About seven years ago, I was given this soul-searching list of evidences of false-repentance that I used in Sunday’s sermon.
Here’s the outline:
- You may reform in the actions without repenting in the heart.
- You may experience the emotion of repentance without the effect of it.
- You may confess the words of a true repenter and never repent.
- You may talk against sin in public like a true repenter but never repent in private.
- You may repent primarily for temporal gains rather than the glory of God.
- You may repent of lesser sins for the purpose of continuing in greater sins.
- You may repent so generally that you never repent of any specific sin at all.
- You may repent for the love of friends and religious leaders and not repent for the love of God.
- You may confess the finished action of sin and not repent from the continuing habit of sin.
- You may attempt repentance of your sin while consciously leaving open the door of its opportunity.
- You may make an effort to repent of some sins without repenting of all the sin you know.
