True, godly repentance includes the person's mind, emotions, and heart, as shown in the charts below:

TRUE REPENTANCE INCLUDES:

A knowledge and confession of personal sin - This includes a change of thought and view. The person recognizes his sinfulness - his guilt and defilement. He sees that God's law is right, and he is wrong.

For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

- Romans 3:20b

A feeling of sorrow and regret for personal sin - This includes a change of feeling. The person experiences sorrow for sin itself and deeply regrets sinning against God.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of.

- II Corinthians 7:10a

A heartfelt turning from personal sin to God - This includes a change of one's deepest desires and will. The person wholeheartedly confesses his sin to God; seeking pardon and cleansing grace, but also strengthening grace to fight against temptation and keep himself from sin.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

- Psalm 51:1-2

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES OF TRUE REPENTANCE

King Josiah

Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

- II Kings 22:19

Ezra

Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

- Ezra 10:1

Job

Then Job answered the LORD and said,

I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

- Job 42:1,5,6

Peter

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

- Luke 22:61-62

The Prodigal Son

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

- Luke 15:18-21

The Publican

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

- Luke 18:13

Nehemiah

Let Thine ear now be attentive, and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hear the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel Thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned again Thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses.

- Nehemiah 1:6-7

Asaph

Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee.

- Psalm 73:21-22