Tag: Repentance

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The End of Bitterness and No Repentance. Hebrews 12:16-17

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

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“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (17) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Hebrews 12:16-17)

Explanation:

The fact that this is shown to be someone who is not a believer is found in verses 16-17. Look at the descriptive words:

  • Fornicator- Someone who sins sexually. This is an all inclusive word for any kind of sexual sin.
  • Profane person- The Greek word is Bebelos. It comes from the base of another word “belos” which means a threshold. The idea is “accessible (as by crossing a doorway); heathenish, wicked.” These are people who are accessible to every kind of thought or sin. They are not holy and set apart. They are available and common. They have no boundaries. 

Some of the characteristics of this kind of person:

  1. They live in the flesh. This kind of person acts in the flesh rather in discipline, and in the Spirit. 
  2. They live for the temporary. The example of Esau shows that he gave up his birthright, his spiritual and material blessing from his father, for just a bowl of dinner. He was thinking about his stomach rather than by faith.
  3. They live unrepentantly. These kinds of people refuse to see as God sees. They refuse repentance, turning from their mindset to God’s mindset about their behavior.
  4. They live inauthentically. Here it speaks of seeking repentance “carefully with tears”. He cared about the consequences, but it was no godly sorrow that lead to repentance. It was a sorrow that dealt with the inevitable consequences of living as a profane person. This kind of person may want you to think that they are genuinely repentant, but they are not.

Application:

The consequences of not genuinely pursuing peace and holiness in Christ is truly dangerous. It can lead to bitterness, heartache, and all of the consequences of what living in the flesh does to people. We must recognize true lack of repentance in our hearts, and pursue peace and holiness through Christ authentically.

Response:

  • Have I genuinely accepted Christ by repentance and faith?
  • Is there some bitterness in me for which I should repent?
  • Am I walking in the flesh or in the Spirit?
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Good Dads Discipline Their Kids. Hebrews 12:7-8.

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

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Hebrews 12:7-8

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Explanation:

This text points to a clear practical experience that relates to our relationship with God. A good father corrects his kids. A good father disciplines his kids. A good father uses a little stinging of the backside to keep his children from permanent damage. This is not abuse. In fact, it is abuse not to utilize some form of discipline. If a father does not correct his kids, then he is not being loving to them. God is a loving father, so God must correct his kids. Verse 8 tells us that if we never experience correction, then we are kids without a father. 

Paul gives fathers further instructions in Ephesians 6:4.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4

This instruction given to fathers is exemplified by our Father. God does not ask us to do something as Fathers that He is not doing as our heavenly father. He admonishes and nurtures His kids. If you are not experiencing that, then you may not be his kid.

Application:

What is needed when I experience chastening?

Prayer and Introspection

It is so important to learn from the chastening of the Lord. If you are experiencing difficulty, the question that you need to be praying is, “Lord, what are you trying to teach me?” Psalm 51 is particularly helpful in this sense.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Repentance and Submission

When sin is pointed out by the Holy Spirit, then repentance and obedience are what is necessary. Again, Psalm 51 is helpful.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psalm 51:16-17

Response:

God, please give me the strength today to obey. Give me the awareness of my own walk with you to respond the way you would have me to respond. I don’t want to waste the time trying to serve you and be effective for you and doing it apart from you because of sin in my life. Without you I can do nothing. Amen

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Luke- Week 6- Day 4

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?  (11)  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.  (12)  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?  (13)  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.  (14)  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Luke 3:10-14 

Explanation:
In these themes of John’s preaching we find out that our own personal sin must be dealt with through repentance. We have learned that God’s judgement for sin will be on all who not repent. We have learned that neither religious ritual or birth can substitute for true repentance and faith in Christ.

Upon hearing these themes there was a response from those listening in the form of a question. Verse 10 records it well. “What shall we do then?” What does genuine repentance look like? John quickly answers this question with yet another one of the themes of his private counsel. His private counsel and public preaching had the same message. What should they do? They should live in accordance with repentant hearts!

Notice that the fruit of repentance dealt with areas of temptation that came to each area of these people’s lives.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?  (11)  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Luke 3:10-11

Those who are rich tend to think that everything that they have is for their consumption. To the rich he said, “Repentant people are generous.”

(12)  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?  (13)  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

Luke 3:12-13

Those who were tax collectors enriched themselves by gouging people with extra taxes and pocketing the money. They were known to be people who swindled others out of money. To the tax collector he said “Repentant people have integrity.”

(14)  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Luke 3:14

Soldiers had both physical strenght and training and the power of the Roman government behind them. They could use this position of power to hurt people and leverage circumstances for what they wanted. To the soldier he said “Repentant people are just, honest and content.”

Application:
Every person finds themselves in a circumstance that affords them some temptation to rely on something other than repentance and faith in Christ for salvation. We all have temptations specific to our situation that will cause us to stray. There really are fruits in keeping with repentance. James said it this way:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  (15)  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  (16)  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  (17)  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  (18)  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 2:14-18

Genuine faith and genuine repentance also produces good works. Good works do not produce salvation. Salvation will be justified by the works that God produces in us.

Response:
Are there genuine fruits of faith and repentance in your life?

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Recognize our sin. Luke- Week 6- Day 1

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Recognition of Personal Sin.  vs.4-6

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  (5)  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;  (6)  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.  Luke 3:4-6 

Explanation:

John’s preaching and teaching are described here.  This is not a recording of one message that he taught.  This is a sampling of the themes of the message of John.  You can see in verse 4 that Luke helps us to understand that Isaiah predicted the coming, the message, and the mission of John the Baptist, this voice in the wilderness.

What was that message and mission?  John was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah.  How were the people to prepare?  The answer is repentance!  It is described here starting in verse 4-6.  For repentance to happen there must be a recognition and a turning from personal sin.

Like a king sending people ahead to make the journey easier for him travel, John was coming to do the same thing in the hearts of the people to ready them for Jesus. 

There are topographical metaphors to speak to matters of the inner person.  The crooked path is made strait.  Preparing people’s hearts means straightening out what is crooked in them.  The valley shall be filled.  The low and base things of the heart are brought up.  The mountain shall be brought low.  The high and prideful things of the heart must be brought low.  John said “he must increase and I must decrease.  The rough ways shall be made smooth.  Anything in the way of God coming and working in the heart, or any sin that is loved and keeps people from turning to Christ must be abandoned.

Application:

There is no salvation without a recognition of personal sin and repentance.  If the heart is not prepared to acknowledge and turn from sin then they are not ready to accept Christ as their Savior.  What did Jesus came to save us from?  He came to save us from our sin and its’ consequences.  Sin is the obstacle to heaven.  It is the obstacle to a right relationship with God.  It is also the obstacle to repentance.  Often, people do not want to repent because they love their sin.  We can make church as “cool” as we can, and I’m certainly not voting that we strive to be irrelevant.  But no matter how “cool” you make things, if you preach the Gospel it will be rejected by some people, because to preach the Gospel you must preach repentance of sin.

Is there a sin keeping you from believing in Christ? Is there a sin keeping you from fellowship with Christ?

Repentance is the answer.  Turning from your sin to Christ by faith is the answer.

Response:

Is there a sin you need to repent of today?