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!