Repentance

Louis Berkhof describes the intellectual element of repentance as "a change of view, a recognition of sin as involving personal guilt, defilement, and helplessness." The emotional element is "a change of feeling, manifesting itself in sorrow for sin committed against a holy God." The volition (or cognitive) element is "a change of purpose, an inward turning away from sin, and a disposition to seek pardon and cleansing." (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 486) Each of those three elements is deficient (or small) apart from the others. Repentance is a response of the total person; therefore some speak of it as total surrender.

An intellectual = change of view, recognizing, guilt, helplessness
Emotional = change of feeling, sorrow
Cognitive = change of purpose, turning away, pardon and cleansing

All good human emotions; all excepted in most main stream church's
Personally, I believe that total surrender isn't all that easy. If it were, why would we ultimately need a Savior? Humanity quietly takes ownership of forgiveness because we first took ownership of the quilt. We have this view that repentance is some type of meritorious work that we initiate while God is obligated to respond. Basically belief that it works this way… We sin, we feel condemned, we recite the appropriate resolution and we’re all good. Plus, we’re at this point confident that we “won’t do that again.”

But we sometimes do and the process begins all over again.
Or, if we “don’t do it again, we, at times, secretly want to…
We are sinners saved by grace.

It seems pretty clear that true repentance from a religious point of view serves only one purpose and that only purpose is to remove the guilt and obtain the illusion of pardon we think we need. However, repentance looks quite differently when viewed from our position in Christ Jesus. Since Jesus died for our sins past, present and forever (Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2Corinthians 1:21-22 and 2Corinthians 5:5) and since God remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) why then is repentance important?

Now. I know what your thinking. And I totally agree… The bible clearly says in 1John 1:9 "if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,"

Errors ALWAYS occur when theology is built on one line of Scripture. If we read the entire chapter, we find that it's all about Jesus. Having seen that we can also see that repentance is about accepting Christ, not about asking for forgiveness every time we acknowledge our sin!
But, having said all that the simple fact remains that repentance is terribly important in our relationship with a holy and loving God.

The answer is a very deeply theological one.... It's so we won’t be like Popeye.

Remember Popeye? Popeye the sailor man? Popeye the Sailor Man was a cartoon fictional character, created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and theatrical and television animated cartoons. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip, Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929; Popeye became the strip's title in later years.

That makes him 76 years old and still going strong, thanks to Spinach!!

Luke 18:13 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

The publican (tax collector) clearly recognizes who and what he is. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness, but rather asks for mercy. His prayer reveals a man unworthy of forgiveness. He makes no excuse for his actions, he promises no “turning from” his sinful actions. He recognizes his inability to save Himself. He stands completely guilty before God and requests only mercy.

But not our friend Popeye.

Popeye’s description of himself is his excuse for his every action. “I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam.”

I'll bet you know a few Popeye’s don’t you?

You do if you’ve ever heard this… “Oh, that’s just the way I’m wired.” “What you see is what you get.” “I get that from my parents.”

Before our salvation, if we are honest, we would find every reason available to excuse our behavior or deny it. But now, as new creations in Christ, our desire for repentance is that safety mechanism God, by his grace, provided us through Jesus. We don’t need repentance we need only the desire to repent. Church, we can feel comfortable coming boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) because we eternally welcome.