Repentance

[JimArsenault]

I am just soooo curious as to what peoples definition of repentance is “to repent” Can any one give me their definition with out looking it up BE HONEST NOW!!

 

[Simon_X]

Not quite sure if I know what you’re asking. But I see repentance as acknowledging you’ve done wrong and now living in a way that you are no longer committing that wrong. So you both seek forgiveness and turn from the lifestyle of sin or whatever you did that was wrong.

Make sense?

 

[Robbinson]

I liked the first response - not sure you will find one better than that. In a similar vein, to me repentance is sincere contrition for the sin and desire to desist from the sin and turn toward Christ.

Even after being saved, we all continue to sin (it is our nature), but those who are Christ’s desire not to sin and will immediatley repent of their sins. You will see this personal struggle in Paul’s letters.

The Church acknowledges this and God has provided us the grace of Confession and Pennance as a means of addressing sin - but only if coupled with repentance.

Blessings,

 

[NotWorthy]

Repentance - metanoia (?)

To turn away from sin.

It’s not just admitting your sinfullness. It’s not just trying to avoid the sin. It’s turning away from the things that cause you to sin and following Christ.

 

[Salonika]

Not quite sure if I know what you’re asking. But I see repentance as acknowledging you’ve done wrong and now living in a way that you are no longer committing that wrong. So you both seek forgiveness and turn from the lifestyle of sin or whatever you did that was wrong.

Make sense?

Yes, it does.

Covers both acknowledging doing the wrong (which can involve apologising if required) and determining not to do it again (including keeping yourself out of situations where you are likely to repeat it.

 

[Athanasiy]

In my opinion - the repentance is the process of growth during the life.
There are the different levels of repentance in the peoples lives.

 

[JimG]

I think true repentance is sorrow for having commited sin, coupled with a desire not to do it again. Or even more specifically, a desire not to have done it. The truly repentant person could say, “if I had it to do over again, I would not commit this sin.”

If one can really say of any sin, “if I could have a do-over, I wouldn’t do it!” that person is repentant. What we more often say is something along the lines of “I’m sorry I did it, but there’s nothing I can do to go back and change it now.”

One sometimes hears a convicted criminal say something like that. "Yes, I did it. I’m sorry. But there’s nothing I can do now to change it (so just get over it)–is the implied subtext.

But I think we are often that way with our own sins. Yeah, I’m sorry for them, but if I could go back and have a do-over, am I sorry enough not to do it again on the second round? Hmmm…

Suppose in the first century some Christian saved himself by denying Christ. If he had a do-over, would he be willing to go to his death instead of denying Christ? That’s a more serious type of repentance.

 

[sammydog]

Very good answers. I just wonder why the sin of divorce is looked at so differently by many.

I can divorce my spouse (not counting here the limited reasons provided for in the Catechism and Canon law) and abandon my family and somehow believe that I can go to a priest confess the sin and move on with my life. I will even likely be encouraged by the priest to apply for an annulment rather than always remaining open to reconciliation.

In 4 out of 5 cases divorce is unilateral. So certainly there are times when, if I am truly repentant (as we seem to correctly define it here), I could take the decision to divorce back. For truly there are certain divorced people who make the choice every day to be divorced.

In many of these cases the spouse would welcome the reconciliation and reunion of her family. Their kids would most likely be overjoyed with having mommy and daddy together and not going back and forth. God would be glorified and the devil defeated.

But… for some reason… in the hearts and minds of many… true repentance does not include the willingness to take back the sin of divorce.

Bryan

LOVE SO AMAZING

 

[NotWorthy]

Very good answers. I just wonder why the sin of divorce is looked at so differently by many.

Wow. Where did that come from?

I can divorce my spouse (not counting here the limited reasons provided for in the Catechism and Canon law) and abandon my family and somehow believe that I can go to a priest confess the sin and move on with my life. I will even likely be encouraged by the priest to apply for an annulment rather than always remaining open to reconciliation.

Who says you will like by encouraged to seek an annulment rather than reconciliation?

In 4 out of 5 cases divorce is unilateral. So certainly there are times when, if I am truly repentant (as we seem to correctly define it here), I could take the decision to divorce back. For truly there are certain divorced people who make the choice every day to be divorced.

In many of these cases the spouse would welcome the reconciliation and reunion of her family. Their kids would most likely be overjoyed with having mommy and daddy together and not going back and forth. God would be glorified and the devil defeated.

But… for some reason… in the hearts and minds of many… true repentance does not include the willingness to take back the sin of divorce.

Bryan

LOVE SO AMAZING

The subject to the thread is repentance. It’s turning away from sin. It’s not marriage counseling, although that may be a good topic for a new thread, rather than steering this away from the subject.

Although you are correct, Divorce and Annulment are a last option, only after all other options are exhausted.