I was talking with a friend about repentance and he recited a prayer that many of his faith recite ritually believing that such a recital brings forgiveness of sin and restoration and gives them a right standing before God. We talked about this for some time and agreed that such a prayer, recited no matter how many times, when prayed without sincerity, may bring a sense of relief from guilt but does little to bring actual forgiveness or restoration to a right standing with God. To repent means to turn from something to something; in this case, it means to turn from sin to God.
Jesus addressed this issue in a parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves and thought themselves righteous before God. Consider; ”9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ’10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And 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. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted ‘” (Luke 18:9-14).
Jesus taught that the publican went home, justified. The publican prayed from the heart, not praying in vain repetition but in sincerity . He recognized that he was a sinner and needed forgiveness. The Pharisee considered himself righteous before God and better than the publican. He did not see himself as other men and prayed a prayer that was insincere. A prayer for forgiveness comes from a repentant heart. A prayer of insincerity does not spring from the heart but from the mind and is often times repetitious. One who continually recites a prayer but then goes out and sins habitually in the same way is not sincere. The publican who prayed from the heart was sorrowful over his sin, was sincere, and sought forgiveness. A change had been wrought in this man’s heart (soul), not so the Pharisee. That the publican went to his house justified, is proof of saving repentance. Repentance, after all, is one of the things that the Holy Spirit brings about in the life of the one who has come to Jesus in faith.