I'm fairly prone to learning stuff just to know it. The practical applications don't always seem all that important. But what's the point of knowledge if it doesn't affect your life? But if I am honest, there are a lot of things I know that I do not always let move beyond knowledge into actions.
Repentance ... it's one of those words you typically only hear Christians use and maybe some other religious folks as well. When we use it, we use it in the sense of being sorry for what you did and not doing it any more. But it doesn't quite end there. The knowledge of what repentance is doesn't do me much good if I don't choose to implement it in my life.
The basic understanding of Christianity is easy ... we're sinners, we deserve a just punishment, we need God's grace, Jesus took our punishment for us, we can have that grace if we just have faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
But Faith = Trust, and Trust requires action.
I was sinning. My sin deserved justice. I'm forgiven. I'm going to not sin and instead try to be more like Christ taught me to be. Our actions don't gain the forgiveness, but our faith in that forgiveness should manifest in deeds which demonstrate trust.
But it is more than just not doing bad things. The term repentance carries with it a purposed action. A motion or momentum. You were heading towards selfishness and corruption. Now you have turned.... not sitting still, but headed towards righteousness. Pursuing God's will and Christ's teachings.
You don't just stop, and you don't just turn around. Considering what we have been saved from and what we have been saved to .. we should turn around, away from the selfishness and greed of sin and run with everything we've got towards God's holiness and loving-kindness.
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