RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-05-31	Is My Repentance Real If I Keep Committing The Same Sin?
		Does true repentance mean that we never ask forgiveness for the same sin twice? This is a very common question that an honest Christian has to ask. If my repentance is genuine, why do I keep confessing the same sin? The question of repeated sinning in the light of the demand for holiness in our lives is challenging indeed (1Pe.1:15-17). Then there are the warnings of faith without a change is dead faith (Ja.2:14-26) How can you still walk in your sin when you have died to Christ (Ro.6:2)? The Bible speaks to Christians not needing “repentance” for daily sins, but of “confessing” daily sins. Just do a search for “repent,” or “repentance” in your Bible to see how it is used. It seems apparent that Christians do sin every day. Jesus said alongside “Give us this day our daily bread,” to “forgive us our debts.” Jesus would not have said these if there was not a need for daily forgiveness. Sin is a condition of the heart that is bent away from God in preference of other things. Sadly, sin will be with us until Jesus comes and redeems, by resurrection and glorification, our sinful flesh. The New Testament does not tell us to repent for daily activity or acknowledging those sins. Rather, the word repentance in the New Testament refers to a more basic and fundamental change of mind like when we were first saved (Ac.3:19; 20:21). If our life takes a terrible turn away from the Lord, we will need repentance to turn around from the current direction. So, the New Testament does not use the word “repentance” for daily recurring sin. Rather, it uses the word “confession” for the daily recurring sins in our lives. 1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. So what about sins that we commit more than once that threaten our assurance of salvation? There are two kinds or levels of confession and two kinds of sin. Confession Type 1: there is confession that at one level is expressing guilt and sorrow for sinning. But underneath there is the quiet assumption this sin is going to happen again. This kind of confession is superficial. It is a cloak for fatalism about your besetting sins. You feel bad about them, but you have surrendered to their inevitability. You become at peace with this sin. Confession Type 2: You express guilt and sorrow over sin, but your hatred of the sin is so real that you have every intention of making war on that sin. You aim by the power of the Holy Spirit to defeat it. You will seek out ways to defeat this sin. This is the plan without hypocrisy. Sin Type 1: The kind of sin that blindsides you. It is not premeditated or planned. There is typically no battle in the moment. Before you know it, it is done! Maybe some word that comes out of your mouth. Or maybe some burst of anger over some situation. We cannot excuse these at all. They are still sin. These show something about our hearts even though they are spontaneous and not premeditated. Sin Type 2: The kind of sin that is premeditated. You take the time considering whether to do it or not. You consider it, and you do it. Christians can commit both types of sins. As a result, you can get into patterns for both types of sin. The confession that cloaks fatalism and peace with sin is dangerous. The sins that are premeditated are more dangerous to our souls. To the degree that your sins fall into the category of premeditated unrighteousness, to that degree you should be frightened that you are on a path that may lead to destruction. That is, if your confession has made peace with sins inevitable, you are on a dangerous path. Interestingly, the same book that is the hardest on Christians to not sin, is also the one that teaches against perfectionism (1Jn.1:8-10). Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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