RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2022/2023
AGE 13-19 STUDENTS’ MANUAL
SUNDAY 30TH OF JULY, 2023
LESSON FORTY EIGHT (48)
TOPIC: REPENTANCE
BIBLE TEXT: 2 Chronicles 7:14
[14]If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1 John 1:9
[9]If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Peter 3:9
[9]The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
MEMORY VERSE: 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land“.
CENTRAL TRUTH: Only a truly repentant person can receive forgiveness from God
INTRODUCTION: Repentance is reviewing one’s actions with sincere regret and remorse for past wrongs, which is accompanied by a commitment to actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. A person in sin with feelings of regret and remorse shows repentance for the forgiveness of his sins. God will only forgive a genuinely repentant heart.
STUDY GUIDE
A. ATTRIBUTES OF GENUINE REPENTANCE
1. Humility: A truly repentant person is not proud. He knows his lowly state and humbles himself before God for forgiveness [2 Chronicles 7:14].
2. Acknowledgment: One must acknowledge in their hearts that they have done wrong. You cannot be repentant if you feel what you have done is justifiable or if you refuse to take responsibility for your actions (Psalm 51:3]
3. Regret or remorse: True repentance involves a sorrowful heart. A heart that regrets its actions [2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Jeremiah 31:19].
4. ……………………………….: One is truly repentant if they have no desire to go back to their sinful ways. A person who desires to still go on in the same forbidden action is not truly repentant. [Jonah 3:1, Proverbs 28: 1 3b, 2 Chronicles 7:14].
5. Transparency: Genuine repentance involves total transparency. You should not cover up but be open to God about what you’ve done. You cannot cover up some part and only be repentant about another part. [Proverbs 28:13].
B. IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS/SIGNIFICANCE/OUTCOME OF GENUINE REPENTANCE
1, Genuine repentance receives forgiveness from God [1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19, 2 Chronicles 7: 14]
2. ………………………………. [Psalms 51:10-14]. 3. Genuine repentance leads to salvation. [Acts 3:19].
4. Humility: It humbles us and makes us reflect on how lowly we are [Proverbs 21:2, Psalm 51].
5. Fruits of repentance: we can tell a truly repentant person from the way they behave. They bear good fruits (Matthew 3:8].
6. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents [Luke 15:7].
7. Pardon from punishments (Jonah 3: 10].
C. CONSEQUENCES OF AN UNREPENTANT HEART
1. No forgiveness for the unrepentant
2. The unrepentant will not inherit God’s kingdom {death} [Luke 13:1-5]
3. Unsuccessful-ness [Proverbs 28: 13]
4. Stubbornness/hardened heart [Acts 28:27]
5. ………………………………. [John 9:31]
DISCUSSION: Looking at the life of Saul and David, discuss how we see genuine and non-genuine repentance.
LIFE APPLICATION: There may be times we fall, but when this happens we should have godly sorrow and be unwilling to go back to what made us fall. When we humble ourselves and are repentant, God will forgive us.
CONCLUSION: Overall, only the genuinely repentant will inherit God’s Kingdom. Have you fallen out of the way? Humble yourself and repent of your sins today.
INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION
What is God saying in today’s lesson?
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How can I apply this to my life?
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My prayer today is:
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