J Heinrich Arnold-Freedom from sinful thoughts.pdf

14. Repentance and RebirthWE HAVE discussed, in the previous chapters, theimportance of self-surrender, confession, prayer, anddetachment. These things aside, we are left with anall-important question: What must we do to make acomplete break with the sin in our hearts, so that we canbe “born again?”According to the New Testament, we must repent.That is, we must not only acknowledge our sins, butshow such deep and genuine remorse for them that wecut ourselves off from their power completely.Repentance is not a welcome idea among manybelievers today; as a whole, people squirm whenconfronted with it. No one likes to see himself as asinner; it is nicer to be a good Christian. Yet don’t allfour gospels make it clear that Christ came for sinners –not for saints – and that the way to Christ is humilityand poverty of spirit, not human goodness?When the apostle Paul speaks of himself as “the