Many people fail to make a definitive distinction between repentance and forgiveness. The parable of the “prodigal son” (Luke 15:11-24) illustrates the process and meaning of “repentance” and “forgiveness”. Y’all know the story. The estranged son made his decision to turn away from his wrong-doing and to confess his sin with an attitude of contrition to his father. In verses 18-19, the son said to himself, “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Then came the son’s actual change in direction (repentance) in his life and his confession (forgiveness) of his wrong-doing; in v20 “And he arose and came to his father….and the son said to him, ‘I have sinned….’” The son’s confession of sin was made to his father who had been hurt by his son’s bad behavior. Beloved of God, REPENTANCE is when the sinner admits what they are doing, with the intention of turning from what they did. When the sinner is truly repentant, they’ll admit what they did, acknowledge it was wrong, validate how it impacted you, and then ask for FORGIVENESS along with taking steps to correct the damage they contributed and on top of that, they do it in the spirit of humility!