I REPENT! "Pinagsisisihan ko ito!"
That is a lonely thought.
In our "never apologize" society the word "repent"
has practically become an ancient relic delegated to religious fanatics. The Bible teaches, however, that we must repent of our sin. It says you must be willing to:
Repent. . . and turn to God, so that he will
forgive your sins.
Acts 3:19
Please allow me to ask you a few questions:
•Is repentance feeling sorry for your sin?
•Can you repent by showing remorse for your sin?
•Must yourepent in order to receive God's forgiveness for your sin?
•What is repentance?
These are just a few questions which are often asked about repentance. Please consider, however, a much more common attitude towards sin and guilt:
When denial fails
. . always blame others
never plead guilty.
Those words sound much more familiar to most of us than the word "repent." It is really amazing that something so Wrong can seem so right.
Are we honestly willing to accept responsibility for our sins? Aamin ka ba? Is it not true that we frequently
blame others for our sins-ikaw kasi-...siya eh?
Somehow we have allowed the devil
to convince us that we have a rigbt
to deny the truth in order to bide
our ouwn guilt and sin.
Apparently the attitude of blaming others for our guilt describes most of us. Somehow we have allowed the devil to convince us that we have a right to deny the truth in order to hide our own guilt and sin.
Unfortunately, our desire to save face actually separates us from God's
grace. Consequently, we do not experience God's forgiveness for our sins and failures.
One of the most vivid examples of denial turned to blame unfolded nearby very recently.
For decades Japanese officials denied involvement with the so-called "comfort women" of World War II.
These Asian women from various countries in the region
were rumored to have been enslaved in military camps
throughout Asia to fulfill the sexual desires of Japanese
soldiers away from their homeland during the war.
Recent media reports say Tokyo continuously dismissed claims-pinilit na itinatanggi-charging them with abducting thousands of victims who were forced to work as sex slaves in brothels for imperial soldiers from 1932 until the end of World War II in 1945.
Several Asian women came forward recently with horrifying stories of abduction and sexual servitude in
Japanese-run brothels, demanding apologies and financial compensation from Japanese officials. Instead of
admitting guilt for their responsibility in the scandal, Japanese officials initially chose to shift the blame on to others.
According to early reports by the Japanese government, the brothels were the property of private owners-negosyo daw ng iba. Officials insisted that
private businessmen, not the Japanese government, were responsible for the operation of the brothels.
Unhappy with the government's denial of responsibility, many Asian women who were abused by the system
of injustice, along with numerous women's groups and human rights activists, placed increasing pressure on
Japanese officials by demanding the truth.
Finally, after an 18-month investigation, Tokyo
relented and officially acknowledged its participation in these degrading acts of brutalityumamin din. Official statements extended "sincere apologies and remorse to all those.. . who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as
comfort women."The confession admitted that the women "were forced to move with the military
and were deprived of their freedom and had to endure misery."
According to reported estimates, the
Japanese army had forced as many as 200,000 Asian women into sexual slavery.
Typically, denial is man's way of dealing with sin and guilt.
Instead of acknowledging our sin, we first atempt to deny any responsibility. We refuse to accept any blame or guilt. We usually deny any knowledge of the
problem. Ewan, wala akong alam diyan!
Then, when confronted with the facts, we attempt to shift the blame to others. We deny any personal responsibility. Basta, hindi ako kasali! We choose, instead, to place the blame upon someone else.
Finally, when cornered without escape, we reluctantly acknowledge our sin. Still, however, we attempt to deny any future responsibility toward others for our
shortcomings and failures.
God doesn't want our excuses. God wants us to repent.
Repentance is not just feeling sorry for your sin. Repentance demands that you turn away from your sin- talikuran mo-and turn to God through the risen Savior, Jesus Christ.Jesus insists:
If anyone wants to come to me, he must
forget himself, carry his cross, and follow me.
Matthew 16:24
Repentance is not just confession. It is rejection of sin and acceptance of Jesus through faith.
St. Paul pleads with you:
So then, my brothers, because of God's
great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.
Romans 12:1
Furthermore, according to the pleas of St. Paul, repentance also demands a change of your mind:
Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.
Romans 12:2
Consequently, as a result of a changed attitude towards sin, you will then know God's desire for your life:
Then you will be able to know the will of
God what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Romans 12:2
If you really want to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and receive His free gift of eternal life you must be willing to lose face by repenting of your
sins and failures. You must be willing to lose face by agreeing with God that you are a sinner (repent) in order to find God's grace (God's forgiveness for your
sins).
I am sorry, Father, for the sin in my life. I want to repent of that sin. I want to confess my sins, and change my attitude about sin in my life. I know I cannot forgive my own sin. I know I need your forgiveness in order to receive your free gift of eternal life. Please forgive me
of my sins. I am willing to turn away from my sinful life, and trust Jesus to save me. I know I will not be perfect.
I know I will continue to commit sin in my daily life, but I don't want to sin. I want you to change me.
Thank you for caring about me.