A big aspect of heartfelt repentance is leaving sinful actions behind by not returning to them, including reminiscing and replaying them over and over again in our minds.
My beloved father didn’t ever want to discuss his growing-up escapades after he became a Christian. Whatever was involved in his before-Christ activities with his friends and with the world, he had no desire to share those experiences with us.
I didn’t understand growing up, but now I really respect his desire to leave those things behind and not resurface past sins. Looking back, I see how my dad didn’t look at them fondly or give any kind of glory to his Christ-less adventures.
The Apostle Paul had the same kind of mindset concerning his past life, as expressed in Philippians 3:13: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
Likewise in Luke 9:62, “Jesus replied, 'No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'”
What Does It Mean When We Don’t Want to Let Go?
But what does it mean if, as a Christian, there are past sins that don’t grieve our hearts, and rather than feeling sorrowful, we experience a savoring and enjoyment in sharing and reliving past godless memories?
As a believer, does it affect our relationship with the Lord? Isaiah 59:2 explains what holding on to past sins does to us, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
God doesn’t want us to look back at them because He doesn’t. As Habakkuk 1:13 describes Him, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.”
Scriptures tell us we need to confess and repent, but if we don’t really want to let go, what needs to happen in our hearts to flush these out? 1 John 1:9 explains, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Sometimes people retell stories of youthful indiscretions with descriptive details and excitement rather than with the reality of participating in disobedience and following worldly ways rather than God’s ways.
In doing so, they are practicing what Isaiah 29:13 describes: “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’”
Embracing Godly Sorrow
People often say they don’t regret anything they’ve done in their lives. But is it really okay to brush over and justify our past behaviors? When we do, doesn’t that reveal some wrong attitudes lurking within our hearts, such as a secret relishing of past misbehaviors?
Not that we’re supposed to live with regret, but what if there is no godly sorrow for former sins?
Godly sorrow is essential in the Christian life because, without it, our relationship with God is strained. 2 Corinthians 7:10 describes the benefits of a sorrowful heart: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Being sorrowful for past sins doesn’t mean we walk in shame and condemnation. But it does mean a change in how we look at past deeds, like not thinking fondly of and enjoying those past activities. If we’re still enjoying them in our hearts and minds, then our hearts haven’t truly repented and turned away from the sin committed.
Ephesians 5:8-10 describes the change that occurs: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
The Necessary Act of Leaving Former Sins Behind
We’re called to leave our former ways of life behind, those before we received Jesus as our Savior. Ephesians 4:22-24 explains, ”You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
A big aspect of heartfelt repentance is leaving sinful actions behind by not returning to them, including reminiscing and replaying them over and over again in our minds. “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light” (Ephesians 5:11-13).
God doesn’t want anything to do with our past sins, permanently removing them from our lives. As Psalm 103:12 describes, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Likewise, once He removes them, God doesn’t bring them up again in the future or hold them against us. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Confessing our sins leaves them behind for good. Isaiah 1:18 explains how the Lord deals with them: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Receiving God’s Clean Slate
The washing away of our sins is a very big deal to God and should be to us. It means we’re given a clean slate. The King James Version of Revelation 1:5 explains it this way: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”
As well, God forever removes our sins for His own sake. Although we receive so immeasurably much, He’s doing it because that’s how much He loves us and wants us to be free from sin so we can be with Him.
Isaiah 43:25 describes God's take on it: “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
Free and Clean to Share the Good News
Being made clean gives us the opportunity to share God’s good news with those around us, free from the stain and yoke of our past sins.
Paul knew what it meant to leave his past sins behind him. 1 Timothy 1:15-17: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
He also understood the great gift he was given, of his sins being forgiven and gaining the opportunity to tell others how they could be forgiven, too. “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8).
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Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
