It would seem that the answer to the question "Repentance - what is it?" is simple, but few can distinguish repentance from repentance, since they believe that these words mean the same thing, but there are still differences. So, if we talk about repentance, then this is a feeling of guilt, a kind of spiritual experience, and somewhat more than remorse, which you feel only when you are very sorry for the perfect deed.
A penitent person confesses to the Lord that he is on the wrong path and longs to find the true path. He sees his sins and condemns himself not only for his impartial actions, but also for his fall into this sinful state.
Remorse is regret for what you have done
So, when a person repents of something, he should renounce the sin he committed, return to the path of beneficence, and then no longer do what one later regrets so much. Then what is repentance in the full sense of the word?
It should be noted that there are still some differences between repentance and remorse. In repentance, you need to ask for forgiveness, which must certainly lead to a change.life for the better (the fruit of repentance), and repentance is a simple regret, nothing more.
Let's take an example from the biblical story for a more precise explanation. After all, after the betrayal of his teacher Jesus Christ by him, Judas repented greatly for 30 pieces of silver, his words were as follows: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” However, he hanged himself because he could not repent. But the Apostle Peter, having denied Christ three times, however, brought the Lord the fruits of his repentance - all his life, regretting what had happened, he washed himself with tears.
What is repentance, confession
We have already de alt with repentance and repentance in general terms, but now regret must be entered into this whole picture, without this feeling one cannot come to either one.
Surely, it is with regret that deep repentance begins, and after it, sincere repentance. After all, regret is a feeling of sadness, anxiety and grief about the impossibility of returning something. Regret can mean pity and compassion for someone.
Thinking about what repentance, regret and repentance are, on the one hand, the same interpretations can be applied to their definitions, but we can also say that these are links of the same chain.
First, a person commits some dishonorable act, for which he becomes ashamed over time - this is how his conscience begins to work, which will be worse than any judge, and then the guilty person is covered with a feeling of regret. Behind all this comes repentance, when a person fully understands and accepts his mistake, and whenwants to improve and find a way out of the current situation, comes to repentance at confession.
Repentance
In human life, sooner or later, there is a need for repentance in order to receive moral and moral purification with this. Repentance leads to a deep awareness of one's sin, regret and sorrow, a strong desire not to repeat it in the future and to correct oneself in deed and thought.
Repentance is a Greek word that literally means a change of mind or a change of mind. When repenting, a person not only realizes his sinfulness, but is also firmly prepared to fight his bad inclinations and passions. Such a state of mind is connected with a request or prayer for help to God. And only with sincere and heartfelt repentance does an open soul receive that grace-filled medicine that does not allow the soul to plunge into sin again.
Orthodox Sacrament
In Orthodoxy, there is a Sacrament, which is called - Repentance, in which one who confesses his sins while apparently receiving forgiveness from the priest is resolved from sins by the Lord himself.
Repentance, as a rule, precedes the Sacrament of Communion, as it prepares the soul to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The need for the Sacrament of Penance lies in the fact that a person after the Sacrament of Baptism becomes a Christian. Having washed away his sins in this way, he, due to the weakness of his natural human nature, continues to sin. It is these sins that separate a person from the Lord, placing a barrier between them. Man with his own strengthwould never be able to overcome this painful break if there was no repentance, which helps to maintain the union with God found in Baptism.
Repentance is, first of all, spiritual work, as a result of which a sin committed by a person becomes hated by him.
Conclusion
The Gospel of Luke says, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous who have no need of repentance.
A person spends his entire earthly life in a continuous struggle with sin, he has severe defeats and falls. But, despite this, a true Christian should not succumb to despondency, in any case, he must rise and continue on his way, since God's mercy is infinite. We must take up our cross and follow Christ.
The fruit of repentance is getting reconciliation with God, with your conscience and people, and gaining the spiritual joy of being freed from punishment for confessed sins in eternal life. This will serve as an answer to the question: "Repentance - what is it?".
