What are the Substitutes for true Repentance? 1. You may reform in the actions without repenting in the heart (Ps. 51:16-17; Joel 2:13). 2. You may experience the emotion of repentance without the effect of it. 3. You may confess the words of a true repenter and never repent (Mt. 21:28-32; 1 Jn. 2:4, 4:20). 4. You may repent for the fear of reprisal alone and not for the hatred of sin. 5. You may talk against sin in public like a true repenter but never repent in private (Mt. 23:1-3). 6. You may repent primarily for temporal gains rather than the glory of God. 7. You may repent of lesser sins for the purpose of avoiding the greater sins (Lk. 11:42). 8. You may repent so generally that you never repent of any specific sin at all. 9. You may repent for the love of friends and religious leaders and not repent for the love of God (Isa. 1: 10-17). 10. You may confess the finished action of sin and not repent from the continuing habit of sin. 11. You may attempt repentance of your sin while consciously leaving open the door of its opportunity. 12. You may make an effort to repent of some sins without repenting of all the sin you know.