The Ability to Repent—A Gift from Elohim?

2 Timothy 2:25–26, Grant them repentance.This verse indicates that sinful humans can’t even repent of sin properly on their own strength. Repentance is a gift that YHVH grants to those who have a heart for it—that they will come to their senses and turn from falling prey to the snares of the devil that have bound them in sin. Moreover, verse 25 indicates that YHVH may or may not grant people this gift. 

Elsewhere we read that YHVH is not willing that anyone should perish, but desires that all men everywhere come to repentance (Acts 17:30; 2 Pet 3:9). From these scriptures, we may conclude that whether YHVH grants the gift of repentance or not depends on whether a person is sick enough of his sin to cry out to YHVH for help in desperation for deliverance. 

This gift of repentance can occur at the beginning of one’s spiritual walk as they are coming to faith, or later down the road when one is repenting of reoccurring sin that, in their own strength, they feel powerless to overcome. 

This gift comes as a result of trusting YHVH completely and not relying on one’s own strength to overcome sin. Faith in Elohim and humility on the part of the sinner is the key that unlocks access to the gift of repentance.

 

1 thought on “The Ability to Repent—A Gift from Elohim?

  1. I can imagine that certain sins that have crept into our life style are very comfortable to us and we may not be sincere in wanting to give them up. We may therefore keep putting ourselves in situations that tempt us.
    Asking the Father regularly to help us overcome a specific sin demonstrates our sincerity in overcoming it and the Father will then help. Yeshua said ‘ You have not because you ask not’.
    Sonja

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