Daily Journal: 14 April

Conscience and Repentance

What does repentance mean?

Sincere regret or remorse (Oxford Dictionary)

The Greek word for ‘repentance’ is ‘metanoia’. Some translators agree ‘metanoia’ can be better translated into the English word ‘conversion’. Commonly, biblical repentance is understood to mean to turn and go in the opposite direction.

When I had a conversion experience, I recognised my sin before God and turned my life over to Christ. I declared He is the Lord over all and I repented of my sin. Repenting of my sin meant I made a decisive, converting action to turn from my old way of life and begin living differently. I confessed my sinful state to the Lord God to receive His forgiveness because He is author of my life. This repentant conversion led to a life where I want to live in a way that pleases God. But I need His help.

I realise I can glaze over my sinful nature without considering it before the Lord. Sin always needs to be considered before the Lord, not before my own conscience.

What is the conscience?

A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour (Oxford Dictionary)

Even though God’s given me my conscience to check my behaviour, it cannot be my only barometer for right or wrong. My own conscience is dulled by my own permissions, the condition of my soul, or lifestyles I may be influenced by around me. If I am my own conscience controller, I fall into the trap of thinking I’m either quite good really, or not good enough. I don’t have ‘much’ to be repentant for. I’m not ‘too bad’. I could ‘work on’ a few things. Or, I can feel bad all the time for just being me. Neither marks true repentance, forgiveness, or grace.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

A guilty conscience is useful to recognise sin but not useful to live under once I have recognised my sin and turned it over to Christ and received His grace. Repentant people don’t carry a guilty conscience, we carry a redeemed conscience and a repentant heart.

Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

In revisiting my conscience before the Lord, and the state of my heart, I can continue to ask myself, is what I’m doing honouring to God?

God doesn’t turn a blind eye to my sin. I am called to humble myself before Him and repent.

I pray that our desire should be to make things right before you, Lord God, all the time. I thank you that you help me to change because I can’t do it on my own. I thank you that your gift of grace forgives my sin and allows me to live without condemnation, but a-new in you.