"Balaam said to the angel of Yahveh: I have sinned, for I did not know that you were
standing before me on the road. Now, if it is bad in your eyes I shall return." Numbers 22:34
Balaam was a cunning evil person and realized that he had to admit he sinned in order to be saved.
True repentance is when a person sincerely regrets the wrong that he has done. But Balaam cared not one bit about being
a truly good person. He was full of negative traits and only cared about gratifying his desires. Therefore, he was even willing
to say that he was sorry for what he did if that would get him off the hook. He had no interest in true self-improvement.
There are two ways that a person can admit that he was wrong. One is a sincere wish to do what is right
and to avoid repeating the wrong. When a person with integrity sees that he has erred, he truly regrets what he has done wrong
and resolves to improve in the future. But a person who just says that he realizes he has done wrong in order to save himself
from punishment does not truly regret the wrongs he has done, and will not resolve to stop doing wrong in the future. If he
feels that he can get away with it, he will continue to do it.
It’s not enough to just say that you are sorry when you have erred. Rather try to experience sincere
regret and resolve to correct your behavior. If you tell the person you have wronged that you are sorry and the person
sees that you are just saying it so he will leave you alone, he will not accept your apology. Yahveh is the same. Be sincere
when you tell Him that you are sorry.
