When we see, or hear the word REPENT, we each form an opinion of what this means to us. We see it as “getting our
act together”, “flying straight”, or “getting religion”. Repentance requires taking in a whole new perspective of things,
and seeing things in a whole different point of view. We need to see things God’s way. God simply asks us to turn.
This is the way we accept His gift to us. When we do simply turn, certain outcomes are promised. When we don’t turn,
or we turn back, certain outcomes are also promised.
Numbers 21:8-9
8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten,
when he looks at it, shall live.” 9So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had
bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Now let’s put ourselves in this same situation. Poisonous snakes are everywhere, and have bitten almost everyone.
We aren’t dead yet, but things aren’t looking too good right now. Suddenly someone yells out “We must do something
and save ourselves”. But how do we do this? Many ideas come up that sound good at the time.
1. Run around flapping your arms it will work out the poison. (Some try this, and die)
2. Some believe that staring at the bites will make your mind overcome the poison (some try this, go crazy, and die)
3. Some try to convince themselves that they weren’t really bitten at all, or that the snakes weren’t poisonous.
They form little groups to delude each other while they die. And then they die.
4. Someone is even selling Snake Oil that is claimed to be an anti-toxin, but makes people even sicker than before.
Now Moses comes walking up and says “If you look at this bronze snake that has been lifted up on this pole, you will
live. If you do not, no matter what other methods you try, you will die” How do we react to this? At first we might think
this guy is nuts. Everyone else has had some pretty good ideas, and even some highly educated men have given us
some realistic sounding remedies (although none worked). Now this nut wants us to believe that all we have to do is
“Look at a bronze snake on a pole”?
We start thinking, and believing that WE must have an active part in our solution in order for it to work.
Moses responds by saying “Cease your activities. Just look, believe, and live”.
God sent His Son Jesus for us, much in the same way that the bronze snake was given to the people of the wilderness.
All we have to do is to “Cease our activities (our old way of life), look (upon the cross at the Son of Man), and believe.
If we do this, we will live. If not, we will die.
We have all been bitten, and sin is coursing through our veins. It is most certainly going to lead to death. There is only
one solution, but many people will not take it. Why? Because it seems to be an insult to their ability to save themselves.
John 3:14
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
John 6:40
40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting
life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:29
29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
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Repenting is recognizing our sinful ways, and turning from them. The key is turning. We can turn from our sinful ways
and live, or continue in our sinful ways and die. The amount, or severity of our sins is not even considered. Whether or
not we are willing to repent is the only thing that matters. Repent and live, or continue and die.
Luke 13:2-5
2And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other
Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4Or
those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all
other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Matthew 3:1-2
1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand!”
Matthew 4:17
17From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 6:12
12So they went out and preached that people should repent.
Acts 2:38
38Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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I. There are two ways of thinking:
1. Our Way (worldly way)
2. God’s Way
II. The way we look at things
A. Will make sense if we look at it long enough
B. Will create a desire to move in that direction
C. Will lead to “something”
Man’s way is definitely the WRONG way
Proverbs 14:12
12There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
If our line of sight is along OUR way (worldly way), then this starts to make sense to us. The more we think about it, or
meditate on it, the more sense it makes – even if the way we are looking at something is really pretty stupid
(atheists, various cults, committing suicide in order to catch a spaceship in the tail of a comet, etc…) Sometimes we
read books or articles, or listen to speakers that reinforce these worldly, sinful ways. We learn to accept our sinful way
of thinking even more at this point because now someone else is backing up our way of thinking. If you want to read a
book on the subject, read the Bible. It’s the only book that matters.
When we get into this kind of mindset, desire springs up. Desire is the fuel that leads to destruction. Here’s an example:
Any sin will work here, but we are going to discuss BITTERNESS because I have had to deal with this one lately.
When someone has done us wrong, the more we think about it, the more it will start to make sense to us to hate them.
We burn with anger, and feel the hurt all over again each time we dwell on it. We do this repeatedly. Because we do
this repeatedly, we burn with anger all the time, and feel the hurt all over, and over, and over… As we think about the
hurt, and anger starts to set in, we start thinking about revenge. The more we think about revenge, the more desire
starts to take root and bitterness sets in. Where does this all lead? (Roman Numeral II above)
James 1:12-15
12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which
the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God
cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by
his own desires and enticed. 15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
brings forth death.
Before sinful ways or thoughts get a foothold, recognize that this is not God’s way, and repent. Ask God to give you
strength to deal with the bad thoughts. Turn those thoughts toward God and His ways. God takes no pleasure in seeing
man perish because of his sinful ways. He wants for us to turn away from OUR ways, and seek HIS ways.
Ezekiel 18:23-32
23Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his
ways and live? 24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does
according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done
shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed,
because of them he shall die. 25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not
My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness,
commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27Again, when a wicked
man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
28Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall
not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are
fair, and your ways which are not fair? 30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his
ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast
away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For
why should you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD.
“Therefore turn and live!”
Ezekiel 33:11
11Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
Scriptures are very clear about the ways of man leading to destruction, and the ways of God leading to life. We are
instructed to shed the desires and sinful ways of man, and to live by His Spirit. We are new creations, and the old self
has been cast away.
Ephesians 4:17-24
17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the
futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves
over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have
heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct,
the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and
that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 2:1-3
1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Galatians 5:16
16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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A righteous man does whatever he wants, but only wants to do the will of God. The “Only Wants” part comes
through true salvation, and the carnal self being cast off. We do this by QUICKLY repenting whenever we catch
ourselves meditating on sin, and then turning to God. If we do not quickly repent and turn to God, we give the way
of the world it’s chance. We give desire a chance to take a foothold, and our desire to sin grows. Carnal desire will
corrupt us, and leads to our destruction and death – even if we do not actually commit the sin!
Matthew 5:28-29
28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your
members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Romans 8:5-9
5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then,
those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
God promises us, and gives us new desires by His Spirit. When His Spirit is guiding us, He makes righteousness an
“easy yoke” to the repentant man. It is a simple plan really – “We turn, He empowers”. We lose our sinful, worldly
lives. He makes us a new creation with a new mind, new desires of our hearts, and new works (or fruits).
God promises us the desires of our hearts – so long as you are repentant, literally a new creature with a new mind and
heart, your desires will most likely be pleasing to God. He will not grant you desires that will lead you to temptation,
which in turn leads to sin, which in turn leads to destruction. He will not empower you with a way to destroy yourself. He
will empower you with a way to save yourself from destruction.
Ephesians 5:15-17
15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:8-10
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit
is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
James 1:25
25But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the
work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Psalms 34:5, 8
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
8Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
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1 Peter 2:1-3
1Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2as newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Psalms 119:104-105
104Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
105Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalms 16:11
11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who
called us by glory and virtue, 4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through
these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Romans 12:1-2
1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
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Isaiah 30:15
15For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and
confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,
Philippians 3:17-19
17Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18For many walk,
of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly
things.
2 Peter 2:21-22
21For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn
from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog
returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
Luke 9:62
62But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
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Isaiah 55:6-7
6Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
Romans 2:4
4Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God
leads you to repentance?
Acts 17:30
30Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
James 5:19-20
19Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20let him know that he who
turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Revelation 3:3
3Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will
come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
1 John 2:15-17
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For
all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the
world. 17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Matthew 6:32-33
33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Colossians 3:2
2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Psalms 101:3
3I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
Romans 13:14
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Psalms 105:4
4Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore!
Psalms 119:36-37
36Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.
37Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.
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2 Timothy 2:19
19Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let
everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Acts 3:19
19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord,
Hebrews 12:1-2
1Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the
sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.