"He that covereth sin shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and

forsaketh them shall have mercy." 

A person is not repentant while he/she is still blaming someone else

for what he did. A person is too often sorry he got caught, was tempted 

by someone or something---and a myriad other reasons why they fail. 

Repentance comes when a person stops making excuses. The Devil never 

made you do it. You are tempted when you are drawn away with your own 

lust and give in to your weakest desires. When you see sin as God sees it,

and come like Isaiah 6--Woe is me, for I am undone. 

When we allow someone to make an excuse, any excuse -- we have cross-

circuited the plan of God for forgiveness and restoration and made a person

to feel at peace with their sin.  This is not repentance - but deception.

Michael A. Smith