Why Repent?
Isaiah 59:2 - "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (NIV).
Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (NIV).
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (NIV).
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 - "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (NIV).
There once was a criminal who was thrown in jail for multiple counts of theft, aggravated assault and murder. He received the death penalty, which meant sitting on death row for 5-10 years before receiving his punishment. One day, the jail cell opened, and a guard stood before the criminal inside. The guard had some unexpected news. "You are free to go," the guard said.
The criminal stared back in unbelief. "Very funny," he quipped softly.
"No, I'm telling you, you are free to leave the prison. An arrangement has been made."
"What?" said the criminal "What arrangement are you talking about?"
"A man took your place. He arranged it with the judge. He took your penalty, your sentence," the guard explained.
"He can't do that. That's not right. Where is this man? I would like to chat with him," the criminal protested.
"You can't. He already died. It's been done. You're free to go."
The criminal slumped back into his cot not believing the guard's story. "There must be a catch somewhere….. must be a big joke… can't be true…." he thought.
The guard slowly backed out of the cell. "Well, your cell door is staying open. You're free to go. I would get moving if I were you," his voice trailed off. And the guard was gone.
Still in shock and unbelief, the criminal remained seated on his bed and stared at the open cell door in front of him. And he sat. And sat. Never moving, never believing that a way of freedom was really made for him.
Was this criminal free? Well, on paper and according to the judge, he was free. But, actually, the criminal never gained freedom. You see, freedom is not just declared. It is a choice to walk out. Repentance has to do with freedom. God gives us a choice in this. The jail cell is open before us. We can walk out of sin and bondage. But, we must choose this path.
Repentance is the pathway of freedom from sin and intimate fellowship with the Father. If we are not free from sin, we remain in bondage to sin (Rom. 6:17; 8:6-8). And an eternity of suffering and torment in hell is our ultimate destiny (2 Thess. 1:8-9; Rev. 20:10, 15). Repentance brings a clear conscience before God and a freedom to follow His best plan for our lives.
Fear of punishment brings a certain level of motivation for repentance. However, self-centred motivation will not last. When we understand what our sin does to the heart of God, when we catch His grief over our rebellious choices, we will desire to repent for His sake. When we glimpse His glory and goodness, we will want to turn away from anything that would betray His character.
For More Study
Thoughts and Questions for Application
Memorization
Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (NIV).
Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (NIV).
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (NIV).
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 - "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (NIV).
There once was a criminal who was thrown in jail for multiple counts of theft, aggravated assault and murder. He received the death penalty, which meant sitting on death row for 5-10 years before receiving his punishment. One day, the jail cell opened, and a guard stood before the criminal inside. The guard had some unexpected news. "You are free to go," the guard said.
The criminal stared back in unbelief. "Very funny," he quipped softly.
"No, I'm telling you, you are free to leave the prison. An arrangement has been made."
"What?" said the criminal "What arrangement are you talking about?"
"A man took your place. He arranged it with the judge. He took your penalty, your sentence," the guard explained.
"He can't do that. That's not right. Where is this man? I would like to chat with him," the criminal protested.
"You can't. He already died. It's been done. You're free to go."
The criminal slumped back into his cot not believing the guard's story. "There must be a catch somewhere….. must be a big joke… can't be true…." he thought.
The guard slowly backed out of the cell. "Well, your cell door is staying open. You're free to go. I would get moving if I were you," his voice trailed off. And the guard was gone.
Still in shock and unbelief, the criminal remained seated on his bed and stared at the open cell door in front of him. And he sat. And sat. Never moving, never believing that a way of freedom was really made for him.
Was this criminal free? Well, on paper and according to the judge, he was free. But, actually, the criminal never gained freedom. You see, freedom is not just declared. It is a choice to walk out. Repentance has to do with freedom. God gives us a choice in this. The jail cell is open before us. We can walk out of sin and bondage. But, we must choose this path.
Repentance is the pathway of freedom from sin and intimate fellowship with the Father. If we are not free from sin, we remain in bondage to sin (Rom. 6:17; 8:6-8). And an eternity of suffering and torment in hell is our ultimate destiny (2 Thess. 1:8-9; Rev. 20:10, 15). Repentance brings a clear conscience before God and a freedom to follow His best plan for our lives.
Fear of punishment brings a certain level of motivation for repentance. However, self-centred motivation will not last. When we understand what our sin does to the heart of God, when we catch His grief over our rebellious choices, we will desire to repent for His sake. When we glimpse His glory and goodness, we will want to turn away from anything that would betray His character.
For More Study
- Isaiah 30
- Acts 3:11-26
- Romans 6
- Revelation 20-21
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- Do believe that repentance is necessary to walk closely with God? Do you live this way?
- What do you see as the greatest benefits to repentance?
- Does the thought of eternal suffering and torment in hell motivate you towards repentance? Is it your only motivation? Will this motivation alone please Jesus?
- Why should we repent?
Memorization
Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (NIV).
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