What Repentance is not

Repentance is not:
Godly sorrow for sins

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death" 2 Cor. 7:10. Godly sorrow works or produces repentance but it is not repentance. We saw Wednesday that repentance is from the Greek word Metanoia, which means "change of mind?"

The need for godly sorrow. Sorrow for sins is desperately needed in and out of the church. Jeremiah tells about his day saying, "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely" and then says, "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush" Jer. 6:13-15. People talk openly about their sexual promiscuity, perversion and practices without one ounce of shame. neither do they blush. There is no conviction nor contrition over sin.

What is the answer Sorrow for sins, conviction of sins, contrition over sins, must be produced in the hearts of people by the Holy Spirit. " He will convict the world concerning sin " John 16:8. We preachers and pastors just need to see the "hand of God upon us" as it was upon the apostles. It all starts with us being "filled with the Holy Spirit," so that we see old fashioned conviction of sin. Peter saw that conviction in his preaching shortly after he wept over his sins of denying the Lord Jesus. "Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37.

Stephen saw it Stephen preached, "being full of the Holy Ghost" and "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him" Acts 7:54. Of course he lost his life but gained and eternal reward.

We all need to see it Preachers, teachers, and reachers of souls all need to see the conviction of the Holy Spirit. We must be "purged" vessels "meet for the masters use" 2 Tim. 2:22. We must "thirst" and "drink" and "believe" to see "the flow of rivers of living water," the Holy Spirit flowing through us to see conviction and contrition in our hearers. Doesn't that make sense?

Prayer:  Father help us to preach and teach in the power of the Holy Spirit and see dynamic and powerful results in our churches today. In Jesus name.

Repentance

"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" Luke 13:5.

What is repentance? It was my privilege to major in Greek in seminary. The Greek word "metanoia," repentance, means "change of mind." Meta, like in metamorphosis means to change and noia like in paranoid, means mind.

God must change their minds "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, be patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth" 2 Tim. 2:24, 25. God must give them repentance, change their minds.

God gets the glory What a difference it makes when in preaching, teaching or reaching the lost when we understand that. You and I cannot make them see the truth or change their minds. God must do that. When we depend on Him to open their eyes and change their minds so He gets the credit and glory, He will do it more for you.

Acknowledge the truth He gives repentance "to the acknowledging of the truth" not to "turning from their sin." It is so vital in witnessing. I have seen it hundreds and hundreds of times. You witness to someone and they think they are good people and haven't done anything bad and you say, "We are all in the same boat, we have all sinned, haven't we?" They always admit they too have sinned. They repent and "acknowledge the truth."

Not by our works Most people think they are saved if they do enough good deeds. When you share the gospel and tell how the Lord Jesus died for our sins, paid our debt in full and rose again, God opens their eyes and see it is not their works but Christ's work on the cross that pays our sins, They then, repent and "acknowledge the truth."

What are you going to do about it Now, the question is, "What are you going to do about it?" They must believe and receive the Lord Jesus to be saved and THEN will they turn from their sins because they are born again, not to become born again. There is a vast difference.

Prayer:  Father, help us to depend on the Holy Spirit to do His work of conviction, convincing and conversion. In Jesus name. You are loved by God and me, ABC, sumner

Share the Gospel everyday

Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you

"Preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15 "Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" Matt. 28:20.
What had He commanded them? "Preach the gospel to every creature." Now isn't that simply profound and profoundly simple? Most of the time, new Christians are the most fervent about trying to get their family and friends to Christ. Remember how Jesus said to the one healed, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you" Mark 5:19.

One girl I had the joy of leading a 13 year old girl to Christ. In the next four months we saw over thirty of her family come to Christ because of her witness to them and bringing them to church. Now that should be the normal thing to happen.

A common occurrence In the thirteen years that I pastored, almost every person we saw accept Christ, was concerned about their loved one and friends getting saved too. That just makes sense. What is the most important thing that ever happened to you? Getting saved, of course. What then is the most important thing you can do for someone else? Why getting the gospel to them and see them saved too. Doesn't that make sense? Let's teach new Christians the joy of sharing the gospel before they lose that wonder of it all.

Prayer:  Father, bless your children who get saved and may they bring their friends and family to Christ too. In Jesus name YOU are loved by God and me, ABC, sumner