Repentance

Ok, so, I was watching a little tv today and heard a person who represents a particular church (who shall remain nameless to avoid needless controversy) congratulate someone for “understanding in one day our Lord’s message of repentance.” For those that know me well, you probably know that I have a habit of fussing at and / or debating the tv or radio. I’m very passionate and can’t stand when people purport something that does not stand or is illogical, and especially when they misrepresent the Gospel! As with so many of my notes, this started as a Facebook status update of a sentence and turned into this… enjoy :)

Repentance is NOT simply, oh darn, I screwed up, I’m really sorry that I did “x” and now I’m in a mess… I messed up and sinned and now I’m in a mess and God is mad at me. NO!!! That is merely the starting place of repentance. Repentance is having a keen awareness of just how sinful you really are (inasmuch as we can comprehend). It is not only recognizing what you have done wrong, but it is standing with God and saying “you are justified when you speak” it is standing in agreement with God that you are deserving of punishment because of who you are, not merely for a few times of messing up (though those are the evidences of who you are). Repentance is a deep sense of vulnerability is seeing yourself in God’s eyes and realizing that you cannot possibly cover up yours sins as Adam and Eve tried to do, nor can you hide from God himself or the wrath that is to come! Repentance IS casting yourself before a Holy God and pleading for mercy, realizing that you deserve none. For those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ in this way, they will be saved, He will in no way turn anyone away that comes in this manner. Then, the truly beautiful thing is that He will not only give you mercy, but He will give you grace, which means that He not only takes away your sin (your sin nature), but He will also give you HIS righteousness. You are not merely brought to a “zero” balance (which still wouldn’t be good enough), but He gives you perfect credit, HIS!!!

Aside from this type of repentance, a person is condemned to hell. This is no way around it, there is no other way. This does not delight me, speaking as a human being. It is not something that I enjoy preaching and teaching, yet, it is completely true. It is like being in WWII, hearing the air-raid sirens, and trying to take cover in a bunker. I’m not happy about having to scream at the top of my lungs to a little child who’s crying merely because I’m yelling, or to have to forcibly grab an old woman, or to tell a strong man to his face that he’s an idiot; I don’t enjoy doing those things. And yet, how can I do anything else?! The most selfish thing I could do would be to jump in the bunker and comfort myself with the thought that I was safe and other’s should be able to hear the sirens. It is one thing when people have heard and chose not to take the necessary actions; it is entirely different if they have never heard!

This is truly amazing, and most importantly… 100% true!

Meditation

Also, as to aligning with particular groups and doctrinal lines… each “system” is an attempt to reconcile mysteries and as such, is a human structure built (whether solidly or not) on top of the Bible, and thus, is bound to have error. This is why I cannot seem to answer some questions around here… now, some are better than others and I more easily align with them than others, yet some are quite good save a few things or even the tweaking of a few points. If I cannot accept the whole, I cannot claim to align with said system. Thus, I don’t have a clue which particular system I “believe” because they are all in error in one manner or another, though I try my best to be aware of and intelligent on the issues involved. Thus, I know I need to learn more, desire to, and will, yet at the same time, this is why I am ignorant of terms and such. Part of it has been laziness, but part of it is in recognizing that I cannot accept these wholes. So much of this smacks of the “I am of Paul and I am of Apollos” (1 Cor 3:4). If we are truly people of the word, if we truly believe sola scriptura, then why do we so blindly hold to the traditions instead of digging in the Word for ourselves and then taking the systems as advice from elders and those more wise than ourselves.



Some will charge me with being illogical or not desiring consistency… no, quite the opposite. I am a VERY logically-oriented person and quite analytical. I cannot abide inconsistency within myself, my mind, etc. I am very logical and love systematic theology and so on. My contention is that there is more than we are capable of knowing. Thus, we should seek to know all that we can about what we can, but we should not try to force the things that have not been revealed to us. It is actually an affront to God to seek to know the hidden things that He has denied us. If you disagree, explain the Trinity. If you can explain the trinity without becoming a heretic or using this same logic, then I will change my mind. Otherwise, be consistent and admit that you can’t figure out every single thing and learn to be comfortable with mystery… we are the creatures, not the creator. Why can’t we eat this fruit? That doesn’t matter; to you it has not been revealed. Apply yourself with what you are given, but stop grasping for what you have not been. Then, take what you have been given and use it instead of bottling it up in selfishness. Deut 29.29