Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:21-23
I’ve noticed a lot of people won’t talk about repentance and definitely don’t want to hear about it.
I’m a firm believer that people should preach and teach all aspects of scripture, repentance included.
And, of course, whatever the Holy Spirit leads them too.
I wanted to talk about repentance and the consequences of blatantly ignoring Gods laws. I’ve noticed recently that some pastors have amped up the message of repentance and sin and the consequences of breaking God‘s laws.
I believe it’s because scripture talks about the birth pains at the end of times. Once these pains start, in-other- words, once these events begin to take place, there is no stopping them. They get harder, faster and stronger.
And you see, when you’re in labor and you have birth pains and they get harder, faster and stronger, your birthing coach has to get persistently louder and firmer.
That’s how it will be for those in all ministry. As the birth pains (end times) get closer and thing’s get harder, we will persistently speak of repentance, louder and firmer. Out of concern, of course.
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:2
The Apostle Paul preached repentance first and faith second.
You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Acts 20:20-21
In order to repent, we must understand that we are sinners and what sin actually is.
Sin is anything that goes against God’s laws.
It is anything that falls short of His perfect standard.
Sin can be anything from lying, stealing or cheating. It can be a thought like hatred, jealousy or coveting and many other things.
Sin is bad because it separates us from God.
Then they will cry out to the Lord, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time because they have practiced evil deeds.
Micah 3:4
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Acts 20:28
Pastors are required to take care of their flock (their people.) A part of that includes preaching and teaching all scripture and equipping the saints.
You can just imagine how hard that would be.
This is why we should pray for our pastor’s continually, because preaching the full gospel will mean preaching repentance, preaching about hell and preaching about abortion and all the other hard subjects.
Abortion is murder, so obviously you have to preach about murder. And that’s where it can get tricky because abortion can also be a political issue, so many deem that message a political one.
Therefore, pastors get accused of preaching politics from the pulpit. And that is not so.
Anyway, that’s another topic for a future devotion.
Repentance is a change of mind and heart and turning from your sin.
Repentance is a requirement in order to have a relationship with Christ and to get to heaven
“Repentance needs to be as loud as the sin was.”
—John MacArthur
Repentance is merely being sorry enough to stop. Not that we have arrived or attained goodness forever, we won’t accomplish that until Christ returns. But we’re to battle against it and at least try.
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Luke 13:3-5
Jesus said; After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:15
Then there’s the excuses;
Everybody does it.
It’s not that bad.
So, and so is worse than me.
God loves me. He’ll forgive me no matter what.
You only live once.
You’re not my judge… and a million more excuses!
These excuses, as I mentioned in the opening scripture, wont hold water.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10
God is loving, but He’s also just and his judgement will be thorough!
God is after a broken and contrite heart. True repentance. Time is running out. We must make a move towards true repentance.
Many Blessing’s,
Connie
