REPENTANCE
Brother James, OIC
Mar 1:15 And (Jesus) saying,
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel (good news).
I’ve written and spoken many times on repentance. And of late I’ve had to look deep into my own heart about things pertaining to repentance. I have come to awaken to this Truth; “Many beliefs we may have can be grounded in scripture yet can be made better with the Light of the Grace of the Gospel.” Repentance key purpose is to get us to turn to the Gospel and away from the beggarly elements of the world and the false solutions of its god Satan. Truth (if believed and desired) will always in its time effect a forward movement in ones life. And will heal you from the seductions of looking back into a past yoked in darkness, and into a bright new life in Christ.
My favorite scripture on Repentance is:
2Ti 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Truth is the key focus of repentance. Why? Because Jesus told us the Good News of the Gospel was this:
Joh 8:30-32 As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Repentance is not merely turning to words on a page of a book but to something living, powerful that creates life and hope and peace in ones life:
Joh 6:63-64 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
The word quickeneth means life.
Heb 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Repenting then to the acknowledging of the Truth brings life. This Truth we repent to does a complete work in us. And it is God Who does it.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
We are all being changed daily into the New Creation God wants us to be IF we have a love for the Truth. The Truth will shine in us ever brighter as the Glory of the Lord is brought forth in Truth
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
So Repentance is a work of God in our lives and is very much a point of rejoicing as we look back to our opening scripture and acknowledge what all He has and is doing for us:
Mar 1:15 And (Jesus) saying,
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel (good news).
