What Does Repentance Look Like

 There is a story nestled in the fifteenth chapter of I Samuel where King Saul blatantly disobeyed God. He only partially obeyed the command of God. Saul justified his sin by saying he did obey God. He only partially obeyed. God's command was specific to utterly destroy the Amalekites. Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock. Partial obedience is also partial disobedience. 

The prophet Samuel called Saul out on his sin. At first, Saul argued. Samuel hit hard with the truth that he heard cattle and sheep still alive. A fact for which there was no disputing. Saul made excuses that it was the people's fault. He even said he feared the people and therefore compromised. Samuel spoke like a prophet. He reminded Saul that God values obedience over religious rituals. 

Saul acknowledged that he sinned. It appeared he was repentant until you come to verse 30. Saul begged Samuel to come back with him before the elders and the people so Samuel could honor him in front of the crowd. Does that look like repentance? It looks like a sham and a show. The word honor means to put weight on and to glorify. When I use the phrase to put weight on that does not have to do with becoming obese. In the Old Testament, the worth of something was valued based on the weight. In essence, Saul wanted Samuel to impress the worth of Saul on the people. Saul wanted to be glorified in front of everyone. 

Repentance looks like brokenness. Repentance often includes tears. Repentance means coming clean before God and not putting on a show. Repentance requires contrition not honor. David understood repentance in Psalm 51. This is what he wrote after committing the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered. You feel the humility, the sincerity, the sorrow over sin. I don't see that with Saul. His actions do not look like repentance to me. 

There is a difference in repentance and being sorry. Repentance includes sorrow but goes further. It involves a changing of the mind and a changing of behavior. Some people are only sorry about their sin because they got caught. Some may feel bad about their sin and ask forgiveness, but they have no intention of changing their behavior. 

Let's be honest. Hypocrisy exists in churches. Unrepentant people sit in pews and chairs on Sunday mornings. Isn't it time we get serious about our sin? God sure takes it seriously. He is willing to forgive. Read Ps 103:12 and I John 1:9. He is much more willing to forgive than people are willing to genuinely repent. I have seen genuine repentance. It can be uncomfortable to watch. Broken people bawling, grieving, and prayerfully pleading for God to forgive and restore. The end result of such repentance is beautiful. You don't see much of that in churches today. I wish we did.