As part of my “homework” tonight, I am to write out the elements of genuine repentance as seen in Psalm 51. This psalm gives great insight to what genuine repentance looks like.
1. A repentant heart calls out for mercy to a merciful God. – Verse 1 says “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.”
2. A repentant heart recognizes and acknowledges that it is sinful and accepts full responsibility for that sin. It does not shift blame. – Verse 3 says “For I acknowledge my transgressions.”
3. A repentant heart recognizes that it sins against God. – Verse 4 says “Against You, You only, have I sinned.”
4. A repentant heart recognizes that it has always been sinful. – Verse 5 says “I was brought forth in iniquity.”
5. A repentant heart acknowledges the holiness of God. It acknowledges that God is far more concerned with the inward attitude of the heart rather than the outward activity of the body. It further acknowledges that only God can reveal our own inner secrets. – Verse 6 says, “You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.”
6. A repentant heart knows that only God can take away the sin. It realizes that works can not make it clean, only God can. – Verse 7 says, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
7. A repentant heart asks for a new heart. – Verse 10 says, “Create in me a clean heart.”
8. A repentant heart realizes that it deserves to be cast away, to be put to death, but cries out again for the Lord’s mercy. – Verse 11 states, “Do not cast me away from Your presence.”
9. A repentant heart recognizes that only God can bring about joy and restoration. It does not trust in itself to bring healing, repair, or correction. – Verse 12 says, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.”
10. A repentant heart asks for teaching, for direction, for guidance not to sin in this way again. It is willing to share the lessons learned with others as encouragement and instruction.– Verse 13 says, “I will teach transgressors Your ways.”
11. A repentant heart gladly sings praises to God for the restoration that occurs. It does not gloat and boast of its own sin. – Verse 15 says, “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth your praise.”
12. A repentant heart is a broken heart. It recognizes (again) that it can not do good works to be restored. – Verse 17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.”
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