Not Satisfied With One's Own Repentance Is True Repentance!

A true repentance is not merely a one-time event but it slowly grows. As the Greek word for repentance is "metanoneia" meaning a change in mind which begets a change in purpose, Romans 12:2 talks about the Christian's walk with the Lord Jesus Christ results to a renewing of one's mind. When the mind is renewed, one must expect a continuous change of mind that results in a change of purpose. A true Christian is never satisfied with one's own repentance showing one's true repentance because it continues to grow in grace. The more one grows in grace, the more one hates one's own sinful nature and this repentance of sin started during salvation then it continues during sanctification.

It is not merely, "Well I repented years ago." and it stops there but rather it grows as a sign of one's true conversion. You cannot say, "Well I repented years ago. I am not repenting now." and you are sorry for whatever shortcomings you had. If you are sorry for your shortcomings and continuing to grow in grace - that is continued repentance. If one does not have any continued repentance, that salvation is doubtful especially if the person claims to be saved but lives so wantonly like the rest of the world.

The loving chastising of the Heavenly Father continues onward. Hebrews 12:5-7 says that whom God loves, He chastises. The pain of chastisement leads the Christian to repent of their sins which results to them growing in grace. The purpose of chastisement is not only out of love but because the repentance is not yet perfect so it must be perfected daily. Romans 7:14-25 also shows how true repentance is as that Paul struggles with sin instead of being enslaved by it, hating the wrong he does and delighting in the Law of God as part of the whole sanctification process.

As Charles H. Spurgeon says, "This day my God I hate sin not because it damns me but because it has done Thee wrong. To have grieved my God is the worst grief to me."