his disciples: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” The Christian life is a daily walk with God and thus takes a daily decision to repent of the sin in our lives. Begin each day with the prayer, “God, I want to live this day for you,” and remember that the decision to repent is a vow before God. Do not delay in fulfilling it (Ecclesiastes 5:26). How are you doing with this challenge? Ask someone that knows you well. God is all-powerful and will answer your prayer.

Discipline: a Characteristic of a Disciple of Christ

The desire and decision to repent will take discipline to make the necessary changes in your life. It takes discipline to say “no” to dessert after dinner, when one has decided to lose weight. It takes discipline to keep a dating relationship pure until marriage. It takes discipline to change outbursts of anger (fits of rage).

Hebrews 12:11 reminds us that “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” That echoes a well-known saying: “no pain, no gain.” Anything of value usually costs us. The price may be money, hard work, time, or even sleep. But practicing a personal discipline and self-denial is crucial in changing to become more Christ-like. “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation – but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:12-14).

What do you think about Paul’s (and God’s) attitude toward discipline (discipling yourself to Christ’s ways)? 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says: “Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Ask yourself: am I running to win the prize or am I just walking?

Determination

A determined person will try their best to finish a task, even when it is hard. Jesus was determined to go to the cross for us, so He could be sacrificed for our sin, and we could have eternal life with God. He allowed nothing to distract him. He was determined and not distracted by:

• People (Mark 1:36-39)
• Situations (Luke 13:31-33)
• His feelings and weakness (Matthew 26:36-46)

That kind of determination is needed to lead a victorious, repentant life. He is our perfect example in every way. I need to be aware that I will never be perfect as Jesus was, but I am trying my best to try each day to do the best I can. God is happy when we try our best.

As we try to lead a repentant life, what sort of distractions will get in our way? Family problems, financial difficulties, illness, unexpected situations, our personal desires, and other goals all come to mind. I have been distracted from my personal Bible study by many things -- like a phone call, either one I need to make or a call to me. In my prayer time, my mind can wander or tire. If we make goals for ourselves and are determined to reach them, we can find the determination for whatever we need to do to make it happen.

Repentance as a way of life can be a reality for you and me. It takes desire, decision, discipline, and determination. The reward will be heaven in the end. In this life we will become confident, heeding the Upward Call, which God has given to His daughters (and His sons). May God work in all of our lives to help others.



Lynne Green was born in Lexington, Kentucky and raised in the Church of Christ. She discovered the discipling movement in Durham, North Carolina while attending Duke University. She moved to Boston to be part of the Lexington Church of Christ, beginning in 1979. She was baptized into Christ for forgiveness of sin and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) soon after she transferred to Tufts University, Boston. Scott Green came to Boston in 1980 and they both grew as disciples in leadership and love and married in 1983. They were a vital part of the Boston Church of Christ ministry to the Campuses.

In 1987, they and a few others planted a Church in Hong Kong, China. Ten years later in 1997, when Hong Kong became part of China, the Green family of four returned to the United States to Seattle, Washington. (Steven and Ariel Green had both been added to their family in Hong Kong.)

From Seattle, the Greens worked with the churches in China and the Northwest United States from 1997-2013. During that time, Scott got a masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Lynne a masters degree in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University.

The call came from Germany to help work with local leadership teams in Central Europe. Scott and Lynne moved to Berlin, Germany in 2014 to help foster unity and vision for the work in Europe. In 2016 Scott was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor which meant their return to Seattle in 2017. Scott went to be with God in 2018.

Lynne, now officially retired from full-time ministry, resides on a farm north of Seattle where she is adding to her shepherding skills — they now are honed by (in addition to some humans and other assorted creatures) a flock of sheep with four legs.