We shirk repentance when we agree with the truth of our sin (confession) without choosing the gospel-motivated response. To be sure, repentance is jump-started by confessing our sin to one another (1 John 1:9–10), but it must extend further. We must make no provisions for the flesh, viciously renounce temptation (Matthew 5:24–27), and eagerly walk the tangible road of godly grief (2 Corinthians 7:10–11).

It’s beautiful when Christians humbly confess their sin to one another and cling to the gospel yet again (James 4:7–10).

Maybe we were repulsed by our sin after a gospel-centered sermon, a Christ-anchored Bible study, or a meaningful time of prayer. Perhaps we’ve been confronted with our iniquity after a friend’s rebuke (Proverbs. 27:5), a spouse’s edifying correction (Ephesians 4:15, 25), or a time of self-examination during the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:28). In these moments, the Holy Spirit gives a heart-wrenching conviction of sin that’s either newly uncovered or old and rusty. Emotional brokenness and convincing contrition quickly follow, and we’re suddenly in glorious agreement with God about our sin.

All of this is known as confession (1 John 1:9–10).

What’s Missing

But how many times have we seen this happen without genuine and lasting change? Why does genuine transformation still evade us?

Perhaps it’s because we don’t understand that confession and repentance aren’t the same thing. In our genuine desperation to be done with the shame and the shackles of our sin, we confess. But then, sometimes, we foolishly exhale and believe our work is done. Not wanting to talk about or be bothered by our sin again, we fail to realize that confession is just the beginning. This failure is why many people experience false transformation.

We shirk repentance when we agree with the truth of our sin (confession) without choosing the gospel-motivated response. To be sure, repentance is jump-started by confessing our sin to one another (1 John 1:9–10), but it must extend further. We must make no provisions for the flesh, viciously renounce temptation (Matthew 5:24–27), and eagerly walk the tangible road of godly grief (2 Corinthians 7:10–11).

Repentance requires no foot-dragging, blame-shifting, excuse-ridden compliance that bends under someone else’s forced demands on us. Instead, true repentance is earnestly expressed in fellowship within our local church as a genuine surrender to biblical truth inserted into our lives by those who love God and care about us. When we’re repentant, we see the necessity of rebuilding trust with others, even if it takes longer than we planned.

Christians who have genuinely repented seek to live in the light (1 John 1:5–7) and to avoid ungodliness because repentance requires not only forsaking sin but also putting on Christ (Romans 13:14). It demands that we turn away from debauchery and turning toward God by putting on Christ (Colossians 3:1–17). Practically, putting on Christ involves serving the Lord and others, and studying God’s Word. Putting in Christ means increasing fellowship, singing, praying, and setting our mind on the things above—primarily through fellowship in our local church. This process will take time, and we’ll continue to make missteps. But when God brings someone to repentance, the fruit will be evident over time (Luke 6:43–45).

Four Distractions

These buzzwords are common in Christian circles. Thought they have the impression of being helpful, they can potentially interfere with genuine repentance and lasting transformation.

1. Accountability

It’s common to hear that Christians should have an “accountability partner.” Sometimes, this means a regular small group of Christians come together to ask hard questions about sin struggles and then to pray for one another. Praise God for such groups. Other times, however, accountability partners offer a less-than-biblical approach that obscures sin and too heavily relies of man-centered help (a.k.a. unspecified expectations for checking in, texting, software reports). In such cases, such groups can trend toward self-help moralism and may shift the focus away from the gospel over time. Because the Bible doesn’t necessarily give us an explanation of this word “accountability”, it can become difficult to use this idea consistently.

Read More