What is Repentance?

Repentance is what results when godly sorrow meets a godly response. It comes about when we change our attitude and our action toward sin. Thayer’s Bible Dictionary defines the Greek word for repent in this way, “To change one’s mind; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.”

Repentance is a life-changing event and it begins when sin in our life is pointed out to us by the gospel. When we are convicted in our hearts of that sin, we are made sorrowful. This is Godly sorrow. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of…” (2 Corinthians 7:10) Godly sorrow is what brings about the desire for change and the proper actions that demonstrate that change in our lives.

In contrast to Godly sorrow, worldly sorrow “worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:10) and comes about not as a response to the gospel, but as a response brought on by the consequences of sin. Worldly sorrow results when a person “gets caught” or is made to suffer the consequences of his sin. Only when the consequences become severe enough does worldly sorrow lead one to change his life. This model of repentance does not reflect a positive response to the gospel but a negative response to stimuli, not unlike a cow being shocked with an electric cattle prod. True repentance, on the other hand, can only come as a positive response to the gospel.

Repentance, along with faith can only be demonstrated by a positive response to the gospel. It is this positive response that “worketh salvation not to be repented of…” (2 Corinthians 7:10). We respond positively to the gospel when we confess Christ and submit ourselves to His will and are baptized. Once we have been baptized, we must continue to pattern our lives after the gospel. This is the “process” of repentance for the alien sinner, but what about repentance for the Christian? One who is already a Christian, when he commits sin, he must also repent. This is accomplished when his godly sorrow brings him back into contact with the blood of Christ, through admission of guilt and fervent prayer.

Simply changing our attitude and action toward sin and being immersed is not enough to affect true repentance. True repentance requires that amends or restitution be made. If we stole money from a person, in order to truly repent, we must do our best to make restitution and return the money. All right thinking people can plainly see the need to make restitution when it comes to theft, murder, or any other crime.

But often the same people that recognize this need for restitution regarding crime and punishment do not see a need when it comes to moral issues. When a man and woman who are not scripturally married are exposed to the gospel and godly sorrow results, some times they are told that they can “repent” without dissolving their unscriptural marriage. (See Matthew 19:3-9) But this type of “repentance” is not scriptural because it leaves out restitution. If a robber breaks into a man’s home, steals his TV, his DVD player and his wife and later repents, all can see that he must return the TV and DVD player. But when it comes to “wife stealing,” many people say that it is OK, because the robber was not a Christian at the time. Restitution is necessary every time our sin affects another person.

What about murderers? How can they make restitution? Can they bring back the one they killed? Sometimes full restitution is impossible. The Bible illustrates this in Ephesians 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” The thief must stop his thieving ways; he must to find a way to make an honest living; and he must use what he earns to give to those in need. That is restitution – he is no longer a taker, he is now a giver.

This is exactly what John “The Immerser” was speaking of when he said, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance…” (Matthew 3:8) In other words, he was telling them to show or demonstrate their repentance by their works. Just as James challenged with regard to faith, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (James 2:18). John was saying to the scribes and Pharisees, “Show forth works that demonstrate your repentance!”

Have you repented, truly repented, of your sins?

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A Thousand Generations

The words of Moses about the attributes of God are filled with so many treasures. As the Jews were about to enter into the Promised Land, he assembled Israel and described the nature of the God that they served. “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut. 7:9). Look at how Moses described our God.

The Lord is God. God is not His name; it is who He is. While we may often refer to Him as God and begin to think that is His name, it is actually a description of the fact that He is above all creation. While we often use many terms to refer to Him, His name is Jehovah (Ex. 6:3). What does it mean when the Bible so often states that He is God?  Think of the lowest single cell life form there is, and then think of life which is above that cell. As one gets near the most complex of life forms, we find man. Yet, above man are the angels, and above angels are the archangels. Then, there is an immeasurable gap and at the highest level there is the Almighty, the Supreme One, the Eternal Ruler, the Creator, the One who made the world and above all. This is the meaning of, “The Lord is God.”

The Lord is faithful. These words used by Moses proclaim that God can be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! He is the eternal, unchanging One. James says that there is no variation in the shadow He has cast since time began (James 1:17). The trust placed in Him by Enoch, Moses, David and even Jesus, when He was on the earth, is the same trust we can place in Him. He is eternally trustworthy!

The Lord is merciful. Like all His attributes, His mercy is infinite. Moses says that His mercy endures for a thousand generations. To see how remarkable this is, consider that when Moses said these words there had been only thirty generations since Adam! Take this number literally and you can see that we are still at the beginning of those thousand generations! Here is the point. He is eternally merciful, and His grace reaches to you!

Read the passage again. Take time to read the verse above and below the one we have discussed. We are truly blessed. Jehovah is God. Jehovah is faithful. Jehovah is merciful. Jehovah is our God!

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Get Scientific

Get Scientific: We Laugh and Cry for a Reason

The young man was extremely frustrated. He had come to the seminar as a skeptic, with hopes of debunking much of the material that was being presented. However, during the question and answer period this college student quickly realized the weakness of his case, and he became angry at having never seen some of the scientific studies that indicated the Earth was relatively young. He asked a few additional questions and began to shake his head. Finally, holding the microphone in both hands he looked up and asked: “Why haven’t they ever taught us this stuff?”

Great question. I suspect the reason many young people are never introduced to the errors associated with the evolutionary theory is because students would quickly realize that this theory is foolish and should be abandoned. Add to this the fact that this is a godless theory that has ultimately become a religion for those who have stiffened their necks against God, and one can begin to understand why evolutionists are extremely protective about what is taught in the classroom. They don’t want anyone loosening the grip they currently have in the academic world.

Textbooks today brashly assert organic evolution as a “fact.” Yet, these same textbooks gloss over the fact that evolution cannot explain: (1) how non-living material produced living material; (2) from whence matter for the Universe originated; and (3) the design found in nature. These are major hurdles for the evolutionary theory, and yet this is the only theory for origins that is legally taught in most classrooms. If we desire young people to be open minded and critical thinkers, then why are they only exposed to one contaminated theory for the origin of mankind? That is not educating—it’s indoctrinating. And our tax dollars are funding it.

In previous years, textbooks correctly taught students the Law of Biogenesis: that life comes only from other life. This law of science was established after empirical evidence demonstrated that life cannot spontaneously arise from non-life in nature. This is not a theory or hypothesis, but rather, a scientific law that has never been observed to be incorrect. Current textbooks however, have dropped the Law of Biogenesis in favor of abiogenesis—a theory that teaches students the possibility that life can arise from non-life under “suitable circumstances.” Do we have any scientific data to back up this new theory of abiogensis? Absolutely not—but at least it doesn’t contradict the evolutionary theory. Have we lost the ability to reason? How logical is it to replace a scientific law with an unproven theory?

While evolutionists may have the backing and support of the mainstream media, many Darwinians realize how damaging that spotlight can be when left to shine on their beloved theory too long. Students who are taught to think critically and not swallow whatever is thrown out before them quickly realize Darwin’s theory falls short in many areas. For instance, does the evolutionary theory have a suitable explanation for:

  • why we laugh/cry?
  • for human altruism/charity?
  • for the origin of language?
  • for the origin of the human consciousness?

But this is only the beginning. The evolutionary theory cannot even adequately explain the origin of sex and gender? Think about it for a moment. How do you simultaneously evolve a separate male and female—with all of the necessary internal organs—all the while, still being able to reproduce during this evolutionary “transition” period? What good is a partially evolved uterus? Do we have examples of transitional stages between asexual and sexual reproduction? Additionally, if the sole purpose of a creature is to replicate its own genes (e.g., survival of the fittest), then wouldn’t asexual reproduction make more sense? Why go to the trouble of “evolving” separate male and female anatomy, when all one would have to do is split or bud off? Evolutionists might argue that sexual reproduction evolved because of the need for diversity—but such speculations are not a part of real science, as no one has successfully demonstrated how this “need” can cause such major physiological changes. Speculations are easy to pronounce, but rarely stand up to the test.

Respected Swedish biologist Sören Lövtrup once declared: “I suppose that nobody will deny that it is a great misfortune if an entire branch of science becomes addicted to a false theory. But this is what has happened in biology…. I believe that one day the Darwinian myth will be ranked the greatest deceit in the history of science. When this happens, many people will pose the question: How did this ever happen?” (1987). How indeed?!

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Appreciate God

Humanity has always faced problems—one is the  trouble of appreciating what it means to become  a Christian and to have the fellowship of God,  especially during good times. The exception is when  many find themselves with problems, concerns, ordeals  and such like. When we face these, we tend to stop and  think about how wonderful it is to be a Christian. It is  much easier when we are faced with the loss of a loved  one or some other trial in life to stop and realize how  amazing it is to have God as our Father and Christ as our  Savior. We ask ourselves the question, “How could I live  and face these trials of life if I were not a Christian?”  However, when life becomes easy again, it is easy for  us to stop thinking about about how magnificent it is to  be in fellowship with God. As we live everyday, we do  not face these as constant trials, and it is not that easy to  remember what a blessing it is to be in fellowship with  God. Christians today who are missing other blessings  we enjoy realize how wonderful it is to be a Christian  and to be able to assemble with the saints.

Therefore, here is one problem we face. This was a  problem that the nation of Israel had. They had a problem  in grasping what a blessing it was to have fellowship with  God above all the other nations of the earth. No other  nation was as blessed as they were. Because they did  not comprehend the blessings they enjoyed, it was hard  for them to appreciate the responsibilities that they had.  The failure to value their responsibilities finally led them  to the place where they thought that the responsibilities  had nothing to do with their being in fellowship with  God. They imagined they were the special people of  God, and that because Abraham was their father, God  would never cut them off (cf. John 8:33-39). Had they  studied carefully the Old Testament (especially the book  of Leviticus) and thought about the lessons therein, they  never would have come to that conclusion. Above all  else, the book of Leviticus stresses that the holiness of  God demands holy and righteous living by people who  have His fellowship. The whole importance of the book  is to show the significance of fellowship with God and  the responsibilities that appear when one is in fellowship  with God, and a failure to meet these responsibilities is  to end up finally losing this blessed divine fellowship.

Therefore, the Old Testament is not as obsolete as  we may think it is, because that principle is true today  since it is based upon the character of God. God says,  “ For I am the Lord, I change not ” (Mal. 3:6). He is not  a man. Therefore, the unchanging character of God  means that principles that are true today are just as true  as they were in the Old Testament. It is important that we  think carefully about these things and learn the lessons  involved. Do we really appreciate God?

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It’s Only Singing

How many times have we heard it? Sadly, how many times might we ourselves have actually thought or even voiced it? It’s the once monthly Sunday or Wednesday evening service that the leadership of our local congregation has decided is going to be a night of singing God’s praises together, and the attendance and interest is way down, because inevitably somebody is either going to be thinking or speaking of staying home from the assembly of the saints because, “After all, it’s only singing.” Really?

God’s people had painfully endured 400 years of bitter slavery at the hand of the merciless Egyptians who afflicted them without measure – even going so far as to order the brutal murder of their newborn male children (Exodus 1). God heard their cry and sent Moses to lead them to freedom. Ten plagues and countless Egyptian deaths later at both the hand of the Lord at midnight (Exodus 12:29-30) and at the hand of the Lord by Whose power the Egyptian armies lay dead at the bottom of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31), God’s stunned and suddenly surprised and redeemed children stood free and clear on the opposite shore… and as they did, what did they do? They sang about their incredible, incomparable, and unbelievable God and His divinely empowered deliverance! They sang to God and one another as they celebrated their sweetest of victories over a very formidable four-hundred year old foe! Go back and read that song they sang in Exodus 15:1-22. Dare any Israelite not join in praising God for that freedom, saying “Well, it’s only singing!?”

When the children of Israel were later “harshly oppressed” once again, this time by Jabin, king of Canaan and his army commander Sisera, and God gave His children resounding victory through Deborah and Barak, what did they do (See Judges 4 & 5)? Was that “only singing?”

First Chronicles chapter sixteen catalogues what occurred on that momentous occasion when King David finally managed to maneuver the precious and holy Ark of the Covenant – which signified the presence of God – into the tabernacle he had constructed for it in the holy city of Jerusalem. And lo and behold, what resonated and reverberated from the rafters and rooftops of Jerusalem’s residences that day? Music sweet music! Music to minister, commemorate, thank and praise the Lord God of Israel (vs. 4); the singing of Psalms to “talk of all His wondrous works” (vs. 9); singing “to the Lord” and to “proclaim the good news of His salvation” (Vs. 23)! As you read that chapter – and read it you must – ask yourself this question: “Does that sound like it wasn’t as worthwhile as sitting home and either falling asleep or watching the Jerusalem nightly news because after all, it was ‘only a song service?’”

King David, the man “after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) and the sweet Psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1), a man whose turbulent and tumultuous life was fraught and filled with life and death outward danger as well as inward turmoil, along with a few of his Psalm-authoring contemporaries, included the inspirational instruction to “sing” some 69 times in the Psalms alone! Why? Let’s let them tell us, with just a few “sacred selections” from their Psalms!

 

  • And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord (27:6).
  • Sing praise to the Lord, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name (30:4).
  • My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise (57:7).
  • But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy (59:16-17).
  • Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious (66:2).
  • Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation (95:1).
  • Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day (96:1-2).
  • Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name (100:1-4).
  • I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being (104:33).
  • Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful (147:1).

 

Does that sound like it wasn’t worth their time; like it was “only singing?” They sang because of their God-given victory and the unbelievable joy in their hearts because of it (27:6). They sang at the remembrance of His holy name and because their hearts were steadfast with Him (30:4; 57:7). They sang of His incredible power, infinite strength, and all-encompassing mercy; and how He was therefore their defense and refuge (59:16-17). They sang in honor of His name and made His name glorious, singing out loudly and joyfully to Him Who was the Rock of their salvation (66:2; 95:1). They sang to bless His name and proclaim the good news of the salvation He had provided (96:1-2). For His many blessings they even came into His presence with glad, joyful, and thankful singing of His praises (100:1-4). They sang constantly and never missed the opportunity to sing to Him (104:33). They sang because it brought goodness, peace, harmony and beauty into their lives when they did (147:1). And this is just a very few of the plenteous examples found in the Psalms… “Only just singing?” I think not!

Second Chronicles, chapter 20:1-30 contains the story of a simply phenomenal and almost unbelievable victory God’s overwhelmed children enjoyed from His hand. When He promised redemption through His prophet Jahaziel, the people responded with singing His praises. The next morning as the people went forth to see and experience God’s deliverance firsthand, Jehoshaphat “…appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another” (vss. 21-23).

In second Chronicles, chapter 29, it is recorded how good King Hezekiah repaired the Lord’s house that had been abandoned and left to fall into ruin, and then restored temple worship that had long been neglected by God’s people. Verses 29-30 report that, “And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

“Only singing?” You’ve got to be kidding! Folks, there is power in the praising and proclaiming of the name of the Lord in reverent and heartfelt worship in song! Whether patriarchs, prophets, priests or kings, many of the Old Testament faithful – and subsequently victorious against all odds – knew the full-forged power of singing God’s praises! And even the great and godly prophet Isaiah would be quick to join their victorious chorus:

 

  • Sing to the Lord, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth (12:5).
  • And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away (35:10).
  • Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted (49:13).

And what about the New Testament? What about Jesus’ last, incredible, and all-important pre-crucifixion evening on earth? Let us now turn our attention to the events of that evening. The Lord Jesus had just instructed and illustrated for His hand-picked apostles the true meaning of godly love in action; He had celebrated the Passover, named His betrayer, instituted the “Lord’s Supper,” and was now headed out to deal with the ordeal and agony of Gethsemane, Golgotha, and then finally to be delivered to the glory beyond. So what did He do in between? What was so vitally important to Him on that final, fatal evening, that on His way to His arrest and crucifixion for the sins of the entire world, He felt was so essential to make sure to take the time to do? I think it is of no small or arbitrary importance that Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 of the divinely inspired record record, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

Why would He, the Lord and Savior and Son of the living God, under those circumstances make sure to stop and sing? And why would God see fit to ensure that this tiny tidbit was included in the divine record? Was that really “only just singing” and therefore worth missing? Apparently not to Jesus – or to God the Father. Nor did God the Father believe we ought to miss the fact that Jesus stopped to sing at that point either seeing as how He included it here. Why?

Although that text does not tell us why Jesus stopped and took the time to sing a Psalm, it tells us that He did. And this writer believes the answer as to exactly why is not all that difficult to figure out, especially in light of all we’ve discussed in this article so far: There is victory and power to endure even the worst of trials, in the reminder given us as we vocally express and faithfully extol God’s praises, singing them out both to Him and to one another while focusing fully on Him in song, period. (Remember the story of Paul and Silas punished and shackled and singing in prison in Acts 16:16-34?)

This is why Romans 15:1-14 (which see) connects such essential items for our assistance/assurance as edification, patience, comfort, hope, confirmation of God’s promises, glorifying God, and rejoicing and praising with our singing; concluding in verse 13 with: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God knows and needs for us to experience and unleash the awesome privilege and unlimited power of praising and sharing Him and His deliverance in faithful and joyful song at each and every opportunity! Just listen to His pleadings in these providentially power packed New Testament passages:

 

  • See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:15-20).

 

  • And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Col 3:15-17).

 

  • Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name (Heb 13:15).

 

  • Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms (James 5:13).

 

The absolute and God-given privilege of getting together with the family of God to share the unmitigated and unrestricted power of singing His praises at any and every opportunity we’re ever given may be “only just singing” to some of us, but certainly not to those of us who have come to clearly understand the biblical truths re-covered in this article. And certainly not to those of us who realistically and faithfully look forward to eternity with God in heaven. What do you think the faithful will be doing up there? Singing His praises! See Revelation 5:6-14 and 14:3-13!

Will there be some of the saints who will say, “Well, I’d rather not go to heaven; after all, they’re only just going to be singing?” (As insane as that may sound to some, I once had a co-worker whom I invited to worship, who, once he and his family came, claimed he’d not come again because we “sang too much” !?!).

And what about Zephaniah’s words regarding the Messianic Kingdom’s blessing and reward regarding, not us singing God’s praises, but He, God, singing over His children?!? The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). Would anyone in their right mind consider such notice and expression by God to be “only just singing?”

It should be extremely and abundantly clear at this point, that there is no such thing as “only just singing” in the Scriptures when it comes to God’s children faithfully and fearfully seeking and praising Him together in song. Let us be sure that in our hearts, souls, minds, and attitudes and actions, that there is no such thing in existence either. And if there is, let us repent, and let us SING!

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