What Is Sincere Repentance?

A few weeks ago, another politician was reported to have committed adultery. After the story broke, he could be seen on television apologizing for his actions. I do not know this man’s heart. I do wonder if he would have been sorry if he had not been caught. Most people are only sorry once they are caught and have no other choice but to say “I’m sorry.” Is that sincere repentance? How can we who watch from the outside know whether what is going on in the inside matches up with the words being spoken?

Even more important, how can we test our own repentance in private when it becomes necessary? All of us sin (Romans 3:23). No one can say they have no need of repentance. Much of our sin is done in private, so repentance is a matter between God and us. How can we know we are genuine and not fooling ourselves?

In Psalm 51 we have the words of a truly repentant man. The psalm was written after the prophet Nathan confronted David with his sin regarding Bathsheba. God, through

Nathan, finally forced David out of his cover-up.

Repentance is a complete change of mind. The change of mind will lead to changed actions and a changed way of thinking. Repentance signals the end of some things. Consider a few.

The End of Fooling Ourselves.

A common way of dealing with the guilty conscience we all experience when we commit sin is to substitute softened terms of description. “I committed adultery” becomes “I had an affair.” “I lied” becomes “I exaggerated.” Both of those expressions cover up the ugliness of sin. David admitted that he had sinned. “Against You, You only I have sinned, and done what is evil in your sight,” (Psalm 51:4). He made no excuses. He called it what it is, sin. Sincere repentance is the end of fooling ourselves and admitting that we have sinned.

The End of Blaming Others

It’s always someone else’s fault. That’s the way many people live. Nothing has changed. From the beginning of time man has blamed others for their sin. David could have blamed Bathsheba for taking a bath on her roof. He could have blamed Uriah for stubbornly refusing to be with his wife.

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2). David only admitted his own guilt. That is because he was sincerely repentant.

The End of Covering Up

David writes, “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6). For a truly repentant person the cover-up is over. The word games are over, too. Someone who is truly repentant will have no problem with full disclosure. If that means that there will be suffering on the sinner’s part, so be it. It is the only thing that can end the turmoil.

God sees all and knows all. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). There is no sin that we can hide from God. True repentance signals the end of covering up.

God will be the judge as to whether or not a person is truly repentant. We must examine our lives and make sure our repentance is not just because we are sorry we have been caught. We should be led to true repentance because we are sorry we sinned against God