Repentance: God's gift and our responsibility

 

What repentance is

A change of mind

The Greek words translated as ‘repent’ in the New Testament normally mean to ‘change one’s mind’. Repentance means to turn one’s mind right. Like the prodigal son, all who repent come to their senses (Luk 15:17). Repentance always involves the recognition that one has been wrong.

A change of emotions

Sorrow is often associated with repentance. Jesus spoke of a repentant man who beat his breast, a sign of mourning, as he prayed a prayer of repentance (Luk 18:13). Fasting, sackcloth and ashes, the garb of mourning, were typical signs of repentance in the OT. Repentance involves sorrow followed by salvation (2 Cor 7:10). Yet mere sorrow for sin without a change of mind and will is not full repentance (Mat 27:3-5).

A change of will

Repentance is a decision. It is a choice to live in a new way. New behaviors come with repentance (Mat 3:8; Acts 26:20). The repentant tax collector who told Jesus that he would give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he had ripped off four times what he took is a good example of what the change brought about by repentance can look like (Luk 19:8). The Scripture teaches that thieves, drunkards, liars, the verbally abusive, the greedy, adulterers, homosexuals and others who live in sinful ways will not be part of the kingdom of God. The good news is that the repentant were living in those ways but are not anymore (1 Cor 6:9-11).

The common Hebrew term for human repentance means ‘to turn’. This concept frequently appears in the New Testament as well. Repentance and conversion (turning) are often seen together (Luk 22:32; Acts 3:19; 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 26:18, 20; 28:27; 1 Thes 1:9; James 5:19-20; 1 Pet 2:25). The term ‘repentance’ is especially a turning from sin while ‘conversion’ most often refers to turning to God.

True and false repentance

Ideally, no Christian would ever sin after their initial act of repentance. However, this is seldom if ever the case. As far as I know, there is no total escape from temptation in this life. The decision to reject ungodly behaviors must be reaffirmed repeatedly. Some people suppose that they have truly grieved for and turned from their sins only to later realize that they were fooling themselves. Others have truly repented only to succumb to temptation at some later point. Regardless, the only right response is to confess and forsake sin – repent – whether for the first time or the twenty-first time. Know that God is generously merciful. He is more than merciful enough to forgive us seven times in the same day. Seven times in one day – that’s how often Jesus taught his followers to forgive an apologetic brother (Luk 17:4).

Who is responsible for repentance – us or God?

Humans

The Bible makes very clear that repentance is a human responsibility. The preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles emphasized the human duty to repent (Mat 3:2,8; 4:17; 9:13; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 17:30; 26:20). Jesus criticized and threatened those who refused to repent (Mat 11:20; Luk 13:2-5; Rev 2:5, 16, 21-23). God has commanded every last person to repent (Acts 17:30).

God

The Bible also teaches that God plays an active role in human repentance. God wills that everyone repent (2 Pet 3:9). Both repentance and forgiveness are God’s gifts to us through Christ (Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25). God’s generosity, threats, promises, and punishments are all designed to lead us to repentance (Rom 2:4-5; Amos 4:6-11; Hos 6:1-3; 2 Chr 15:4; Neh 1:9; Psa 78:34).

What happens when we repent?

God deals with repentant people and rebellious people differently. When we repent we change God’s relationship with us (2 Chr 7:14; Zec 1:3; Mal 3:7). Those who turn to God in repentance receive his mercy (1 Sam 7:3; Jer 18:8; 26:3, 13, 19; Eze 18:21-24; Jon 3:10 - 4:2). On the other hand, those who turn away from God suffer for it (1 Sam 15:11; Gen 6:6-7; Deut 30:1-10). Repentance makes all the difference in the plans God has for you. The time for repentance is now – before it’s too late.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Surprised by God

One of the most common myths about God is that he wants to suck the joy out of life. 

Nothing could be further from the truth.

God invented pleasure

• Food? God created that. He created the food and he created the taste buds, sense of smell, and teeth that enable us to enjoy it.

• Sex? He is the one who invented sex. The emotions. The bond. The excitement. The hormones. The pheromones. The children. Everything that makes sex sex is God's gift to humanity.

• Music? God again.

• Work? Yes, work can be a pleasure. That sense of accomplishment when you've done your job well? That comes from God. God created us to work and enjoy it.

• Art? God gave us raw materials, creativity, and senses to make and enjoy art.

There's a Bible story that drives the point home for me. As Jesus began his earthly ministry he was invited to a wedding. Jesus accepted the invitation. During the festivities (which typically lasted a week) the host ran out of wine. This was a huge embarrassment in that culture. The Jesus many believe in would have probably said something like, "Hey, you have water. Water is good enough. You'll survive." But the Jesus of the Bible did something quite different. He turned several gallons of water into wine. I see this as a demonstration of one of Jesus' teachings:

The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. 

                                                             -- Jesus (John 10:10)

Don't believe the hype. Jesus isn't out to steal from you! His desire is that you receive abundance from him. The only question is whether you are willing to receive it. 

God didn't bring you this far to leave you now

God brought his people out of slavery in Egypt.

• While pursued by an enemy too strong for them, their progress was halted by the Red Sea. They thought they were going to die. So God parted the waters, allowing them to cross on dry ground. Their enemies were killed when they tried to follow suit.

• Then they went 3 days without water. When they did find water it wasn't fit to drink.  So the Lord showed Moses a tree that would make the water safe to drink.

• The nation of Israel was in the wilderness without enough food to eat. They thought they would die. So God rained bread out of heaven.

• Again, the people were without water. And again they thought they were going to die. So God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff. When he did water gushed from the rock. 

Sound familiar? Life is filled with trouble. That doesn't mean that you're out of God's protection and care. Every new trial is an opportunity to trust and obey God. He'll never fail you.  

Holy Days With the Unholy

It’s that time of year. The time when we get together again with the ones we never chose to get together with in the first place – our families. In my family our proximity is sometimes only physical. There are deep divisions. We disagree about politics and religion. And, in my family, that doesn’t leave much else to talk about.

My family is not unique in its disagreements. We all know what’s coming. It’s a good idea to plan ahead now. How should we love the ones we don’t see eye to eye with this season?

1.  “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – John Maxwell

-   God did not call you to win arguments. He called you to win people.

2.  “Without Me you can do nothing” – Jesus

-   You cannot fill the shoes of the Holy Spirit. You cannot convict your family of their sins. You cannot remove their spiritual blindness.

-   You can only be fruitful if you cultivate your relationship with Jesus (John 15). You will help your family most by drawing close to God through prayer and study/meditation. Then they will know that you have been with the Master.

o  Those who have been with Jesus are shiny and salty. Shiny people expose dirt. Salty people make others thirsty. When you come around does the demand for clean water increase?

3.  “Speaking the truth in love” – Apostle Paul

-   Don’t give in to the temptations of silence or meanness. Don’t just live the truth – speak it. And don’t just speak the truth – live it. 

Judgment and Forgiveness

Lion and Lamb (paradoxes) continued

Judgment and Forgiveness

Matthew 25:30 & Luke 23:34

The man who hid his talent was cast into outer darkness. Those who crucified our Lord heard the words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Which is it? Mercy or Justice? As a disciple of Christ should I imitate his exacting judgment or his incredible mercy?

Judgment needed

God has made clear to us, from the beginning, that judgment is certain. "God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Gal 6:7). There are no secrets (Luke 8:17). God will judge all of humanity by the man Christ Jesus (John 5:25-27). God's judgment is real and fearful. Those who are condemned will be punished in a lake of fire forever.

The fact of the judgment of God is a solemn one. God will soon take vengeance on the rebels and restore peace to the earth. This ought to inspire us to judge ourselves.

Forgiveness is only for the guilty

The plain truth is that we all need forgiveness -- whether we know it or not. We have all violated the inviolable laws of the universe. We have gone astray. Only after we recognize this reality do we begin to welcome and even seek forgiveness.

In a world without judgment, forgiveness doesn't make sense.  How can we value forgiveness if we will not admit that there is such a thing as morally wrong behavior? The only way to celebrate forgiveness while rejecting all judgment is to resort to mere sentimentality. If we're forgiven only because nothing is really wrong then forgiveness is cheap and meaningless.

Holding both ends
Acknowledging the nastiness of the wrong done and yet still offering forgiveness -- that is the beautiful thing.

Those who would be like Christ must treat sin very seriously and honestly while extending forgiveness freely. This is the path Jesus walked. He spoke freely and often of the sinfulness of sin and the punishment awaiting the wicked. He also forgave freely. He is our example. 

Early Christianity: A New Earth

A New Earth – “the life of the world to come”

            Pharisaic Judaism at the time of Christ shared many beliefs in common with what is known as apocalypticism and likely expected a radical inbreaking of the rule of God along with a new heavens and a new earth.[1] Such expectation can be seen in the prophecy of Isaiah in the Old Testament (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). Still, the Judaism from which Christianity sprang did not have a unified and well-developed teaching concerning the afterlife. They even disagreed about whether there would be an afterlife at all.

            Jesus himself spoke of the afterlife quite often (Matthew 5:11-12; 6:19-21; 18:8; 22:23-32; John 11:21-27). His focus on the world to come did not lead to an otherworldly detachment from the affairs of this life. Rather, Jesus revealed that heavenly minded people do the most earthly good (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 14:12-14). Jesus’ taught the resurrection as a threat and a promise (John 5:28-29; Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46). Yet, for all his emphasis on the world to come, Jesus did not give many details about what that world will be like.

            Belief in the world to come played a key role in early Christian thought and practice.[2] This belief served as the basis for urgent pleas for the practice of Christian ethics.[3] Just as with every other belief articulated in the Nicene Creed, belief in a world to come was held by Christians since the time of the apostles.

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[1] Porter, Dictionary of New Testament background : a compendium of contemporary biblical scholarship.

[2] “Each major tenet of primitive Christian belief must be understood in this apocalyptic context: the very charter of Christian orthodoxy, the command of the risen Lord to the apostles to make disciples and to teach them to observe everything that he had commanded, was predicated on the promise and the prophecy that he would be with them until the consummation of the age” Ferguson, Backgrounds of early Christianity, 123.; Further, He says to them, “Your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot endure.” Ye perceive how He speaks: Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world” Barnabas XV, ANF I p. 147

[3] “If we please Him in this present world, we will also inherit the future world. For He promised to us that He will raise us again from the dead.” Polycarp to the Philippians V, ANF I p. 34; “Wherefore, then, my brethren, let us struggle with all earnestness…And should we not all be able to obtain the crown, let us at least come near to it. We must remember that he who strives in the corruptible contest, if he be found acting unfairly, is taken away and scourged, and cast forth from the lists. What then think ye? If one does anything unseemly in the incorruptible contest, what shall he have to bear? For of those who do not preserve the seal unbroken, the Scripture saith, “Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh.”” 2 Clement VII, ANF VII p. 519; “As long, therefore, as we are upon the earth, let us practice repentance, for we are as clay in the hand of the artificer. For as the potter, if he make a vessel, and it be distorted or broken in his hands, fashions it over again; but if he have before this cast it into the furnace of fire, can no longer find any help for it: so let us also, while we are in this world, repent with our whole heart of the evil deeds we have done in the flesh, that we may be saved by the Lord, while we have yet an opportunity of repentance. For after we have gone out of the world, no further power of confessing or repenting will there belong to us.” Ibid., VIII; “the righteous man also walks in this world, yet looks forward to the holy age [to come].” Barnabas X, ANF I p. 144; “If, therefore, you do these things, you shall be able to bear fruit for the life to come.” Shepherd of Hermas Similitude IV, ANF II p. 33 

Calvin's Heretical Theology (according to the Second Council of Orange)

It's odd that many Calvinists call Arminians "semi-Pelagian," intending to convey that Arminians are sorta heretical, yet don't apply the same standard to their own position. True Calvinists were anathematized at the same council (Second Council of Orange) that rejected Pelagianism. 

 

"We not only do not believe that any are foreordained to evil by the power of God, but even state with utter abhorrence that if there are those who want to believe so evil a thing, they are anathema."    - Second Council of Orange 

Do Calvinists really believe that some "are foreordained to evil by the power of God"? I'll let Calvin answer for himself. The quotes I've below come from Calvin's own writings.