WBS.210
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
DISCIPLESHIP 101
Part 7 – Repentance
Once we become aware that we have entered the wide gate to
a broad path; we must acknowledge that its destination is destruction. That leaves us with the choice to continue on
to our own destruction; or to repent and believe the TRUE gospel, and then live
for IAUE. One might think this would be
a “no-brainer,” but the hold of the broad pathway to an unrepentant life is
strong. This is why the Master instructed the questioner to strive to enter the
strait gate. Can we let go of the fairy tale of an already-secured Heaven to
reach for something that will cost us everything?
Many times over the past 45 years, I have
wondered why the church does not preach repentance as found in the Scriptures.
Often, the only time you hear the word is when someone is leading another
through the “magic prayer.” (You know
the one I am talking about. “Jesus, forgive me.
Come into my heart. I accept you as my lord and savior.” It’s the prayer that you cannot find in the
Scriptures anywhere.) Almost in passing, they are lead to say, “I repent of my
sins.” It was not preceded with any kind
of explanation that it was going to be a part of the prayer; and like almost any
time that someone has you repeat word for word; if you don’t understand it, or
don’t even believe it, you just say it because you are under the gun to repeat
word for word. People may be looking;
and the fear of man prevents you from saying, “Now, wait just one minute! What do you mean by ‘I repent of my sins?’ I’m a pretty good person. I haven’t broken
any laws. I’m good to my neighbors. I love my mother. What do you mean ‘I repent of my sins?”.
And THAT is the introduction of the vast
majority of people into Christendom. The truly unrepentant (because they didn’t
even know what that entailed; and they certainly did not have the time to
process what it required of them) make up the mass of most congregations. No matter how zealous and devoted they are to
their beliefs and to the religious culture; they have never truly visited the
first claim of the gospel upon the life of man.
Repent.
Let’s take a look at what the Scripture says
about this.
After his immersion, Messiah was lead into the
wilderness for 40 days. When he
returned, the Scriptures say that he returned in the power of the Holy
Spirit. And then it says this:
Matthew 4:17 From that time Yahushua began to preach,
and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Everywhere he went, “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand” were virtually the first words out of his mouth. His words were not a request. They were an edict of IAUE being passed down
to man by his emissary.
Luke 13:3 I
tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
The truth of these words is no less applicable
today than they were when Messiah spoke them.
In Mark 6, Yahushua called the twelve unto him
and prepared them for a mission. It was
a mission that would “break the ice” of their ultimate call to take the gospel
to the world. It was a task that would give them some initial experience of
preaching the gospel. What did they do?
They also cast out demons and healed the
sick. It is a package deal, this gospel
of Messiah Yahushua; but it begins with a command to repent. It isn’t a “pretty please” request; and it is
certainly not something that can be understated, overlooked or not declared. To
fail to command the people to repent would be to not present the gospel at all. After his resurrection, the Master made this abundantly
clear.
Luke 24:45 Then
opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And
said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Messiah to suffer, and
to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.
He did not say to preach that IAUE has a
wonderful plan for their lives. He did
not say to offer them the children’s bread while they are still dogs; and yet
how many times have you heard people tell the lost about all the things that
they receive when they come to Messiah?
Even telling them they must be born again, and trying to explain what
that brings to their lives is nowhere to be found in the presentation of the
gospel. What IS found in the Scriptures is a demonstration of the power of the
Holy Spirit, followed by an explanation of how the observer can also partake of
the kingdom to which that power belongs.
On the day of Pentecost, when Peter preached
the very first message to jumpstart the gospel to the world, he first answered
the peoples’ question about what was happening.
120 men and woman were speaking in languages unknown to them. They were
magnifying IAUE in the languages of the people who were in Jerusalem for the
festival. Peter knew that his audience understood that this prophecy, this
promise of the Spirit being poured out upon all flesh, was the heritage of the
people of IAUE; so his message migrated to how the Spirit could be poured out
upon them. Here is how his sermon progressed.
1. The miracle they were witnessing was what
Joel prophesied. That prophecy ended
with “Whosever shall call upon the name of IAUE shall be saved.”
2. He
moved from that last verse from Joel’s prophecy to explain who Yahushua
was.
a. He was sent by IAUE, proven to be the Messiah by the miracles IAUE did through him.
b. He was killed.
c. He rose from the dead. He poured out the Holy Spirit which has produced this miracle you see today (120 people praising IAUE in the languages of the people gathered in Jerusalem from all across the Mediterranean seaboard).
a. He was sent by IAUE, proven to be the Messiah by the miracles IAUE did through him.
b. He was killed.
c. He rose from the dead. He poured out the Holy Spirit which has produced this miracle you see today (120 people praising IAUE in the languages of the people gathered in Jerusalem from all across the Mediterranean seaboard).
The masses present realized that if what Peter
said was true, they had to respond to it; but they did not know how to respond;
so they asked Peter what they must do.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This is exactly what Messiah told them that
they were to do (Luke 24:47): “Preach repentance and remission of sins.” The book of Acts records the obedience of the
original apostles and disciples to the Master’s instructions.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of
IAUE.
Acts 11:18 When they heard
these things, they held their peace, and glorified Elohim, saying, Then hath Elohim
also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Acts 17:30 And the times of
this ignorance IAUE winked at; but
now commandeth all men every
where to repent:
Acts 20:20 And
how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and
have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and
also to the Greeks, repentance toward IAUE,
and faith toward our Master Yahushua Messiah.
Acts 26:20 But shewed first
unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of
Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they
should repent and turn
to IAUE, and do works meet for repentance.
Today, we are embarrassed to command people to
repent. Why is this? Maybe it is because we have not repented. How can we communicate the command of
Yahushua that people repent when we are not even a good example of that in our
own lives? Also, how much of an example
do we give others of what it is to have received the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit upon our own life? Are we a
vibrant example of the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrating the fulfillment
of Joel’s prophecy, or are we just someone speaking words.
We have covered this many times before in this
blog; but, what is sin? From what,
exactly, are we to command people to repent?
Part of that can be answered by seeing what happened in the book of
Acts.
Acts 15:19
Wherefore my sentence is, that
we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to IAUE:
Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at
Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent and turn to IAUE, and do
works meet for repentance.
Sin is not the bad things we have done; but
rather, they are the acts of our own will which evidence that our lives are not
committed to obeying the authority and will of IAUE.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned every one to his own way; and IAUE hath laid on him (Messiah) the iniquity of us all.
Repentance is embracing the clemency
provided for us by the death of
Messiah, and receiving the power provided by the resurrection of Messiah to turn to IAUE and be restored to the
purpose for which we were created: obedience to the will of IAUE. It is a command. All mankind is under the authority of IAUE,
now invested in the person of the Master Yahushua Messiah. A king has the right to command his people, and
to judge them for their rebellion; and we cannot be his disciple without
repentance.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
Dear Dana,
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is very convenient to just quote 1 John 1:8-9 in church services & walk away feeling snug and prideful.
However, the difference between confessing one's sin and repentance is not taught because it is not understood!