Repentance as a Child of God

by Pastor David Fenwick

Repent can be an intimidating word. As believers in the finished work of Jesus, and as children of God, repent should be understood as an invitation. We no longer need to repent to gain God’s favor or to receive forgiveness. Both of those have already been fully given to us. Rather, we should understand repentance as a reset, a recalibration if you will.

Many times throughout our lives God, through the Holy Spirit, invites us to repent. He says to us, “Slow down, examine yourself, and turn and look fully into my face”. Repent can mean to turn away from, like so many in church whose focus is upon sin and failures. But as children of God repent means re-turn to our loving Father. Jesus extends the invitation to “come unto me” many times throughout the Gospels. Now as children whose identities are secured in the Father’s love because of the finished work of Jesus, the Father extends that same invitation, “Come and return unto me”.

We all experience times where the concerns of the world and the stress of life distracts us and we lose focus. Life gets busy, and muddled, and we forget our true identity. Worry seeps in and our faith wanes. This is when the Holy Spirit begins to invite us to stop and remember who we are and whose we are. The Father calls out to us and we turn back toward him. We see him and are reminded of how good he is. Gratitude fills our heart and joy overtakes us.

Repentance as a child of God is accepting the Father’s invitation to reset. It is a turning towards him and leaving the busyness, stress and worry behind us as we gaze upon him fully. Repentance is remembering our true identity as his beloved son or daughter. Repentance for us is not about sin but rather about returning to our first love and resting in his peace that surpasses understanding and his joy which gives us strength.