Thursday, May 24, 2012
Leaving Out Repentance?
Courteous Reader,
Grace and peace to you in the Name of Jesus Christ Our Savior and Lord!
Last evening the church had a very edifying look at how God helps us when we have regrets over past disobedience to His ordinances. One of the points raised, from 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, was how the Lord Jesus Christ uses the sorrow of regret to work in us repentance; and how that repentance produces a number of very healthy, God-honoring effects in us.
2 Corinthians 7:8-11 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. (9) Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. (10) For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (11) For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Repentance has been on my mind for the past several weeks. More specifically, I have been thinking about a sermon I heard last month, where the pastor (Baptist) did not mention repentance at all. He spoke of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (great!!!), and briefly mentioned trust in Christ (super!), but the several times where it seemed he should have mentioned repentance, he said "have a personal relationship" instead. I am left wondering to what degree the concept of repentance is being left out of the message in the churches around here. Just now I started praying that God will help us to preach and practice repentance in this church and the others around us.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
Grace and peace to you in the Name of Jesus Christ Our Savior and Lord!
Last evening the church had a very edifying look at how God helps us when we have regrets over past disobedience to His ordinances. One of the points raised, from 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, was how the Lord Jesus Christ uses the sorrow of regret to work in us repentance; and how that repentance produces a number of very healthy, God-honoring effects in us.
2 Corinthians 7:8-11 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. (9) Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. (10) For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (11) For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Repentance has been on my mind for the past several weeks. More specifically, I have been thinking about a sermon I heard last month, where the pastor (Baptist) did not mention repentance at all. He spoke of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (great!!!), and briefly mentioned trust in Christ (super!), but the several times where it seemed he should have mentioned repentance, he said "have a personal relationship" instead. I am left wondering to what degree the concept of repentance is being left out of the message in the churches around here. Just now I started praying that God will help us to preach and practice repentance in this church and the others around us.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
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Dear Pastor Jeff,
May the true peace of our God be with you.
Regarding "repentance produces a number of very healthy, God-honoring effects in us," doesn't repentance preceed forgiveness? My understanding regarding being forgiven, is that to be forgiven one has to first repent. If that is so, then it would definitely head up the list in the category of "very healthy." IMHO, too many church-goers have been programmed with the idea that God is in the business of forgiveness. And that all one has to do is ask for it. Not so! Forgiveness comes to a changed heart that has been broken because of the realization that God has been sinned against.
John Q Church-goer is in bad need of reprogramming.
Shalom,
Gene Pool
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May the true peace of our God be with you.
Regarding "repentance produces a number of very healthy, God-honoring effects in us," doesn't repentance preceed forgiveness? My understanding regarding being forgiven, is that to be forgiven one has to first repent. If that is so, then it would definitely head up the list in the category of "very healthy." IMHO, too many church-goers have been programmed with the idea that God is in the business of forgiveness. And that all one has to do is ask for it. Not so! Forgiveness comes to a changed heart that has been broken because of the realization that God has been sinned against.
John Q Church-goer is in bad need of reprogramming.
Shalom,
Gene Pool
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