Definition: True repentance is being sorry for something you've done (wrong or sinful actions) and is revealed by a change of heart and actions.
Bible Scripture: Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in tha name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins' and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.
Luke 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, " We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Luke 3:9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Commentary: Many of the people who listened to John the Baptist were shocked when he said that being Abraham's descendants was not enough for God. The religious leaders relied more on their family lines than on their faith for standing with God. For them, religion was inherited. But a personal relationship with God is not handed down from parents to children. Everyone has to commit to it on his or her own. Don't rely on someone else's faith for your salvation. For when you stand before the Lord in Judgement, only you will be face to face with him for the life you have lived. Put you own faith in Jesus to work, and then exercise it daily.
Confession of sins and a changed life are inseparable. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26) Jesus' harshest words were to the respectable religious leaders who lacked the desire for real change. They wanted to be known as religious authorities, but they didn't want to change their hearts and minds. Thus their lives were unproductive. Repentance must be tied to action, or it isn't real. Following Jesus means more than saying the right words; it means acting on what he says.
