Day 6
Topic: Repentance
Title: About turn!
Truth Verse: Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward
to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God...
Rev.W.J.E.Baxter defines repentance as ’the informing and changing of the mind; the stirring and directing of the
emotions to urge the required change; and the action of the yielded will in turning the whole man from sin and to God’
The Greek word Metanoia means ‘to think differently, to care or regret, reversal of actions.’
Truth Story: In my teens I belonged to a uniformed Christian organisation called the Boys Brigade. Every week we met
to be mentored and coached on a variety of life skills which resulted in the boys achieving recognition badges (e.g.
First Aid), one of these disciplines was learning how to march properly. With commands from the sergeant, the boys
would turn to the orders being shouted; “right incline, left incline, on my command, by the left, quick-march.” The bit
that I really loved was the rhythmic movement we performed when the ‘about turn’ command was shouted. As our
right foot was grounded, this allowed us to seamlessly turn about. Hearing the order, the squad obeyed by a
pre-planned foot movement, remembered as, “about turn check 1, 2, 3, 4”- followed by, effortlessly, moving off, to march in the opposite direction.
Truth Unpacked: Jesus told a parable of a son who about turns after wasting his inheritance. After he came to his senses and realising his wrong actions, he repents (or about turns) returning to his father’s home. This story illustrates the three areas of the soul involved in repentance. Take time to locate Luke chapter 15 in your bible, reading verses 11 through to verse 24. This will help us understand what happens when we repent.
Firstly, the son had a change of mind (thinking) v17 When he came to his senses.
Secondly the son had a change of heart (emotions) v 18, 19 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
Thirdly and finally, the son had a change of will (choosing) v 18- 21 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Prayer: Help me Lord to turn from my way to your way, because your word reassures me that your ways are so much higher than my ways. This week Lord please help me to turn from my own agenda to enquire of the plans that you have for me; plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.
