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LESSON THREE - REPENTANCE
Lesson Goal: The
goal of this lesson is to understand what true repentance is and how and
why it is carried out.
Introduction: When
Allah first created man, he gave him both wisdom and intelligence in order
to do what was right. Also, in order that man did not accidentally go
astray, Allah gave him instructions to guide his actions. In addition,
Allah gave man one more very important quality - freedom. Not only did
Allah show man the path he should go and gave him the strength to obey,
but He also gave man a free will. Thus, while man had the strength and
ability to obey, he also had the freedom to disobey if he so chose. Man
was not created as a doll or machine without freedom of will or choice.
Allah desired our love and obedience voluntarily, not because we had no
other choice.
1. Read 33:11--Say
to them, `As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Allah, I take no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their
ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house
of Israel?'
a. Who is speaking in this passage?
b. Is it Allah's desire or plan that any man should sin and come under judgment?
c. What does Allah want all sinners to do?
d. There are some people who claim that all man's actions are dictated by Allah in every detail, even the sins and wrong doings. Not a leaf on a tree falls apart from His will, they claim. Do you agree with that claim? Why or why not? If such thinking was true, would there be any point in Allah commanding people to repent or giving guidelines for living a holy life?
2. Read Matthew 3:7-12--But
when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was
baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to
flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And
do not think you can say to yourselves, `We have Ibrahim as our father.' I
tell you that out of these stones Allah can raise up children for Ibrahim.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not
produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize
you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more
powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and
he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and
burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
a. What did Prophet instruct people
to do? (hint: Mark 1:4--And so
came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins.)
b. What should be seen in one's life as
evidence of true repentance?
c. Prophet spoke of another important
person's coming. Who was that person? (hint: John 1:29,30--The
next day saw Isa coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of
Allah, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I
said, `A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before
me.' )
3. Read Acts 3:17-20. In this passage, the
Apostle Peter is preaching to a crowd of Jews at the temple in Jerusalem--"Now,
brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But
this is how Allah fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets,
saying that his Masih would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to Allah, so
that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from
the Lord, and that he may send al-Masih, who has been appointed for
you--even Isa.
a. What does Peter instruct his listeners
to do?
b. Thus, we can say that the first step in
receiving salvation is to
The person who confesses his sin to Allah
and turns from it has taken the first step towards salvation. The second
step is to go on and to accept Isa as one's personal savior
(Romans 10:9,10). Those who do so thereby become sons of Allah and are
adopted into his spiritual family (John 1:12).
Now, the next question is, What
relationship do those who have received salvation have with repentance?
Does repentence play any part in their lives? We shall be looking at what
Scripture says on that question below.
4. Read 1 John 1:8-2:2--If
we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us
our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not
sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our
lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.
But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense--Isa al-Masih, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world.
a. Even after salvation, if we claim that
we are without sin, what is the result?
b. Thus, saved believers still sin. And
when they sin, they need to do what?
c. If we confess and forsake our sin, what does Allah promise?
d. After sinning, if a disciple of Isa confesses that sin to Allah, who is there to speak on his defense?
5. We shall now look at the person who
refuses to repent of his sin.
a. The unrepentant unbeliever - read 1
Thessalonians 1:8,9--(He will
punish those who do not know Allah and do not obey the of our
Lord Isa. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut
out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power).
According to this passage, the unbeliever who does not obey the
of will be punished how?
b. The unrepentant believer - read
Hebrews 12:4-12--(In your
struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of
shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement
that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the
Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because
the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he
accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; Allah is
treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then
you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all
had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How
much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our
fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but
Allah disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on,
however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those
who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms
and weak knees.).
What does Allah do with the believer who sins and refuses to repent?
c. Match the items from the two columns
below by typing the number from each item in column 'B' beside the item in column 'A' to which it corresponds.
6. Read 2 Corinthians 7:10--Godly
sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,
but worldly sorrow brings death.
a. What is the result of worldly
sorrow?
b. What is the result of godly sorrow?
c. Matthew 27:3-5 says--When
Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Isa was condemned, he was seized
with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests
and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have
betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your
responsibility." So Judas threw the money into the temple and
left. Then he went away and hanged himself.)
From this passage, what kind of sorrow did Judas
experience, godly or worldly sorrow?
d. Matthew 26:69-75 says--Now
Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to
him. "You also were with Isa of Galilee," she said. But he
denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking
about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another
girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with
Isa of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't
know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up
to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent
gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and
he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a
rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Isa had spoken:
"Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."
And he went outside and wept bitterly.)
From this passage, what kind of sorrow did Peter
experience?
7. From your own experience, what does
Islam say about repentance, the need for it, and how it is done?
8. Consider your own life. Is there any
thought pattern, action, or habit in your life which is not pleasing to
Allah and should be repented of? What should you do about it? Elaborate
briefly.
TO MEMORIZE - 1
JOHN 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us
our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
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