Counterfeit RepentanceRock of Offence CommentaryIt has been a long held belief in some Christian groups that God requires "penance" before He will completely forgive any sins committed. Penance includes any act of self-punishment to demonstrate repentance for a sin or wrongdoing. Penance has been taken to extremes in the past including such things as beating yourself, crawling for long distances on your knees, saying some prayer over and over, denying yourself some comfort or luxury or somehow punishing yourself to demonstrate to God how sorry you are for sinning against Him. Many Christians fall into a more subtle form of penance by staying under the guilt of a particular sin for days, weeks or even months after confessing it to God. They think it is wrong for them to experience immediate freedom and so go about to punish themselves through guilt and condemnation, forgetting that Jesus bore all punishment for their sin. It is an easy trap to fall into since we have an enemy of the faith who encourages this type of self-punishment. PENANCE IS NOT A NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT. It is not Biblical. It came from religious tradition as a way sinful people could prove their devotion and sincerity to God. The problem is that CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION. Religion is man attempting through his good deeds and works to gain the acceptance of God. Christianity is God reaching down to sinful man and redeeming (saving) him. We can prove nothing to God. God already knows all of our strengths, weaknesses and the emptiness of our promises. God's salvation requires no contribution from us except our cooperation in receiving it. Penance is a form of repentance based on works and performance instead of the cross of Christ and is, therefore, a false form of repentance. God makes it clear in His Word that you are to apply what Jesus did to your sin, confess it, get up and go on as if you never sinned. You are not to stay one second longer under sin's guilt than is necessary. God wants you immediately free! Repentance means that you were walking one way and now you decide you'll walk another way. Sometimes it involves emotion. When some people become aware of how their past life has grieved God and others, it brings them to tears. Other people have authentic repentance yet show no emotion at all. Emotion or emotionalism is not repentance. Repentance is a change of heart, attitude, and direction. |
