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Whatever Happened to Repentance?  

Do you ever wonder why Christians watch about the same amount of R-rated films as the rest of society?   Do you ever ask why Christians look at almost as much pornography as the world?  Do you ever wonder why Christians divorce at nearly the same rate as the secular culture? 

I have a one-word theory: repentance.

Whatever happened to repentance—the biblical concept of having sorrow over our sin?  Repentance means changing your mind and changing your direction: away from sin and toward godliness.

In Matthew 3:8, Jesus commanded, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” If you and I claim Christ as our Savior, there ought to be something good coming out of our lives: fruit that others can taste!  If you say you’re a Christian but your life is mostly unchanged—there’s little or no fruit—maybe it’s time for a spiritual inventory.  

God forbid I should make salvation seem one whit more complicated than “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”   It really is just that simple.  Still, we cannot escape the biblical mandate to repent!  Hear me clearly. Repentance isn’t the price of our salvation.  Repentance is the proof of our salvation.

But many think they’re okay as long as they pray a prayer to receive Jesus as Savior.  Unbelievably, many keep on living about the same way they’ve always lived.  Same dirty jokes, same crummy movies, and the same idols of success, money, fame and sex.  They are satisfied with an eternal fire insurance plan.  Yet Jesus says, “Repent!  The kingdom of God is at hand!”

Please note: God isn’t in the insurance business!  He’s in the holiness business.   He didn't come to pass out spiritual Band-Aids!  He came to do heart transplants—permanent life-change from inside-out.  It’s not about showing up in church to “make God happy!”  It’s about God showing up in you to make you holy!

It’s time to repent—all of us—to have a godly sorrow for our sins that motivates us to turn from evil and turn to godliness.

  • Repent!  Because judgement day is coming.
  • Repent!  Because the loss of eternal rewards is at stake.
  • Repent!  Because Jesus has commanded it. 

“Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!”

 

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Jon GaugerJon Gauger

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