When Repentance really isn't repentance
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share some thoughts on a widely used topic.... repentance. It is, what I would consider, 1 of the top 2 best gifts God could have ever given us. That's saying alot because God has lots of gifts for us. It is a widely used term but recently I've come to the conclusion that it is sort of vast misunderstood. So let's get into it!
To say that repentance is one of the top two best gifts God could give us is honestly a little bit of an understatement for me. You may hear many different answers when you ask someone what is the best gift from God is. I would be willing to guess, though, that salvation through Jesus Christ will probably be what most people say. Salvation is absolutely wonderful and it seals our eternities in a place with no weeping or gnashing of teeth or any suffering whatsoever. Can you believe though that not everyone gets that gift though? I know to some who read this that may be a silly question. There are plently of people out there that believe everyone is getting into heavan, that there are many paths to heaven and that if they live good enough lives they would earn there way into heaven. The reality is that the only way to even access salvation is through repentance(Luke 13:3). So that's where I am a little torn. What is more important, the gift or how I can accept that gift? Sometimes I truly think that repentance is the greater gift than salvation. Honestly though they're both great. It's like asking which is better: being gifted a million dollars or a million and one dollars? If I'm honest though, if you give me a new car without the key to get in it, it might not be that great because I am going to have to work really hard to get in the car and drive it.
'Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ' Acts 17:30
Ok, so how did I come to that conclusion? Well I guess we should take a look first at what got us in the position to need repentance first. Adam and Eve had it so good. They were in a place where they had everything. They didn't worry about anything, not food or anything. God gave them work to do but it wasn't like they were working hard. The best thing they had was the unhindered access to the presence of God. Before they knew it though they screwed that up. Adam allowed the surpent to deceive them into acting against God's command. Hence the humans tedency to sin was solidified. Right away God brought down grace in the form of consequences to them and they were ejected from the garden of Eden. That is the pattern of sin with God's creation. Sin will always cause space between God and ourselves. We know that we are sinning because we have His commandements to tell us what not to do. We also know we are sinning because sin causes a reaction that would separate us from the presence of God. If you have ever walked in the Spirit then you will know when you are not.
When is repentance not truly repentance? The meaning of repentance in Christianese is the act of turning away from your sin and towards God. In the greek the word metanoia is used which means to literally change ones mind or to turn around. So repentance is not repentance if you haven't changed your perspective about your sin. Repentance truly isn't repentance if you haven't made any changes to ensure you don't sin. That doesn't mean perfection but it does mean that you care so much about greiving God that you will take drastic measures to make sure you stay away from the things that tempt you and hold captive every thought that would drag you into a pattern of sin.
'“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.' Matthew 18:8-9
The good news is that as long as there is breath in our lungs, there is an opportunity to use that breath to repent. Repentance is a 3 step process.
Confession: 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.' I John 1:9-10. Without confession we prove that we are too prideful to even admit when we have screwed up.
Remorse: 'For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.' Psalms 38:18. It is very possible fo someone to confess a sin and not care on bit that they did what they did. I am sure there are prisons full of people that pled guilty to things and were handed down harsh sentences because they did not show any remorse.
Bearing fruit worthy of repentance: This is very Christianese so please bear with me for a second while I explain it. Before Jesus began His public ministry, John the Baptist was warning people to 'Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ' Matthew 3:8-9. No one is getting out of this world and into eternal life with Jesus without repenting but one can not just say they repent. The repentant person strives to please God by doing all they can to not practice sin. Any person who tries to repent but continues to practice sin is taking God's grace for granted. Paul says it is well in Romans that just because grace exists, doesn't mean we continue is a continual pattern of sin.
'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' Romans 6:1-4
In conclusion, if you have sins then repent before it's too late. If you repent, talk the talk and walk the walk. Repentance is an open invitation from the Father to come back home and into His presence. Read the opening verses of Isaiah 5 to see what happens if you don't repent.
Blessings everyone,
Stay prayed up!
Comments