Continual Repentance

“Thou hast imputed my sin to my substitute, and hast imputed His righteousness to my soul, clothing me with a bridegroom’s robe, decking me with jewels of holiness. But in my Christian walk I am still in rags; my best prayers are stained with sin; my penitential tears are so much impurity; my confessions of wrong are so many aggravations of sin; my receiving the Spirit is tinctured with selfeshness. I need to repent of my repentance; I need my tears to be washed” -The Valley of Vision

Sin in the life of a Christian will always be a hard thing to deal with. Knowing all that’s been done and all that will be done for us through Christ should keep us living a life of continual repentance. I know I find myself praying for true godly repentance all the time. Why? Because I often fail at repentance.

I have struggled with things, turned from them, sometimes for long periods, only to have them return. It’s always going to be a battle with the flesh while here on earth but we must continue to press forward with repentance and faith. Faith in the fact that what Christ accomplished on the cross, he accomplished for me also. Even when I fail it still applies.

Repentance is more than feeling guilty, remorse, sad, ashamed. It’s more than saying sorry or asking for forgiveness. The word repentance means to turn from evil and return to good. I would say “turn from evil and return to God”. It involves the act of changing one’s mind.

God has given the true believer a new heart and nature. We have the righteousness of Christ imputed, or counted as our own. With this being done for us, without us doing anything to earn it, we should hate the fact that we have sin in our lives and live a life of continual repentance. Trusting that God will continue the good work He began in each of us, and knowing one day sin will meet death and we will stand before the LORD forever.

Father forgive me for my many faults and sins. Open my eyes to the temptations that haunt me each day. Fill my eyes with tears and my heart with sorrow when I sin against you. Give me wisdom to see my sins for what they are, strength to stand firm on your word, and a heart ready to turn away from all evil and return to you. Grant that I never forget the grace given to me, the Son who died for me and His righteousness that covers me. Amen.