Repentance is part of the everyday human lifestyle both for believers and unbelievers. It is something that we partake in daily, so why is repentance important?
Repentance is important because it is something that we must do to attain a new level of intimacy with God. It is the key to unlocking greater spiritual heights and cementing the believer’s relationship with God.
So it is necessary to understand why repentance is important as a believer in Christ because repentance is a necessary step that facilitates a believer’s spiritual development and growth.
As we intend to further elaborate on this topic, let us briefly discuss next what repentance is.
What Is Repentance?
If you want to know what it is repentance? The Bible defines repentance as a change of mind. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word ‘nacham’ means to feel sorry, to be remorseful.
Then in the New Testament, it is the Greek word ‘metanoia,’ which means a change of mind, in the sense of changing from the old path, and following God, like having a u-turn.
The meaning of these words shows that repentance comes from a deep feeling of remorse that leads to a change of path or mind.
So repentance is a step we have to take to turn over a new leaf when we stop going on the wrong path and make a U-turn. It is what happens when we feel sorry and we want to make amends.
In Christianity, the teaching of repentance is one of the essential doctrines. We are taught that it is very pivotal and almost as if it is what necessitates salvation; that is, if we don’t change from our old path and follow Christ, we cannot be saved. So it is
plausible to say that without repentance, no one can receive the gift of salvation. To take it a step further, we Christians must understand that genuine Christian repentance begins with God.
By this, I mean it is God that first draws us to Himself (John 6: 44). It is God that calls all of humanity to repentance (Acts 17: 30). It is the love of God that draws man closer to God.
As humans, we are utterly depraved. The Bible says we are bent on satisfying our selfish carnal lust (Romans 8: 5), so on our own, we don’t see any need for repentance. We don’t even have what it takes to repent. We instead continue on the wrong path heading to our doom.
But it is God’s infinite love, mercy, and grace that has called all of humanity to genuine repentance. This happens before we get saved and occurs in our daily walk with God as He sanctifies us.
By this, I mean repentance can be in two stages. The first is the step of faith to repent as an unbeliever, which brought about salvation (Acts 3: 8, 19). And the second one is the daily repentance in our everyday walk with God, as He purges and sanctifies us.
The first stage is a general call to repentance; it is God drawing sinners to Himself by calling them to repentance. Acts 3: 19 (NIV) “repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Then when one repents and gets converted, it is through repentance that you grow in your relationship with God and develop spiritually. This is what the Bible means when it says that we should produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3: 8).
That is, there will undoubtedly come a time in our life when we will have to pause, rethink, and make a U-turn, and this happens when we are no longer satisfied with the present path we are on and we want a change.
And this happens every day in our lives because we grow every day by changing paths. This is what repentance is all about. Changing from our old path and following a new path.
We get to repent daily from different evil habits that are keeping us far away from God. Hence repentance necessitates our
spiritual growth, and this answers the question, why is repentance necessary? Let’s discuss this further as we examine why repentance is important to believers.
Why Is Repentance Important To Believers?
If you are wondering why is repentance important to believers? Here is a simple answer. Repentance is important to believers because it is the necessary step that we must take that leads to salvation. It is so important that, without taking that step, you cannot receive the free gift of salvation.
Let me further explain this by saying, first, let us keep in mind that salvation is in two forms, instantaneous salvation, otherwise known as justification, and continuous salvation, also known as sanctification. (For further studies on this, you can check out an article on this blog titled how to believe in Jesus and be saved).
Instantaneous salvation or justification is what happens when one repents and becomes a Christian. Then continuous salvation is what happens daily in our walk with God. He sanctifies us daily by saving us from sinful habits that we engage in that can lead us to our doom.
And this only happens when we repent, so repentance is a necessary step before salvation. It is the step one needs to take before one can be saved.
The Bible says in Proverbs 28: 13 (NIV), “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them find mercy” God will not force salvation on anyone, and God will not force anyone to be sanctified.
God will only reach out and call you. Repentance is the step you must take to answer God’s call to salvation. Through repentance, we receive forgiveness and get purification of our daily sinful habits.
The Bible says in 1 John 1: 9 (NIV), “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Let’s take it further as we try to answer what are the benefits of genuine repentance by enumerating and briefly elaborating on the 10 importance of repentance.
10 Importance Of Repentance 
1. It Shows Honesty And Humility
Honesty means truthfulness and sincerity, and humility means to be void of pride and arrogance. Proud and arrogant people are mostly selfish because they always see themselves and put themselves first and above every other person. They are also dishonest because they will never find any fault in themselves.
So it takes genuine honesty and humility to admit and see that you are wrong and need help; in this way, repentance shows honesty and humility.
2. It Is An Excellent Weapon Against The Devil’s Lies And Tricks
As believers in Christ, whenever we fall into sin, the feeling of shame and guilt engulfs us, and we become scared and try to stay away from the presence of God. By this, I mean we stop engaging in those things that make us feel the warm embrace and communion with God.
At this point, the devil begins to put up false ideas and thoughts in our minds by intensifying the guilt and shame, making us feel as though God hates us for what we have done and will never accept us back.
He will drop ideas on how to hide our sins from God and never open up to God in repentance so that we will continue on that path of sin and remain further away from God.
But the Bible says in 1 John 1: 9 (NIV), “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” If we confess, we repent of it. By this, we will feel that warm embrace and communion we have with God.
Hebrews 4: 16 (NIV) also says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
So God provided the place for repentance so we can use it as a weapon to go against the devil’s lies and antics. So why is repentance important? It is important because it is one of the weapons we use against the devil’s tricks.
3. It Brings Us Back To Christ
Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior don’t mean we won’t fall into sin as time passes. The Bible says though the righteous fall seven times, seven times shall he rise again (Proverbs 24: 16).
So as we walk with God in our spiritual journey, we sometimes fall into sin and stay away from God, but it is in the place of repentance that we can make a U-turn and return to Christ.
So when we think about why repentance is important, we should know it is important because it is a step we take to return to Christ when we fall deeply into sin.
4. It Makes Us Enjoy The Fullness Of Life In Christ
As believers, every form of sin, no matter how small it seems, can lead us to spiritual death and destruction. And this most likely happens when sin becomes a habit, this is why Christ calls us to repentance so that we can enjoy the fullness of life in Christ.
Jesus said in Luke 13: 3 (NIV), “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” By implication, repentance leads one to live, which is Christ. And Christ said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
So if you want to know why repentance is important, one of the reasons it is important is because it makes us enjoy the fullness of life in Christ Jesus.
5. It Is Necessary For Spiritual Maturity
When we fall into sin or probably when we struggle with certain sinful habits, the moment we make up our mind to stop and have a u-turn, we activate the power of God in us to overcome such a habit.
When we continue doing this bit by bit in different areas of our lives, we get to grow spiritually. So why is repentance important? It is because it aids spiritual development and maturity.
Without repentance, we cannot activate the power of God in us, which enables us to say no to sinful habits in our lives. Hence we might even stay put and continue in that sinful habit that can cause stunted spiritual growth.
6. It Solidifies Our Relationship With God
The only thing that can come between God and us is sin, and we begin to sin when we decide to follow our selfish desires instead of following Christ and doing what God wants us to do.
And whenever we sin, there is a vacuum we start to create between God and us. As a result, we begin to go further and far away from God and automatically begin to crack our relationship with God.
In the place of repentance, we stop and make a u-turn back to God, and as we confess our sins and plead for forgiveness and repent of it, we become closer to God. Hence our relationship with God becomes more solid than before.
Every time we confess any evil deed or sin and repent of it, it draws us closer to God and solidifies our relationship. So one of the answers to why repentance is important is that it solidifies our relationship with God.
7. Repentance Liberates Us From The Power Of Sin
As believers, whenever we decide to keep on going our sinful ways, we tend to suffer the most because immediately, the sin gets hold of us and begins to control us. It seems as if we become a slave to sin.
This is because human nature is utterly depraved. It is impossible for us to produce any good fruit on our own, so we need the help of the Holy Spirit. So when we insist on going on a sinful path, the sin immediately gets hold of us and begins to torment us.
The only way we can get free from this torment is through repentance, confessing, and making a u-turn back to Christ and rest in His love. So why is repentance important it is important because it gives us liberty from the torment and shackles of sin.
8. Repentance Helps Us To Exercise Faith In God
As we walk with God, we get to repent daily in different areas of our life as we turn from the world to follow God. Anytime we do this, we get to exercise our faith in God because we start believing God in that area of our lives.
This is because whenever we get to repent in any area of our lives, we get to abandon our old ways, and it is an expression of faith in God. Every time we repent, it is a step of faith, and this gives us one of the answers to why repentance is important.
9. Because God Commands Repentance
In the entire Old and New Testament scriptures, God has always been in the business of calling humanity to repentance, calling us to turn from our sinful ways and to come to Him.
In the Old Testament, one of the major proclamations of the prophets to Israel was that they should repent. Ezekiel 18: 30 (NIV) says, “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.”
And then, in the New Testament, the book of Acts 17: 30 (NIV) says that “in the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” This means God commands the whole world to come to repentance.
So one of the answers to why repentance is important is that it is a command from God, and this also answers the question of what does God say about repentance?
10. It Activates The Atonement Of Christ
Every evil, sin, or disobedience to God will be punished. God will judge every single evil that is done by every single person. For the unbelievers, who will never repent and follow Christ, God is going to judge them accordingly.
But for the believers, who have repented and put their faith in Christ, God has put their judgment on Christ and nailed it to the cross. So repentance activates the atonement of Christ in our lies.
One not repenting means rejecting what Christ did on the cross. It means saying that the death of Christ is useless, so God is going to judge you accordingly.
This is one of the answers to why repentance is important because it activates the work of the atonement of Christ on the cross.
Why Is Repentance Necessary For Salvation?
Why is repentance necessary for salvation? If this thought is running through your mind, I want you to know this.
Repentance is necessary for salvation because it is the step that we take to turn from our sinful ways and follow Christ.
It works in conjunction with what we declare at the moment when we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior. Most scriptures that talk about receiving salvation always put repentance as a necessary step that one must make before one can get saved. This is mostly emphasized in the book of Acts (Acts 2: 38; 3: 19; 11: 18; 17:30; 20: 21; 26: 20).
And this is based on the fact that Jesus Christ taught repentance to be a necessity for salvation (Luke 5: 32), and He also instructed his disciples to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins in his name to all the nations (Luke 24: 47).
So when we say repentance is necessary for salvation, we are not saying that repentance is what we do to earn salvation. No, not at all. But instead, it means for you to receive salvation, you must be willing to change from your sinful way, make a U-turn and follow Jesus Christ.
To take it a step further, repentance is like putting your faith in Christ. In fact, some Biblical scholars have even linked repentance and faith in Christ to be together.
For one to repent, first, you must be remorseful, which means you accept that you are a sinner going on the wrong path. Then you stop, make a U-turn and follow Jesus Christ. At this point, you have already accepted that you are poor spiritually and you need the help of Christ, so you are making a U-turn to follow Christ.
What Is The Consequence Of A Lack Of Repentance?
If you are wondering what is the consequence of a lack of repentance? The consequence of lack of repentance is that our sins grow and become a barrier, a hindrance between God and us.
When there are so many unconfessed sins, we can’t truly concentrate and commune with God. No matter how we try to look upright outwardly, deep down, our conscience will eat us up. And if we don’t confess and repent of it, it will cause us to stay further away from God.
Furthermore, the consequences of lack of repentance can result in the growth of a habitual sin that can end up terminating your spiritual and physical life.
When you don’t repent from what you think is a small sin, you will continue to fall deep into it, and at the end it will end up ruin your spiritual life.
Sin is like a terminal disease that grows quickly and speedily and affects everything and everyone around it. Sometimes it looks so harmless, like a pretty newborn child, but if you don’t quickly terminate it, it will grow faster than you can imagine and destroy you.
So repentance is a gift from God, an opportunity to help us retrace our steps and return to our father and savior. But when you lack repentance, you are indeed heading for your doom.
Importance Of Repentance Bible Verses
Many scriptures tell us about the importance of repentance as a Christain; let us look at a few.
1. Luke 3: 3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
2 . Luke 24:47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
3. Ezekiel 18:30-32 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.
Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
4. Jeremiah 26:3 Perhaps they will listen, and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’
5. Jonah 3: 10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.
6. Luke 3: 8 – 9 Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones, God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees, so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
7. Matthew 4:17 From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
8. Mark 1:14-15 Now, after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Conclusion
Without repentance, we cannot have a healthy relationship with God, and we cannot grow in our communion with God. Repentance is a gift from God to help us have a place and a second chance to return to Him when going astray.
Save this for later!
