REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
The word “repent” means ‘metonoia’ which is to feel sorry and to turn around. When we say we repent it means turn away from sin; to change one’s mind and attitude about God which changes a person’s actions and decisions. It also involves hating sin enough to turn from it. We should stop denying; making excuses or explaining away the reality of sin in our lives. That is like making God a liar. We should accept it and deal with it. ‘All have sinned and come short of the glory of God’ [Romans 3:23]. Also the wages of sin is death [Romans 6:23]. Sin is simply disobedience to God. From the day the serpent deceived Eve by saying, “You shall not die if you eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of life and death as against God’s injunction – The day you eat it, and you shall die.” It is no longer a secret who said the truth and who we should believe – God or Satan! It’s impossible for God to lie. The truth may not sound real or fantastic or make sense but it is the truth and that’s right. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life [John14:6].
After the baptism of Jesus which was accompanied by the endurement of the Holy Spirit and confirmation of being a beloved son from heaven, He was led by the Holy Spirit into forty day of fasting and prayers in the wilderness. In His first public appearance Jesus came not only confirming the cry of John the Baptist – ‘repent’(for the kingdom of God is at hand) but went further to add, “……… and believe the gospel” [Good News]. He taught that it was not only good enough to turn away from sin but to turn to God. It means life does not exist in a vacuum; when you turn away from sin you must turn to God, less you return to sin. Our lives are about embracing the journey and letting go the past; must become a new man and feed yourself daily with the Good News. This is what develops faith, that helps us live life pleasing to God. Those who repent and accept Jesus Christ’s provision of forgiveness from sins through His death on the cross will escape Spiritual death [John 3:16].
We live in a society that likes to make their rules, follow their dictates and make their choices; do not care how others look at their choices and resist anybody telling them what to do. We want to be democratic and make decisions by voting about everything, where majority wins the vote. We go by our decisions whether they are morally right or wrong; it is our choice. Unfortunately God is neither a democrat nor a republican. He is God and makes His rules and we just have to follow them. The Psalmist says, “As per God, his way is perfect…….” [Psalm 18:30]. When man takes the position of God and starts making rules, he ends up becoming self willed, proud and arrogant; start worshipping self instead of obeying God. Some earthly kings are addressed as his majesty and they want to be treated like god and make their own rules; they always fail.
In his book titled, BE A MAN, Rev. Fr. Larry Richards says every sin has three components: i) something good in it; ii) something desirable; iii) something pleasurable in it (Genesis 3:6). We sin because we want it, we desire to have it and we lust for it. We are sinners because we sin and we sin because we are sinners.
Fr Larry Richards went further to expound the Characteristics of sin as:
1] Sin has some kind of pleasure in it; some kind of lust: sexual lust, money lust, possession lust, covetous lust, greed lust, etc. Once you yield to it a little bit, or completely you’ve bought into it, it attract more of your attention and curiosity; takes more of your time until it consumes and kills you (Romans 6:23a; Matthew15:18-19; James 1:14-15).
2] Sin enslaves us. Jesus said …..everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin (John 8:34). You find it difficult to stop except by the grace of God. Human efforts to leave or break the power of sin does not work; it takes the power from above to break sin [Matthew 1:21]. Human efforts to leave sin has resulted into avoidance and returning to it later.
3] Sin makes you feel dirty. It hurts your soul and takes away your confidence as a child of God; you live in fear and are vulnerable. Each time we sin we feel worthless and unkempt especially if you have confessed those sins before and had inward forbearance against such behaviors.
4] Sin separates us from God, our Father. God created man and gave him freewill to make choices and be responsible for the choices he makes. Whatever you choose God gives you what you love most. If you had chosen anything other than God – wealth, money, gain, ego, greed, etc, that is your choice and that’s what God will give you, even after you must have died. But don’t forget that it is either God or Satan, heaven or hell – which is separation from God. Sin in one’s life inhibits the Holy Spirit from action; He remains silent and withdraws to Himself. God’s Spirit cannot dwell in sins.
Jesus knows the choice we make separates us from God. The more reason Jesus call us to “repent and believe the gospel.” By this He was saying stop living God’s life “our way” and start living our lives “God’s way.” Our way does not matter to God but God’s way matters to us because He made us and ‘for in Him we live, move and have our being’ [Acts 17: 28]. Even Jesus, God’s son prayed, “Not as I will but as thou will” [Matthew 26:39]. When Jesus added credence to John the Baptist’s call to repent, He was asking the Pharisees and elders who lived and followed God in their own way; obeying all the laws, thinking they followed God’s way to make heaven not for the love of God but for the love of themselves – selfish gains and ego. This hypocrisy is still very much common today in our communities, society and Churches.
Many Christians today follow God for what they want to get from God, because they are afraid to go to hell or for desires to be seen as holy or righteous but not for love of God. Many open Churches as business and pay tithes for what they desire to get from it. Some belong to Church for what they want to get from it. It’s all about their selfish gains, not for the love of Christ. When I pause a little bit to think about the various selfish reasons people do church business, other than the love of God and to win souls, I can’t but ask” apart from these selfish reasons would they have been involved in the Church? Little wonder Jesus said, God knows those who are His; Paul also warns, do not be deceived, God is not mocked [2 Timothy 2:19b; Galatians 6:7].
When we come to love God, we decide we shall do everything not want to hurt God because God love us; that is what will keep us from sin. This is when we give God a priority ever other things. By this we came to fall in love with Jesus more and more and place Him prime in our lives; we are simply responding to the love Christ has for us, that made him lay His life for us on the cross of shame. It’s that love that sets free from sin [1 John 4:10]. Neither being sorry nor self control is enough but we have to believe the gospel which is Good News. There are two types of being sorry: i] remorse: because one is caught in an act and ii] repentance: because you accept that what you did was wrong and vow to turn away from it. The Good news is that Jesus loves you and died for you [John 3:16]. You have to believe in the love of God and put faith in Christ Jesus; yield to the Holy Spirit that brings you into the intimate relationship with God, the Father.
Morality is good but does not make you a beloved son or a disciple of Christ. What makes you a beloved son is the love you have in Christ Jesus and the willingness to die to self and enter into a relationship with Christ Jesus. All relationship requires change, whether with God or spouse, you have to become one with your spouse. When you become a Christian you repent which means to give up old self and enter into a new life – a relationship of love [Galatians 2:20]. When you are struggling with sin, you have to get out of the way and let Christ deal with it. We have to hand over control to Christ; we cannot do it ourselves. Jesus had used His life to pay for our sins once and for all. He conquered sin and death and there have no control over Him, anywhere, anytime. When the Holy Spirit convicts one of sin, He leads you to see what had enslaved you and set you free [Romans 8:1]. Then when you know the sins, you repent. Stop making excuses or explaining away your lapses; take responsibility. Our confession and repentance must be honest and sincere [2 Corinthians 7:10].
Fr Larry said, a godly sorrow implies, “I am sorry, Lord because I hurt you who loves me unconditionally. I regret my actions and deeds. I feel sorry and I shall not hurt you again. Once you apologize to God, you ask for the grace to strengthen you to hold on to your promise. Then pray, my God and Lord, I am sorry I do not have the power to keep me from hurting you. Please supply me with power and have mercy on me. God shall reply, just as He did to Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ’s power may rest on me” [2 Corinthians 12:8-9]. Our struggles with the flesh are with our own needs, our own hunger and our own wants. It manifests itself in our physical desires and lusts. “Each one is tempted when by his own evil desires; he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to Sin; and sin when it is full grown gives birth to death [James 1: 14-15].
Today, the Lord’s call for repentance has not changed; we should repent and in response bear fruit worthy of repentance. The scripture says if you believe on His name, repent of your sins and confess Him as your Lord, He will give you the power to become His son (or daughter) [John 1:14-15]. If you will believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ, confess Him as Lord, then He will deliver you from those sins and set you free. What determines your destiny is not your past but what you do today, I mean now. Even now and here, you can meet with Jesus Christ and make Him your Savior and the Lord of your life.
Just say:
“Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I was born in sin [according to the scriptures]. I feel sorry for all my sins – known and unknown. I repent and ask you to forgive me. Now Lord, I believe You have forgiven me. I receive You, Christ Jesus as my Lord and savior. Now avail me your grace and power to help me live my life for you and boldness to confess you before men. Thank you Lord for saving me and delivering me from all my sins, Amen. Believe it now: Jesus saves, Jesus heals and Jesus delivers. If the son sets you free, you are free indeed [John 8:36].
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill @weefreeministries.org or P.O. Box 720035, Houston Texas, 77272.