Of Repentance Unto Life

Repentance is not mere sorrow for sin or regret over its consequences, but a God-wrought grace that begins with hating sin itself, involves a decisive turning from sin toward God in faith, and issues in a life of active obedience; it is the immediate fruit of regeneration and continues throughout the Christian life. True repentance is therefore lifelong, marked by daily confession to God, growing humility, and increasing holiness, not because confession itself earns forgiveness, but because God freely pardons the contrite heart. Far from producing misery, repentance brings blessedness and joy, for it restores fellowship with God, transforms past failures into instruments of future grace, and gives confidence in His mercy and power for victory, so that repentance unto life becomes not only a saving grace but a sustaining one, leading the believer to continual growth, peace, and glad obedience before the Lord.