True, genuine ‘repentance’...will always produce legitimate ‘fruit’, which is the result of a transformed heart that has made a ‘change in direction’ and begins to follow Jesus.

Repentance is not just ‘feeling sorrow’ or ‘feeling bad’ for ‘messing up all the time’ or for being a ‘wretched sinner’. Paul describes that as ‘worldly sorrow’ which is lacking, and will never produce any kind of ‘life’ that we were all in need of finding (John 10:10).

“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.” (2 Cor. 7:10-NLT)

In yesterday’s message (which I hope you read) I left off asking you from what are we actually ‘repenting’ of, or from; and since we know that to repent means ‘to turn’, and have a ‘new way of thinking’...what is it that we are ‘turning from’? If you said ‘sin’ (anything related to the 'flesh nature' Gal. 5:19-21) that would be a decent answer. Now we could break that down into smaller parts, but on the surface, let’s just address the ‘elephant in the room’! If you are still continuing to sin on a regular basis, which most believers admit to doing...than have you truly ‘repented’...or turned from sin? Take a moment with that one.

Oh, but you were told that you’ve been forgiven for all ‘past, present, and future sins’, you say? Would that be like telling your young adult child whom you just gave their first credit card to that all their current, past, and future debts are paid in full because you have a large bank account and have their 'spends' covered?

Some might be asking...’so where does the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus come in to play here?’. Great question! We certainly sing often about the ‘power in the blood’...that ‘takes away our sin’, so let’s turn to 1 John 2 real quick, and let me assure anyone reading here today...that if you go out and stumble, and commit sin today or tomorrow...or just ‘blow it’ this week, and you then experience great regret and shame over what you did and you humble yourself and seek God’s face and ask Him for forgiveness...guess what? He forgives you (2:1) Now rest assured, you will ‘know about it’ because God chastens those whom He loves...and sinning is a good way to experience that ‘chastening’ (Heb. 12:5-12).

What we need to remember though is that ‘repentance’ is not just feeling bad’ and then ‘saying you are sorry’. True repentance involves a turning away from that sin and turning towards following God, or Jesus. And here is where the cleansing power of His blood is released...when you begin to ‘walk in the light as He is in the light’ (1 John 1:7). You need to underline that verse and read it over a time or two as it may take a moment to ‘sink in’.

Do you know what it means to ‘walk in the light as He is in the light’? It means you begin to ‘abide in Him’, otherwise you will never, ever see the fruits of repentance that God is looking for in your life. And we know what happens when there is no lasting fruit. (Matt. 3:10; 7:19;13:30; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:6). Apart from abiding in Jesus...you or I can do nothing (John 15:4-5). And my greatest fear or concern these days is the multitudes of people who were ‘sold’ a ‘counterfeit safe-ticket of salvation gospel’, being assured that they were ‘good’ and no need to worry about their ‘eternal security’. This ‘abiding in Jesus’ talk and ‘sinning no more’ might be for ‘super-saints’ out there but God’s inseparable love would never leave them. These will be the ‘many’ people whom Jesus spoke about in Matt. 7:21-23 who will come to Him in that day...saying...”but Lord...we did all these things in your name!?” And if that triggers a flurry of ‘concern’ in you, then good...it should! Why do you suppose Paul admonished us to ‘examine ourselves’ and take necessary action? (2 Cor. 13:5; 7:1)

Maybe you are feeling a bit of anguish and even frustration right now because you realize that you have ‘fallen short’ in ‘walking in such a way’ for so many years. Friends...most of us have, and I continue to shout it from the housetop that we need to go back and re-examine so many of the scriptures we’ve become proficient at quoting but fall short in applying in our lives, like ‘true repentance’. And I actually have some good and encouraging news to leave you with here today that should help you.

God did not expect us to ‘do this on our own’. It’s impossible to ‘walk as He walked’ (1 John 2:6) unless we are abiding in Him. So how does one know...if...they are truly abiding in Him? Oh...trust me...you’ll know. Let’s review a couple of passages that I touched on yesterday. The first one is found in Acts 2:37-38, where the people falling under conviction at hearing Peter’s message...cried out...”What must we do?” Peter told them to ‘repent, be baptized...and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (This would be the same Holy Spirit that had just fallen on the original group there in vs. 2-4)

In the very next chapter, Peter preaches another sermon to another crowd, admonishing them to “repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that...the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19)

And look what James told us we could expect after one humbles themselves in godly sorrow, repenting as you draw near to God...’for the Lord Himself will lift you up’. (James 4:7-10), Can you imagine what it is like to have the Spirit of Almighty God reach down and ‘lift you up’ and wrap His loving arms around you? The story of the Prodigal son gives us a beautiful picture of what happens when we ‘come to our senses, turn from our sins...and run to God with all our hearts. (Luke 15:17-24). You find yourself in His presence; and we know that ‘in His presence, there is fullness of joy’ (Ps. 16:11)

This is what it is to experience the cleansing power of His love as we turn from sin and run to Him so that He can empower us with His Spirit...in order that we might continue on following Him as He sanctifies us and purifies our hearts from every sin that ensnares us. And if we are ‘doing this correctly’...actually being ‘led by His Spirit’ (which is what the children of God do- Rom. 8:14)...you walk in a freedom unlike anything you have ever known...and I mean that with all my heart. And guess what else you come to experience? You begin to ‘hear His voice’ in order that you can continue to follow Him. (John 10:27). But more on that tomorrow.