Repent of what?

Our very best repentance prompter is our Bible. We cannot read the Bible long without seeing in our own lives sins that are contrary to the heart of God. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) and 1 Corinthians 13 are good starting places for a heart-check where we can see from God’s clear and simple standards how far we fall short. Two other excellent mirrors are Daniel 9 and Colossians 3. Other passages which provide a spiritual EKG are:

• Mark 7:21-23
• Romans 1:28-32
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• 2 Corinthians 12:20-21
• Galatians 5:19-21, 26
• Ephesians 4:17-20, 25-32
• 1 Timothy 1:9-11, 13-14
• 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:1-2
• Hebrews 12:14-16
• 1 Peter 4:3
• Revelation 21:8

These passages and the ones below point to deep sin in our lives, even in church-going folks’ lives, which hold back the work of God in our lives in personal and corporate revival. If there was a sin you were holding onto, and you found out that it was holding back great blessing and personal revival in your life, would you repent and turn away from that sin (Revelation 3:17-19)? 

If you then found out that your personal sin was having a negative effect on your church or your family, would you repent and turn away from that sin (Exodus 20:5-6; 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9-10; 28:15-45)? 

If you found out that your sinful attitudes were a reason that people in your family and at work are refusing to make Christ their Lord, would you repent and turn away from that sin (Matthew 23:13-15; Colossians 4:3-6; Revelation 2:4-5)? 

What kinds of sins does the Scripture talk about that need repentance?

• Being stiff-necked: 2 Chronicles 30:8
• Evil deeds and ways: Ezra 9:13; Jeremiah 25:5
• Transgressions: Psalm 51:1-4
• Iniquities: Isaiah 59:12
• Faithlessness: Jeremiah 3:12, 19
• Backsliding: Jeremiah 3:21-22
• Not obeying the Lord: Jeremiah 3:25
• Evil heart: Jeremiah 4:14
• Idolatry: Jeremiah 4:1; Ezekiel 14:6
• Conforming to the world: Ezekiel 9:14; Romans 12:1-2
• Offenses: Ezekiel 18:30; 33:10
• Not listening to God’s servants: Daniel 9:6
• Wickedness: Acts 8:22
• Dead works: Hebrews 6:1; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15