Contrition and Attrition: The difference
Many people forego repentance until their old age. They say: I
will repent when I am at the threshold of eternity. And so when
they are in their gray head days they repent.
But what is repentance? Repentance is actually a change of attitude
towards sin, God, self and Christ.
The repentant says: This is wrong against God. I have sinned
against the moral Governor of the Universe. I am in this hopeless
and helpless state of sinning. I dont deserve heaven. I will turn
to Christ.
Repentance at its earlier stage starts out with attrition.
What is attrition? It is changing ones ways for fear of the
punishment. But it does not stop here. For repentance to be true
and genuine, it [attrition] must mature into contrition. Sadly,
many just stop at attrition, never moving forward into
contrition.
What is contrition? It is when the sinner realizes that sin is sin
and that it grieves the heart of God. God who is sooo good and
gracious and loving worthy of all my all. Why should we sin against
Him? And so the contrite sinner turns away from sin because it is a
sin against God nothing more, nothing less. Not because of the
threat of hell or the promise of bliss in heaven. Even without hell
the contrite sinner turns away from sin. Even without heaven the
contrite sinner turns away from sin. He is focused on what this
blessed and Holy person delights.
What would you do of a woman wanting only to marry you because you
are rich? She only wants to escape poverty thats why she wants to
marry you. Im sure youd dispense of that woman right? You want
someone to marry you because of you. Its the same way with God.
God is a person. He is touched and moved when a sinner turns away
from sin with the motive that he [the sinner] does not want to
grieve Him. He stops his sinning because he wants to honor God for
who He is. This is true repentance.
Contrition is the work of God in a sinner. The human heart cannot
just be contrite by its own. It is desperately wicked and it cannot
change. Only Gods grace can break a rebellious heart.
Repentance is not the payment for sins. WE must not rely on it for
salvation. However, it is the condition to salvation. The payment
for sins is in Mt. Calvary. You must go there for salvation. In
order for you to reach there, you must leave sin. In order for you
to accept the gift of salvation, you must lay down your arms.
Surrender those weapons of rebellion. Your hands cannot receive the
gift of salvation if it is full of rebellion.
When you came to Christ did you come to Him just because you want
to escape hell or did you come to Him because of sin?
[Note: The heart is sooo deceitful. Sometimes because of fear of
impending death a person displays seeming repentance from sin. He
really feels that he has repented and accepted Christ only to
find out on the other side that he was never saved at all.
Yes, deathbed repentance is possible so long as it is true
repentance. But in order for you to be sure that you have really
repented, why not repent now when you are healthy and strong. So
when imminent death comes and you are lying in your bed you wont
be bothered by the thoughts: Are you really repentant? Really?
What if its only attrition? How will you know? .........But if
you have repented as early as now when you are healthy, then you
will be assured that your repentance is true and is not only a
product of attrition for you have repented from your sins even when
the threat of death was remote].
Why not repent now? Turn from your sins. God is to be revered and
honored. Self [with its sins] is to be judged. Christ is to be
relied on for salvation.
