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Post by Johnny Gotham on Mar 8, 2006 21:10:11 GMT -5
If someone deliberately heads into sin and then confesses that sin to God but is not grieved at it - with a desire to turn from it - then they are not repentant.
It is not how often we give in to a specific sin or struggle with it that shows our repentance though. There could be some habits we have formed that are sinful, and we can find ourselves easily caving in to that sin - and immediately afterward be grieved and repented at yet another compromise and stumble.
Is the person content to stay in the sin? If they were not, they may fall into it - but they will want to get cleaned up again when they come to their senses - they won't want to stay (referring to when they are not backsliding, but simply struggling).
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Repentance is a change of mind - not an emotion - so there may not be tears or emotional feelings involved, but there will be a desire to turn from it and not commit it again in the immediate future. If as soon as a person "repents" they are planning on the next time they can give in to that sin, then they are not really repentant, because nothing has changed in their mind - even if they did not religious rituals (penance or prayers, or said I'm sorry, sorry, sorry a million times).
Repentence is not some "get out of jail free" card that you can plan on using later, you have to mean it!
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