OUR DAILY BREAD                      Monday, December 12, 1994
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READ:   2 Corinthians 7:9-12

                GENUINE REPENTANCE

   "Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to
      salvation...but the sorrow of the world
                produces death."

             - 2 Corinthians 7:10

What is repentance?  And how do we know when it is
genuine?

A man who came to see me said he felt so much guilt
before he was saved that he couldn't eat for days.
Because he knew that I had not gone through such an
intense period of grief, he said he didn't think I
had truly repented.

Another man wept when he told me that his wife had
left him because of his drinking and infidelity.
He tearfully professed faith in Jesus and vowed to
be done with his sinful lifestyle.  But when his
wife returned, he soon went back to his old ways.

In a similar situation, a man confessed with little
emotion what a terrible sinner he was.  He admitted
his need for grace and received Christ.  That was
the end of his old lifestyle.  Which of these two
men genuinely repented?

Paul said godly sorrow for sin leads to salvation
and a new life, whereas the sorrow of the world -
merely feeling bad about sin's consequences - leaves
a person unchanged and leads to death.  True repentance
doesn't mean we never sin again.  But if we admit that
we are helpless sinners, if we believe that Jesus died
for our sins, if we are trusting Him for salvation,
and if we have a deep desire to live for Him, our
repentance is genuine.  We have been forgiven.

    -- Herbert Vander Lugt

 True repentance leaves the sin
    That we had loved before,
 With firm resolve to turn from it
     And yield to it no more.

    -- Anon.

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        THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
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   Repentance says, "I'm sorry,"
   but also shows, "I'm through."

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Hebrews 5-7

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