True Repentance

INTRODUCTION

            It was six a.m. in the morning.  Rachel woke up early, but it wasn't in her own bed-nor was it the bed of her husband, Elohim. Rachel was having an affair with another man and she was feeling slightly devilish at the fact of her unfaithful fling.  Waking up in a cold sweat, Rachel contemplated bringing her sequence of sin to an end.  After all, she was a member of clergy-an associate pastor in fact-and she felt that it probably wasn't the "right" thing to do.  While Rachel lay next to her still sleeping collaborator, she thought about the progression of her sultry and sinful affair. Meanwhile, her faithful husband, Elohim began his morning prayers for his wife and his family.  If ever there were a true and righteous person alive, it was Elohim.  He loved his family despite any inconvenient circumstance or malady; he prayed more than any other person in the church; he served his family, friends and church without regard to himself and with virtuous vigor; no one ever had a grievance against Elohim; they all appreciated and valued him; he gave more than anyone else and never asked for anything in return-well, almost nothing.  All he wanted was love-true love.  But for some ill-fated reason, love seemed to evade him.  Although he did everything for his wife, family and church they all seemed so very distant from him.  He was estranged to love.

 Sadly, this is a true story, but the characters and setting have been changed to bring emphasis to what will be studied in the next few pages of this article.  The harlot-like woman named Rachel represents all sinners on this earth, and Elohim, of course, represents God. The true environment in this short allegory is the condition of our spirit man-something that cannot be seen with our own eyes.  The setting of this story is now; the people are real; the subject is our genuine repentance; the issue will be how we respond to God's invitation to love, serve and follow Him. The purpose of this article will be to bring a clear understanding of what is involved in authentic repentance.

HAVE YOU COMMITTED ADULTERY AGAINST GOD?

The reason the above illustration is so powerful is because this is exactly how God views those who turn away from Him to other gods, idols, possessions, people, money, drugs, alcohol, etc., etc.  He compares those who walk away from Him, or who were never with Him, to a harlot or adulterer who seeks after strange flesh:

Then the Lord said to me, "Go again and love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods... Hosea 3:1

Ephraim is joined to idols,...they commit harlotry continually. Hosea 4:17-18

But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. Ezekiel 16:15

And I [God] will judge you as women who break wedlock... Ezekiel 16:38

Any individual who is not seeking God's will and trusting Him by faith is considered by God to be a prostitute.  They are prostituting themselves with those things that bring temporary pleasure; they are seeking their own will and have turned away to other "men" (metaphorically speaking).   That may be strong language, but that is exactly how God sees it.  If you are estranged to God seeking your own will and not the desires of God's heart, you are playing the harlot and committing adultery against God. If you are estranged to God when you die, you will make your eternal abode in a lake of fire.  The only way to remedy this is by repenting of your sins and embracing the will of God.

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death...Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years...But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Revelation 2:11; 20:6; 21:8 NKJV

What really goes on in a person's mind when they finally decide to walk away from their temporary lover and return to their spouse?  I have no clue.  But I believe that it is probably similar to any sin that we take pleasure in, finally seeing the emptiness of it, and ultimately returning to the Lord (Eze. 16:28; Hos. 3:5). What usually brings about real repentance is a message that is delivered to someone that is willing to listen.  In the case of someone returning to the Lord, true repentance comes when the Holy Spirit pricks the calloused heart of those in sin to come back to the Lord.

Many times a message of repentance is given and people refuse to listen; when this happens impending disasters and dilemmas come as a result of disobedience-not God sending, but Him allowing them to come.  When these situations arise that are out of man's control many will look to God for rescue.  It takes drastic situations for humans to realize that they should not put their trust in anything this world has to offer-especially not themselves. God's purpose in allowing trials to come our way may be viewed as His intimate desire for fellowship with mankind.  There is nothing more powerful than when a child injures himself and they come running to mommy or daddy. That is the picture humans should retain in their minds when seemingly "bad" things happen. Question: if a person was on the road to an everlasting and unquenchable hell and a large piece of debris fell from the sky cutting off their legs in which they could no longer walk the road, would that be a bad thing?  If a person received an incurable disease by default that led to their early demise, yet established an intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ through the process, was the disease a "bad" thing? It is the so-called "bad" things that lead us to an avenue that is beyond ourselves, one that often leads directly to God-the One who ultimately knows what lies at the end of the road of life that a person is traveling upon.  Many individuals in the Bible repented of their sins and former lifestyle when they were faced with ostensible obstacles of pain and peril (e.g., Jonah, David, etc.).

REPENTANCE IS A BIG WORD

Today, the church is full of feel-good sermons preached by motivational speakers in an attempt to draw a crowd.  Words like sin, conviction and even Jesus are the furthest from any ear in these fanciful seminars on "how to have the abundant life."  The word repentance is also a word that is rarely heard in these thirty-minute infomercials that have been mistaken as churches. Ask any average churchgoer the definition of the word repentance and there will be several different responses.  Some believe that repentance involves being "sad" about sin.  Others have no idea what the word means and could care less. Renewal Theology, a classic Charismatic textbook on systematic theology, makes a great assertion about repentance:

The climactic moment that makes for regeneration is the moment of repentance. For it is in repentance that a person turns form the old to the new, from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to the power of God, from the way of destruction to the way of eternal salvation....it is important to stress...that if he now turns to God, he will be fully received.[1]

 Needless to say, the word repentance is highly important; so much so that Jesus' first public sermon was to "repent" (Matt. 4:17).  Jesus' forerunner, John the Baptist, also centered his ministry on the concept of repentance (Matt. 3:2). Carefully read these words that Jesus spoke:

I tell you...unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 (Emphasis mine).

            Many churches get caught up in preaching that as long as you "believe" in God and His Son, Jesus Christ everything will be just fine; that with this formula a person will be "secured" of a heavenly home with God.  But is that really the truth?  Has someone-or some self-proclaimed theologian-merely chosen what scriptures they wanted to select to fabricate their outlandish doctrine?  Have they embraced the "love" of God while throwing out His other side-wrath?  I must say that many churches have; they teach a one-sided, far-fetched, extreme doctrine that all that is necessary is "believing in God." How can this be truth when the Bible declares that the demons believe in God and tremble (Jas. 2:19)? No, belief without repentance will not get you any closer to heaven than the leg-iron chained demon crying out for a drip of contaminated water in hell's hottest flame.  The Bible makes it very plain that repentance brings forth life (Acts 11:18).  It is also clear that believing alone will not cut it-repentance is the key to surrendering a selfish life to accept the will of God wholeheartedly (Luke 8:13).

For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of the cross. And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled...If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard...  Colossians 1:19-21, 23a NKJV (emphasis mine).

ETYMOLOGY

            The Hebrew and Greek words for repentance are pivotal in understanding what is required of individuals in their response toward God. The Hebrew words shuv and teshuvah indicate that a person must "return to the Lord." The Greek word, Metanoe, means, "to completely refocus attention with the mind, and go in the proper direction."

 A good illustration of repentance is imagining that a pilot is flying south toward Mexico when, in actuality, his desired destination is Canada.   If the pilot is looking forward to bear hunting in the Canadian Rockies and canoeing the white waters of Alberta, Canada's choicest rivers, then flying due south will not cut it. In fact, when the pilot lands in Mexico he will be overdressed and ill equipped to handle the much different Mexican environment. If the pilot is to ever to reach the Canadian landscape of his dreams, he must decide to refocus his attention on the goal, regain his composure, re-route his flight plans, study the map, and turn his plane around in the other direction. 

            Conversely, if a sinner has his mind set on the crystal seas, pearly gates, and golden streets of heaven, but finds himself on the express elevator to hell, he must repent.  There is no other option.  On interstate 75, a route from Michigan to Florida, there is only a north and southbound lane; you cannot go east or west.  The same is true of man's final destination after death. Everyone will end up in one of two places: heaven or hell. There will be no middle ground. Although some religions teach that there will be a probationary period after death for a second chance, it is simply not found in the Bible.

 Repentance, then, involves refocusing on the goal of heaven, slapping some rubbing alcohol on the face, chugging a 2-liter of the highest caffeine drink that can be found, re-establishing a genuine relationship with God, reading God's Word, and turning your back on anything that has the smell of smoke on it.  It means that a person must learn what God approves, and what He hates. A person does this by meditating on God's Word, the Bible, and through prayer.

            Probably one of the most well known scriptures concerning repentance is second Corinthians 7:10-11.  Here Paul lays the groundwork concerning the many facets of repentance:

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: what diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. (emphasis mine).

            First, Paul makes a contrast between godly and worldly sorrow.  Godly sorrow will bring a person to the gate of repentance and reestablishment of a relationship with God; worldly sorrow brings a person to the gate of selfishness, and ultimately death.  When people cry over a Christian loved one who has gone on to be with the Lord, they are not crying for that person, they are crying for themselves. Worldly sorrow is self-centered, godly sorrow is God-centered. (Note: there is nothing wrong with grieving over a loved one-I simply used this as a contrast between worldly and godly sorrow.)

 Secondly, Paul wanted the young church at Corinth to meditate (intently observe) on what happened through their genuine repentance.  In this small paragraph lies the complete fundamental teaching of repentance:

1. They had the godly sorrow necessary for repentance; in other words, they had a truly God-inspired sorrow unto repentance.  They were no longer focusing on themselves, but were focusing on God and others.
2. It produced diligence in them. They became steadfast and unwavering.
3. They cleared up their lives by walking away from sin.
4. They were infuriated at their sin; they came to hate the very thing that God hated with a righteous anger. They turned against their sin with indignation.
5. They gained a new reverence for God; before they feared no one, now they feared God.
6. They were now on fire for the Lord and came to desire His will; they had a vehement desire for God.
7. They were now very bold in their faith; they demonstrated an earnestness and zeal like never before.
8. They sought after justice; they wanted true vindication. They were justified (made righteous) before God.

If a person has truly repented before the Lord it will be quite obvious.  They will no longer be motivated by selfishness or greed; they will not play games by remaining in sin and tempting the Lord out of disrespect and irreverence; they will not love, or even like sin, or approve of it in others; they will not think that praying, reading the Bible, witnessing and going to church are chores to be looked down upon; they will not desire evil to go unpunished-but will abhor even modern society's description of "approved" sins like: homosexuality (Rom. 1:25-27), abortion (Exo. 20:13; Jer. 1:5), and "legalized" anything that God says is wrong.

I have to confess that there are times in the past that I have approved of so-called "acceptable" sins.  I didn't openly endorse these shameful sins, but I did find myself being entertained by the world's so-called humor. When the secular media makes light of sins like homosexuality in the movies and on television, and Christians entertain themselves by viewing and laughing at programs that contain blatant homosexual behavior, they are saying that they approve of that conduct. When a Christian laughs at unclean humor in the workplace, they are approving of it. I once read a sign in a workplace that read:

If the manager sees something wrong and does not say anything about it, they have approved it as being acceptable conduct in a working environment.

            Even if Christians say that they are against homosexuality, abortion, racial discrimination, sex outside of marriage (which reminds me, there is a disgraceful book out in the Christian market that is actually called: Single, Saved and Having Sex), adultery, covetousness, indebtedness (I have personally seen many Christians with more credit cards than spaces for them in their wallets; "what do you have in your wallet?"), even dressing seductively, and a host of other so-called minor and "tolerable" sins, they are, in reality, approving of them (Rom. 2:32). This attitude of wavering on the fence and not wanting to offend others, or confront them in their sin, is a dark hole in the heart that must be flushed out by repenting and embracing God's holiness.

 Many self-professing Christians have been infiltrated by a secular humanist worldview of tolerance and relativity; they have been desensitized by the media's humor and "light" approach to these despicable sins.  Christians must take a stand for God's holiness; they must confront sin head-on, stop approving of immoral acts-even laughing at tainted humor, and articulate God's disapproval against the world's suitable sins that are tearing away at the moral fabric of our society.

When they sin against You, (for there is no one who does not sin) and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them away captive to a land far or near; Yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have sinned, and have done wrong and committed wickedness; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You. 2 Chronicles 6:36-39 NKJV ( underline emphasis mine).

TRUE AND FALSE REPENTANCE

            There are two people in the Bible that epitomize both true and false repentance: David and Saul.  Most Bible readers know their respective stories very well, but others have no clue who David and Saul were and the circumstances involving their sin and supposed repentance.

            Almost a millennium before Christ was born, two very different kings ruled the affairs of Israel-Saul and David.  The first king, Saul, was chosen by the people against the recommendations of the prophet Samuel and God (I Sam. 7); Saul proved to be a weak king and was guilty of what many would think were very insignificant violations against the Lord. In fact, the insurrection and disobedience that cost him his throne involved not killing "all" the people and animals that God said to destroy; he failed to heed the voice of the Lord when he attacked the Amalekites.  This was the command from the Lord:

 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 1 Samuel 15:3 KJV

            Saul had a divine command to destroy everything that was connected to the Amalekites: the men, women, babies, and animals; but Saul failed in his mission.  He took the best animals as spoil and spared the life of their king, Agag (15:9). When Samuel confronted him, King Saul had one excuse after another for his rebellious actions. First, he said that the spoils of war were only kept so that they could be sacrificed to God (1 Sam. 15:15). Secondly, he placed the blame on the people and not himself (15:21). Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that God was not concerned with sacrifices or outward deeds that appear to be righteous; God wanted him to obey Him and take Him at His word (15:22). For this rebellion, God stripped Saul of his anointing as king and issued an order for Samuel to anoint a new king (1 Sam. 16:1); a king that would have the desires of God's heart-his name was David, the smallest shepherd in the family of Jesse.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day...But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul... 1 Samuel 16:13-14 NKJV

            Eventually, through the course of several tragic events for King Saul, David became a mighty king.  King David was a valiant man of war and fought bravely with his own men, until a certain season came along.  One spring, when kings usually go out to battle, David stayed at home; this idle time brought trouble for David (2 Sam. 11). One evening David arose from bed and took a midnight stroll along the palace rooftop.  What happened in the next few moments changed David's life forever.  As he walked along the roof he peered down below into the house of Uriah, where Bathsheba was bathing in the nude.  David's sexual appetite was awakened at this sight and he immediately inquired about Bathsheba. Soon David and Bathsheba were caught in the middle of the Bible's most illustrious affairs.  This was not David's only transgression, however; shortly after this took place, David made sure that Bathsheba's husband was killed; he put Uriah on the front lines of battle where he knew Uriah would not stand a chance.  David murdered Bathsheba's husband, Uriah.  In the course of these events, David actually transgressed all ten of the commandments of the Lord:

1.      It started as David coveted (earnestly desired) something that wasn't his-Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:2-3).

2.      When Bathsheba became pregnant, David tried to cover it all up with a lie.  He tried to get Uriah to go sleep with his wife so he would think that the child was his (11:8).

3.      David stole something that belonged to God and another man-Bathsheba (11:4).

4.      David committed adultery with Bathsheba (11:4).

5.      David murdered Uriah (11:15).

6.      By these sinful actions, David dishonored his parents.

7.      The other four commandments were also broken as they are vertical toward God. David transgressed all four by putting his own desires above God's. The four other commandments are centered on fear and reverencing the Lord, but David showed no respect for God when he committed these atrocious sins.

Why was Saul's sin so much greater than David's? Why would the Lord strip Saul of his throne, and eventually kill him when David's sins were far greater? Or were they? When God appointed Samuel to choose a new king, God specifically told him not to look at the outer appearance of David, but to understand that God is concerned with the heart (I Sam. 16:7). Saul's sins may have appeared to be less than David's, but it is the way that they handled their sin that shows who God approved and disapproved.  You will remember that when Saul was confronted with his transgression he only made excuses and blamed other people. This is the classic approach that people usually take when they are confronted with their own sin; even Adam and Eve blame shifted when they were asked why they broke the one rule they were to follow (Gen. 3:12-13).  When Saul finally admitted his guilt, his feeble attempt at repentance was made evident when he insisted that Samuel act as if he had not committed any wrong; he wanted Samuel to parade around with him in the city streets to show that God had approved of his victory, and thus his actions.  God refused Saul and, therefore, so did Samuel.  Samuel would not associate with a man who had not fully repented when his delinquent actions were manifest.  Samuel was demonstrating the proper behavior of a man who desired to be in God's will and abstain from mingling with sinful men. He knew that association brings assimilation!

When Nathan confronted David with a message of repentance, David sought how he could make things right with God.  He understood his sin and was grieved over it. When Nathan gave David a parable about a rich man who stole a poor man's only sheep, David became infuriated at what he heard, wanting to immediately vindicate the wronged man. Sadly, David was the offender and he came to realize this fact. In the book of Psalms, there is a beautiful poem of repentance that all Christians should become familiar with; many feel that David wrote this psalm after he committed his transgressions against the Lord. I want to share portions of this psalm as they apply to this study:

• David had a godly sorrow because of his sin:

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart- Psalm 51:16-17 NKJV

• David sought to be steadfast and diligent:

...Renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10b NKJV

• David sought to cleanse his life:

Create in me a clean heart, O God... Psalm 51:10a NKJV

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2 NKJV

• David wanted to confront the issue of sin head on by teaching other sinners the proper way:

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways and sinners will be converted to You. Psalm 51:13 NKJV

• David understood the position he was in and what God had done to Saul. He reverenced and feared the Lord:

Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:11 NKJV

• David had a earnest desire for God and the things of God:

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation... Psalm 51:12a NKJV

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. Psalm 51:15 NKJV

• David demonstrated a zeal for God:

My tongue shall sing loud of Your righteousness. Psalm 51:14b

• David desired justice.

Do good in Your good pleasure... Psalm 51:18

...that You may be found...blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4

            Recently, a gentleman came to me and asked if I watched a certain minister on television. I had not heard the name so I told him that I was not familiar with the man or his ministry.  He proceeded to tell me that the minister stood on stage and told the audience that people who are in prison should not be visited by Christians; that they are not only the outcasts of society, but by God Himself.  He went as far as to say that these men and women were degenerates who had "lost their salvation" and there was no hope for them.  Sadly, this man was preaching on television and demonstrated the fact that he had no knowledge of God or the Bible.  David is a prime example of someone who committed some of the most heinous crimes against God and humanity, yet God said he was a man after His own heart (1 Sam. 13:14).  In all respects, David was a felon who should have been in prison. God spared him of that humiliation but he still lost his first son from his union with Bathsheba.  He was also told that the "sword" of violence would never leave his house and his own sons would continuously fight each other (2 Sam. 12:10, 14). 

            Man judges other men by the things they can see; but he does not have any way at looking at the heart.  Only God knows the heart (1 kings 8:39). While we should be concerned with our actions, as they reveal our heart, we should more concerned with condition of our heart. If our heart is right, the actions will naturally follow.  However, and the reason men should not judge other men, is because "good" works can be duplicated by unholy men.  Many religious groups try to obtain perfection with God by doing "good" things.  Sadly, it is the heart that God is looking at. So many religious groups and cults have no understanding about this issue.  They say to abstain from  adulterous actions, but they fail to realize that their thoughts are just as important to God.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘ You shall not commit adultery.' "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV

  A person can be like the Pharisees, the Jewish lay religious leaders and seminarians of Jesus' time, who offer God lip service; who stay away from everything that is deemed evil; who go to synagogue always; who thank God that they are not like the other sinners; who keep themselves ceremonially clean; who confront others in sin; and you will still go to hell (Luke 18:9-14). This is not the righteousness that God is looking for. He wants a person with clean hands AND a clean heart. He wants us to judge that others are doing wrong only to keep ourselves separated from sin and the enticements that can lure us in so easily (1 Cor. 5). He wants us to stay clean so we can be an example to an unholy world and so we can have a dramatic effect for God's kingdom here on earth. He wants us to make a genuine turn toward Him in repentance and not mere duplication of a supposed "good" work (Rom. 3:10).

For I [Jesus] say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the...Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:28 NKJV

DANIEL'S PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

 One of my favorite prayers concerning repentance and forgiveness is in the book of Daniel. Indeed, this small book in the middle of the Bible can teach Christians some very vital lessons.  This book contains some of the Bible's most beloved stories, like escaping a den of lions and a fiery furnace by faith, and the humbling of a proud king; but they are much more than that; they are a blueprint for serving the Lord.

 One element that is not preached very often is the pivotal repentance of the prophet Daniel on behalf of the people. Daniel had witnessed the Israelites transgressions against God.  He had observed their sin and understood full well the afflictions that they had brought upon themselves-being enslaved to the Babylonian Gentiles (Daniel 9:24; 2 Chr. 36:21). Daniel knew he had to act as a mediator for a sinful nation.  So he took a righteous leap and stood in the gap for the people. Daniel stepped in as an intercessor for Israel.  He was their go-between; he stood in between God and the people and was willing to repent on the peoples' behalf.  Unlike the account of King Saul, Daniel accepted responsibility as a leader of the people. When he prayed, even though he was not guilty, he included himself in his prayer of repentance:

"O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name." ... I was speaking, praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God. Daniel 9:19-20 NKJV

            There are several components to this Scripture that should be understood to get a full comprehension of Daniel's repentance and prayer for forgiveness.  First, Daniel's prayer for repentance was not eight pages long.  He didn't feel like he needed to impress God with a long, drawn out prayer. In fact, the Bible says that individuals will not be heard for their lengthy prayers (Matt. 23:14).  Thirty-one words from the heart will get more accomplished than thirty minutes of fleshly prayer.  The Bibles says that God is in heaven and we are on earth, so we should let our words be few (Ecc. 5:2). This simply means that we should reverence God and understand our present position-being careful to not step out of bounds in what we say, and especially what we think.  One thing that Christians must understand is that they cannot deceive God with "good" outward actions when their heart is corrupt.  People may be able to convince others that they are righteous, but they will not influence God.  God does not look on the outward appearance, but on the heart.  His ways are not our ways.  Our way is to look at another person and view their actions; God's way is to look at the spirit of man to determine his or her genuineness.

Secondly, after reviewing Daniel's prayer, a person who has decided to truly repent should pray with a heart of thankfulness that God hears that prayer. Daniel's prayer begins with, "O Lord, Hear..." Further along in his prayer he says, "O Lord, listen."  There is a difference between "hearing" and "listening."  When it comes to repentance, God will perceive that a person is either genuine or not. God knows this before you ever ask it, but for the sake of human understanding and the human time element, the process of forgiveness comes in between the perception of your repentance and God hearing the rest of the prayer. The human process is found in Daniel's prayer, "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord Listen!" God is not limited by time-He has already forgiven you based on the response that you make before you make it.  But, in order for God to "pre-forgive" you, you must "now" confess. Does that make sense?  This is when He turns His face around to you and takes the earplugs out of His ears (1 Pet. 3:12)! Perceiving that a person is authentic in repentance will open God's ears faster than anything else.  It is after the perception and validation that God "hears" the entirety of your prayers. When a person is not following after God's will, God will not hear any prayer that they pray-except the true prayer of repentance.  God's Word is abundantly clear on this:

If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear. Psalm 66:18 NKJV 

For what is the hope of the hypocrite...will God hear his cry...? Job 27:9

The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

            There are five verbs that Daniel petitions the Lord with in his prayer.  The first three were just covered: 1) hear; 2) forgive; and 3) listen.  The last two verbs involved in Daniel's prayer deal with what he expected God to do because of his intercession on behalf of himself and the people.  This brings me to comment about something that I have written before.  Daniel cried out to God because the Israelites were in bondage-the prayer was prompted through the problem that they were facing as a people. Had they not been in bondage, Daniel would not have prayed the prayer.  There is another side to this, however; if the people had not rebelled, there would be no need for a problem, and therefore no need for a solution, which Daniel had expected to receive from the Lord through genuine repentance. This is why God allows His people to go through problems and pain-it is to bring us into a closer walk with Himself.  Many times it prompts true repentance.

            Daniel understood the vision of the seventy weeks as the real meaning was given to him by interpretation (9:23). The seventy weeks represented the seventy years that the nation of Israel was to be enslaved because of their disobedience to God's will (9:25).  This was actually a blessing for Daniel and the people based on Daniel's mediation in repentance for the entire nation. God had granted Israel an understanding of their rebellion and when it would be lifted based on Daniel's prayer of repentance. Even though the consequences of Israel's rebellion were not immediately lifted, they were still given hope; they knew how to prepare and what to do when they were finally released from their bondage.  God had given them an exact time frame when they would finally be free.  Not knowing when you are going to be free is very unsettling. It would be very hard to plan a future in freedom if the person never knew when they would be free.  That is probably why many of the American slaves never left their masters after the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln in 1863. The freedom was announced but many did not hear of it, nor were they prepared for this freedom. Had the people been given a few years to plan what they would do when they finally achieved freedom, the outcome would have probably been much different.  

            Sadly, many people are still in bondage to sin because they do not understand that they were liberated when Jesus Christ shed His blood more than 2,000 years ago. They fail to realize that they must accept this fact by faith and turn from their former captivity to freedom in Christ. This is evident from the vast fall-away percentage (80-90%) of those who commit to Christ at an altar and remain in their sinful lifestyle.[2] When someone shares the good news of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, many people jump up and down in church because their emotions are running on high-octane; but because they did not set their mind on freedom, nor did they understand what was really happening, the next day they fall right back in the same situation-or even worse.  There was no plan to reconstruct their life based on this newfound freedom.  The only life that these individuals knew was the life of sin.  They did not replace the sin with the Holy Spirit who can direct the believer into a life pleasing to Christ (Matt. 12:43-45).

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin...for sin shall not have dominion over you... Romans 6:6-7, 14 NKJV

Before the Biblical prophets of old would construct a message of repentance for the people they would rebuke the nation for what they were doing wrong and what they should do right to reconcile with God. They would also reveal the judgments that were upon them, or that would come, if they did not turn away from their sins (Jer. 16; Eze. 3). Through this, the prophet would establish a plan for eventual freedom, and cultivate the people's hearts for a genuine change.  After the prophet finished his discourse the people knew their sin, what they must do to be in God's will, and they knew how to establish true and acceptable repentance (Ref. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others).  Every person who has repented before God has an obligation to teach God's ways to others:

Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.  Ezekiel 3:20 NKJV

CONCLUSION

            In a certain manners and customs book that I have, it tells of a very strange method of punishment that was sometimes invoked upon criminals by the Romans. The Romans would tie the condemned criminal face-to-face with a dead corpse allowing the person to walk around in shame within the city limits-that is, until the effluvia eventually took their life.  Sometimes this took days, even weeks to accomplish; it was, indeed, a repulsive method of punishment.[3]

Before a person makes the choice to make an authentic repentance toward God this is every sinners unseen condition.  Every unrepentant sinner is unknowingly walking around with a dead corpse attached to his or her body. Until humans make the choice to follow God's will, they are tied together, to their shame, with a slow death that will eventually take them to the eternal prison of hell (Rom. 7:24).

 The elements of true repentance is something that can be taught, but the person's choice to ultimately turn away from sin to the presence of the Lord rests on their shoulders-and theirs alone.  If a person never chooses to walk away from their comfortable lifestyle of sin, their final destiny will be an eternity of flames in hell. God gives every man the same opportunity on this side of heaven to mount an insurrection to the throne of their heart and impeach whatever is there that is hindering them from a genuine relationship with God. When impeachment has come another ruler must be placed on the throne-in authentic repentance, that Ruler will be Jesus Christ.

 True repentance is much more than a solitary movement of the hand in a three-minute altar call; even the failures of King David demonstrate that authentic repentance involves a process over a period of time. True repentance blooms in the spirit of man in response to a message of hope.  It may begin in the emotions of an altar call; but it must be finalized by implementing every necessary ingredient to enact a change of direction from an old lifestyle of sin and selfishness, to an anti-hedonistic life that is pleasing to God.  

...there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7 NKJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

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            Oh, if you wondering about what finally happened to Elohim and Rachel-the couple that introduced this article-here's the details: Rachel had a great awakening. One day her heart began to burn for something more than lust or any temporary pleasure could give her.  She had a sorrow that made her take a deep evaluation of the direction of her life.  She began to have small glimpses into a horrible future and came to realize the consequences of not returning to her husband, her first love. Ultimately, she asked Elohim for forgiveness and repented of her former lifestyle.  She walked away from the man she was secretly seeing and clung to her husband, and him alone. She had an exclusive passion for Elohim that drove them into a new honeymoon period-one that was greater than the first. Needless to say, Elohim took his adulterous and unclean wife, bathed her and decorated her in the finest garments and jewels and loved her like she had never ever left him.  He found what He was looking for.  The love that He gave came back to Him...

So can you.

[1] Williams, J. Rodman. Renewal Theology (Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan Pub. Ó1996) vol. 2. p. 133.

[2] Comfort, Ray. Hell's Best Kept Secret (New Kensington, PA. Whitaker House Pub. Ó1989) p. 9.

[3] Freeman, James. Manners & Customs of the Bible (New Kensington, PA. Whitaker House Pub. Ó1996)

              p. 854. # 860.

Copyright 2008, Scott E. Smith