Illus.: An angry church member said to her pastor, “Why do you keep preaching to us Christians about sin? Don’t you know there is a difference in sin in the life of a Christian and a lost person?” “Yes,” replied the pastor, “It is worse in a Christian.”
Now permit me to raise three simple questions about repentance and answer them simply from the Bible.
- WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO REPENT? Two Reasons:
- The holiness of God demands repentance. The word repent appears 959 times in the Bible. Repentance is the chief teaching of the Old Testament and the New Testament. (Isaiah 55:7) John the Baptist came preaching repentance – Matthew 3:2- Jesus followed with the same message – Matthew 4:17. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached repentance in Acts 2:38. In Acts 17:30-31 Paul said God commands all men everywhere to repent for He is going to judge the world one day. But the most awesome words spoken of repentance are the words of Jesus inLuke 16:3,5. “Except you repent, you shall perish” – or go to hell. What did He mean? He meant that nothing else matters if you don’t repent. Your baptism, your church membership, your praying, even confessing your sins, tithing, teaching, preaching, the blood of Jesus – all have no power in your life if you have not repented. Illus.: But some will say, “But I believe the Bible, I believe in Christ, I made a profession of faith, I’ve been baptized, I do a lot of good things.” It amounts to nothing spiritually if you do not repent. Illus.: You are like a counterfeit dollar bill. This bill looks like a real bill. You can spend it for anything and it will buy it, until the seller reveals it is counterfeit. You can look like a Christian, act and talk like a Christian, but if you have not repented you are a counterfeit.
- WHAT IS THE NATURE OF BIBLICAL REPENTANCE? First, we must understand some things which pass for repentance are not repentance – joining the church, baptism, profession of faith, praying, even confessing your sins.
- Of sins in not repentance.
- Confession of sin is not repentance. You can admit them and never turn from them.
- Contrition or worldly sorrow is not repentance (2 Cor. 7:10).
What is repentance? Repentance consists of three acts of the soul:
- Repentance is a change of your heart and mind about sin which leads to a change. You see sin as against a holy God.
- Repentance is a complete change. You don’t just turn from part of your sins and keep the rest. You don’t quit drinking but keep watching internet pornography and sleeping with your girlfriend. : Old man who marched up aisle of church “I’m going to hell, I’m going to hell.” Illus.” Jack Eckerd was a lost sinner, selling liquor and pornography in his drug stores. One night he was converted. Returning to his stores, he demanded that all liquor and pornography be removed. “No,” said the employees, “This is how we make money.” He replied, “Money or no money. I have repented. These things must go.”
- Repentance is also a continual change. You say, “O, I thought I needed to repent only once when I was saved.” Oh, no. You repent one time to be saved. But thereafter, you live a life of repentance. “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4). Now the only person who would never need to repent would be one who never sinned or made a mistake.
- WHO NEEDS TO REPENT HERE IN THE CHURCH TODAY? 3 types of persons:
- Persons who have never truly repented and made no profession. How can you do this? Admit you are a sinner, not just a sinner but lost, admit you cannot save yourself, and are willing to turn to Christ, admitting your life has been wrong, ask Him to save you, and inviting or surrendering your life to Him – and you will be saved.
- Church members who have been baptized and professed Christ but never repented – you have just been a counterfeit. Are there many counterfeits in the church today? : Gallup’s poll. Illus.: Conversion of my secretary.
- There is a third group – Real Christians who truly repented one day, professed it and joined the church but have strayed away in sin of some kind and lost their relationship with God and man.
- FINALLY, THERE IS A FOURTH AND VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: What kinds of sins do Christians here today need to repent of? Of course, any sin. But primarily of what I call “Respectable Sins.” Respectable sins are those sins which you commit and still maintain your standing. You’ll not be turned out of church. You can even keep on being a deacon. Just keep on pretending to be spiritual but all the time tolerating attitudes and actions in your life which are killing you and your church. What are these sins?
Here is just a few:
- Bitterness – Someone hurt or mistreated you and you haven’t forgiven them and you won’t be reconciled. You just keep nurturing it and won’t let it go. Such is deadly. Heb. 12:15 says “see to it that no bitterness springs up for it will trouble and defile others.” If you are bitter, you are grieving the Holy Spirit and quenching Him until you are spiritually dead. Repent today.
- Unforgiveness – How serious? “If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you.” Matthew 6:14.
- Misuse of your tongue or gossip- Proverbs 10:19 and Proverbs 26:20. : The altar is only 50 feet long.
- Judgmental Spirit – Matthew 7:1, “Judge” not that you be not judged, etc.” this word “judge” is the Greek word, Krithete which means “even if you know the facts,” you have no right to judge
- Pride – The mother of all sins. The sin of Satan, the sin of Eve. The attitude of Isa. 14:14 – Satan says, “I will” five times, the last being, “I will be like the Most High.
- Prayerlessness – the average Christian prays only three minutes a day, but God says, “Pray without ceasing,” “walk on your knees.”
- Self-righteousness – Isaiah 6:6 – too good to need any repentance. A large business man passed by a prayer meeting I was leading and saw us on our knees and said to one of his employees. “Look at your guys. Not a one of them is as good as myself. They sin all the time; I never sin.”
- Unfaithfulness
- Refusing to be Reconciled – Do you know somebody who is holding something against you? How serious is this? Listen to Jesus in Matthew 5:23-24.