What is repentance NOT?
It’s not “just” saying sorry, with no intent to change.
It’s not a thing we do just to placate someone we wronged.
It’s not anything we can recite, perform, etc.
It’s an attitude change: “I know I’ve been doing XYZ…but I seriously don’t want to keep doing XYZ. And because of that, I’m moved to try my best to stop doing XYZ.”
That doesn’t mean we won’t sometimes mess up and do whatever it is again…we probably will, especially when emotions are involved.
We’re going to lose our temper with our families. We’re going to say unkind things to people when we’re in a mood. We’re going to overindulge in that sensory pleasure we knew we should have taken in moderation…etc.
Luckily, God has promised to FORGIVE us–that is, 100%, clean slate, like you are totally innocent–when we repent, but not when we live continually with an unrepentant heart (Luke 18:9-14, Heb 10:26)
