What Leads You To Repentance?

Dear Muslim and Christian friends,

What leads you to repentance? When you have disobeyed God, when you have broken His laws, when you feel guilty and discouraged about your most recent failure(s), what causes you to go to God in sincere, heartfelt sorrow for your sins against Him?

Is it fear? Fear that He will punish you here – or worse yet – in the future in hellfire?

I think there is a much better reason to repent and seek God’s forgiveness, don’t you? It can be found in this simple verse:

It can also be found in this simple song about God’s kindness which leads us to repentance (video here and lyrics below).

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No excuse, no one to blame, no way to hide
The eyes of God have found my failures, found my pain
He understands my weaknesses
And knows my shame
But His heart never leaves me

It’s your kindness that leads us
To repentance, oh Lord
Knowing that You love us
No matter what we do
Makes us want to love You too

Waiting for angry words to sear my soul
Knowing I don’t deserve another chance
Suddenly the kindest words I’ve ever heard
Come flooding from God’s heart

It’s your kindness that leads us
To repentance, oh Lord
Knowing that You love us
No matter what we do
Makes us want to love You too

It’s your kindness that leads us
To repentance, oh Lord
Knowing that You love us
No matter what we do
Makes us want to love You too

If You are for us
Who can be against us
You gave us everything
Even Your only Son

It’s your kindness that leads us
To repentance, oh Lord
Knowing that You love us
No matter what we do
Makes us want to love You too

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When you know God, you find that it is really true: it’s the kindness – the goodness – of God that leads us to repentance.

My friends, please don’t misunderstand me. I believe God is a totally just and holy God. And I believe that his wrath regarding sin is very real. Having said that, when you sin, don’t run away from God in fear of His wrath. Run toward Him and find that He is running toward you to graciously forgive you. His love won’t let Him do anything else! This was the message of Jesus The Injeel, Luke 15, story of the sinful son). This is my message as well.