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by Chad Koons

In my post last month, we looked at the definition of and the need for repentance. Now we ask the question: what does repentance look like? Thank God that we have excellent examples given by Jesus Himself! Although these two examples are different, they are very much the same.

In Luke 15, we find the story of the Prodigal Son.
To me, however, it seems more the story of the Joyful Father. You’ll see why in a minute. Anyway, it is here that we see not only a picture of true repentance, but also a demonstration of it. A father has two sons. The younger son requests his inheritance early, only to skip town and waste it all on a sinful lifestyle. Eventually the funds run out and he hits rock bottom. In his exhausted and wasted state, something stirs inside of him. He thinks to humble himself and return to his father. He planned to humbly confess, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” In this way, he would throw himself upon his father’s mercy.

It is important to recognize that the son had made a decision followed up by actions. He had rejected his sin, changed his mind, turned around, and began journeying once again back to his father’s house. This, my friends, is where repentance begins.

Upon eyeshot of his homeland, something nearly unheard of happens. His father sees him, and pulling up his robes, his father actually begins running down the road to meet his wayward son! He catches him up in an embrace and kisses his cheeks. The son, still compelled to humble himself as he should, confesses to his father, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” But the father, already knowing the sincerity of his son’s actions, immediately begins yelling to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” In this amazing display of reconciliation, the father not only meets and welcomes his son, but he ushers him in, forgives, restores, and honors him with celebration and gifts beyond anyone’s expectation! This is true repentance accepted. The Lord will do the same thing with you.

Repentance is also seen with the woman caught in adultery.
In John 8, Jesus was teaching a crowd of people in the temple. The religious leaders saw this as an opportunity to test and condemn Jesus, so they conveniently found a woman caught in adultery and threw her down before Jesus. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women,” they said, “So what do you say?” Jesus famously stated; “Let you without sin cast the first stone.”

Some seem to interpret this story as a “do not judge” sort of thing – that love and grace are more important than our actions, that sin is unimportant, that repentance is not necessary, and that if Jesus canceled judgement, then so should we. Yet given the context of this story, the above interpretation could not be any more wrong! To say that Jesus ignored her sin completely devalues their encounter and entirely misses the point. Jesus did not ignore her sin, nor did He cancel it or treat it lightly. Jesus recognized a sinful woman in dire need of mercy. He expected her to reject her sin, and then He led her to repentance. After all, every sinner needs repentance, always and forever.

This woman had repented, and this is what caused Jesus to extend His forgiveness and invite her to follow Him. Otherwise, she would not have been forgiven. How do we know this? Because of what He said. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Notice that she called Him Lord, implying that she had rejected her sin, repented, and had submitted to His Lordship. Therefore, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, emphasis mine). The Bible doesn’t tell us anything more about this woman, but I believe that she completely abandoned her sinful lifestyle and faithfully followed Jesus. Broken as she was, she had repented before Him, and His words of “Go, and sin no more” opened the door to her freedom!

Here’s something that completely overwhelms me. In each of these stories, there was a response initiated by both parties – by the sinner and by the Redeemer. It is absolutely amazing to me how the Lord will turn His attention toward us when we repent. He is so very loving and patient. His goodness leads us to repentance. No greater love exists. Come with your whatever scraps you have left, come with your addictions, come with your raw and bleeding wounds, come just as you are, but please come.

If the Lord is drawing you to repentance, act upon it immediately before it is too late. The Lord is commanding people everywhere to repent. He will run to you and make you His own.

If I could sum this up, here is what I would say; there is freedom, dear reader. No matter the struggle, no matter the depth of root, no matter the abuse that has bound you, no matter the heartache, no matter the chains digging into your skin, freedom is available, and it begins with true repentance. Come to Jesus and He will not cast you aside. Forgiveness and new life await.

“Lord, I come before You in need of forgiveness. I have sinned against You and I have sinned against others. I know that I need to serve You with my whole life, so therefore I make the decision to repent; to turn away from my sins and to turn towards You. Cleanse me from my sin, create in me a clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior.”

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