In Numbers 22, Balaam said, “I have sinned,” but he never truly repented. His story is one of the clearest examples in Scripture of a person who sounded spiritual while living in disobedience. Discover how Balaam’s words expose the danger of empty confession and reveal God’s call to genuine repentance and obedience through Christ.
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Table of contentsBalak’s Fear and Balaam’s TemptationAsking God to Approve SinRationalizing DisobedienceLeaving the Door Open to TemptationWhen Temptation Appeals to PrideWhen Words Sound Spiritual but Hearts Are DisobedientActions Must Match WordsWhen God Allows What We DemandGod’s Perfect vs. Permissive WillA Prophet Rebuked by His DonkeyWhen Balaam Said, “I Have Sinned”The Hebrew Meaning of “Turn Back” (šûḇ)True Repentance Means Real ChangeBalaam’s False Confession vs. Jesus’ True CompassionMean It When You Say “I Have Sinned”
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m sorry,” but you knew they didn’t mean it? Maybe they were only sorry they got caught, not truly sorry for what they did.
Sadly, the same thing happens spiritually. Many people say to God, “I have sinned,” but their hearts never change. Their words sound right, but their repentance isn’t real.
That’s what we’ve been studying—people in Scripture who said, “I have sinned,” but never repented. We’ve already looked at Judas and Pharaoh. Today we’ll look at Balaam, a man who shows us how easy it is to sound spiritual while walking in disobedience. His story reminds us that repentance is not just what we say to God—it’s what we do in response to Him.
Balak’s Fear and Balaam’s Temptation
Numbers 22 introduces two main figures:
Balak, king of Moab, who feared Israel after seeing their victories.
Balaam, a prophet believed to have power to bless or curse.
Since Balak couldn’t defeat Israel militarily, he turned to spiritual warfare—hoping Balaam could curse them. Balak represents Satan’s strategy: when he can’t destroy God’s people through force, he tempts them through compromise.
Asking God to Approve Sin
When Balak’s messengers offered Balaam money to curse Israel, Balaam should have refused immediately. Instead, he entertained the offer:
“Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” – Numbers 22:8
He asked God a question he already knew the answer to.
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.” – Genesis 12:3
Rationalizing Disobedience
Balaam’s mistake is one we often repeat—asking God to bless what He’s already forbidden.We might rationalize our disobedience with questions like:
“I wonder if God wants me to marry this unbeliever.”
“Maybe it’s fine if I live with this person before marriage.”
“Perhaps I can repay this person for what they did to me.”
When we ask for permission instead of obedience, we’re not seeking God’s will—we’re resisting it.
Leaving the Door Open to Temptation
After God clearly said no, Balaam told the messengers:
“The Lord has refused to let me go with you.” – Numbers 22:13
Notice the difference between “I won’t go” and “God won’t let me go.” One reveals conviction; the other reveals compromise.
When we leave temptation unresolved, it returns stronger. Balak sent even more prestigious princes, offering greater honor and wealth. That’s how sin works—what we refuse once returns with greater appeal the next time.
“Give no place to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:27“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7
If we don’t resist completely, temptation won’t flee—it will persist.
When Temptation Appeals to Pride
Balak’s message flattered Balaam:
“I will greatly honor you and do whatever you say.”
It appealed to his pride. Temptation often does.
“I came out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.” – Proverbs 7:15
Flattery blinds us to danger. Balaam’s pride made him believe he was indispensable—so he entertained sin again, inviting the messengers to stay the night.
“You, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” – Numbers 22:19
When God has already spoken, asking again doesn’t show faith—it shows rebellion.
When Words Sound Spiritual but Hearts Are Disobedient
Throughout the passage, Balaam sounds pious:
“I could not go beyond the command of the Lord.”“I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.”
Actions Must Match Words
His actions betrayed his words. Instead of sending the men away, he negotiated with temptation.
This warns us that we can sound spiritual while living in sin.We might say, “I’ll pray about it,” or “I’ll see what God wants me to do,” when we already know what He’s said in His Word.
When God Allows What We Demand
Finally, God said, “Go with them.” But this was not approval—it was permission.
Sometimes God lets us have