Excerpts from the book "A cry in the wilderness by Keith Green."
What was it that Jesus and his disciples meant when they talked about repentance?
When they talked about repentance they meant something more than feeling sorry for our sins. Being sorry never get one out of snares and sins. Repentance means changing the way we think about God and about sin. It means realigning our feelings and actions. It is choosing to hate sin and love God. It is seeing the pain and destruction our sin has brought to God, to other people and to ourselves. And then forsaking sin and living a life that is pleasing to God. Finney put it this way:" Repentance is a change of willing, of feeling and of living in respect to God.
Repentance has to come from the heart. Then it produces a changed life - tangible evidence to God, to us and to those around us that we have truly repented.
True repentance occur through the work of the Holy Spirit. Only God sees into every crevice of our heart. He knows the filth that is piled up there. He wants us to see it as He sees it. Peace comes when we get honest with ourselves about the sin that is piled up in our heart and ask God to remove it. He wants to point out sins hidden away in dark corners - sins we do not want to admit. We can become free only when we own up to them and repent.
The Lord is not impressed by our excuses because He sees the sin deep in our hearts. He wants obedience and not excuses. If we repent of our sin and make some deliberate decisions to live differently, He will forgive us our sins and He will move in to take up residence in our new heart. And once He is residing there, He gives us the power we need to live a godly life. The fruit of the Spirit comes through process of repentance. We cultivate our hearts - plow them up , make them soft by repentance. And the Holy Spirit waters, tends and brings fruit - a harvest of righteousness.
When they talked about repentance they meant something more than feeling sorry for our sins. Being sorry never get one out of snares and sins. Repentance means changing the way we think about God and about sin. It means realigning our feelings and actions. It is choosing to hate sin and love God. It is seeing the pain and destruction our sin has brought to God, to other people and to ourselves. And then forsaking sin and living a life that is pleasing to God. Finney put it this way:" Repentance is a change of willing, of feeling and of living in respect to God.
Repentance has to come from the heart. Then it produces a changed life - tangible evidence to God, to us and to those around us that we have truly repented.
True repentance occur through the work of the Holy Spirit. Only God sees into every crevice of our heart. He knows the filth that is piled up there. He wants us to see it as He sees it. Peace comes when we get honest with ourselves about the sin that is piled up in our heart and ask God to remove it. He wants to point out sins hidden away in dark corners - sins we do not want to admit. We can become free only when we own up to them and repent.
The Lord is not impressed by our excuses because He sees the sin deep in our hearts. He wants obedience and not excuses. If we repent of our sin and make some deliberate decisions to live differently, He will forgive us our sins and He will move in to take up residence in our new heart. And once He is residing there, He gives us the power we need to live a godly life. The fruit of the Spirit comes through process of repentance. We cultivate our hearts - plow them up , make them soft by repentance. And the Holy Spirit waters, tends and brings fruit - a harvest of righteousness.
Why is that people give up the Christian life after putting their hands on the plow? Why is that we settle for so much less in our spiritual lives? One reason is that we have made the message of salvation too easy. Repentance is the condition for salvation - but we neglect to talk about it. It has become an option not a requirement. I can't find one place in scripture where God offers forgiveness before repentance. "If you repent of your sins, you will be forgiven."
A lot of preachers today sound more like used car sales persons than ministers of the gospel. It is as if they are selling Christianity as a "ultimate ride." They say, "Do you want to be rid of all you worries? Do you want to have joy? Do you want to get rid of all the problems in your life? Then step right up and receive Jesus. Say Yes to Him......" And the sinner who is listening says, "Yes, I want all that. I want joy and peace!" It is the deal of the century!
So people run forward to altar calls. Some one leads them in sinner's prayer - which you cannot find anywhere in the scripture. And some one says you are born again. But did that man or woman ever hear about repentance? Not too often.
What happens next? These people go home and for few days everything is great. They feel joyful and happy. Then things start coming apart. Then they turn their backs and walk away, because they did not find the easy happy life they were looking for.
Let's face it, the Bible is not filled with stories of God making people happy. It is filled with stories of Him making people holy. And there is a long process involved in making people holy. It takes time. It is not comfortable. But if we are patient and co-operate with God, we will reap the benefits of His working in our lives.
