"All sin at bottom is a sin against God. 'Against thee, thee only have I sinned' is the cry of a true penitent. How terrible is the sin against God! Who can recall the wasted moments and years? Gone they are, never to return; gone the little allotted span of life; gone the little day in which a man must work. Who can measure the irrevocable guilt of a wasted life? Yet even for such guilt God has provided a fountain of cleansing in the precious blood of Christ. God has clothed us with Christ's Righteousness as with a garment; in Christ we stand spotless before the judgment throne" (Machan, Christianity and Liberalism, 130–31).
This quote by J. Gresham Machen gives a great summary of repentance and faith. Billy Marsh's sermon yesterday at Redeemer Church, he mentioned that there is really only one work to be done once we hear the word of the Lord proclaimed: repent and believe. As I reflect on the numerous ways I've sinned against the God of heaven, I am brought low. He has given me life and all I need to sustain it, a wonderful wife and family, encouraging relationships, and most importantly He has accomplished my salvation in Christ through faith and sealed me with His Spirit. Yet I live in my own strength and wisdom. I am reminded that the good news of the Gospel, however, is that God is gracious and merciful to those who come to Him by the blood of Jesus Christ their Lord. There is now no condemnation, Paul tells us, for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8).
I pray that this day is marked by an intense awareness of God's grace in Christ. May He stir in us an attitude of faith and repentance and may He grant that every day is lived in this manner.
Grace & Peace,
J
Showing posts with label Repentance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Repentance. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Repent Again?
"When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said 'Repent', He called for the entire life of believers to be one of penitence."--Martin Luther
The first of Martin Luther's 95 theses has been a reoccurring thought to me this year. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it is true. Repentance is not merely the event whereby one crosses over from death into life (i.e., is converted). While it is certainly that, it is not only that. Repentance is both initial AND ongoing in the life of the believer. One might say it is to be a lifestyle. Anytime the believer finds himself or herself outside of the way of obedience they are called to repent.
In his book Disciplined by Grace Jerry Bridges quotes a passage that gives a wonderful summary of what biblical repentance looks like:
“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:1-5 ESV).
Father, help us to humble ourselves before you in daily repentance. Let not our hearts grow hard from the deceitfulness of indwelling sin. Surround us by Your people who have Your Word ready upon their lips. Lead us by Your Spirit to avoid the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to live by Your grace without abusing it.
J
P.S.--For the few people I know read this blog, I wanted to invite your comments and/or reflections here. Some of my posts will not be worth your time. Hopefully, some will be used to provoke some thoughts, applications, or additional insight. Please feel free to share. I plan to continue posting regardless of comments. However, I was told the other day that I don't write in such a way as to invite comments. If you have insights into how I might do that better I welcome those too. Thanks for being apart of the ongoing conversations I am having with myself and with the Lord. I pray God uses it for His glory.
The first of Martin Luther's 95 theses has been a reoccurring thought to me this year. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it is true. Repentance is not merely the event whereby one crosses over from death into life (i.e., is converted). While it is certainly that, it is not only that. Repentance is both initial AND ongoing in the life of the believer. One might say it is to be a lifestyle. Anytime the believer finds himself or herself outside of the way of obedience they are called to repent.
In his book Disciplined by Grace Jerry Bridges quotes a passage that gives a wonderful summary of what biblical repentance looks like:
“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:1-5 ESV).
Father, help us to humble ourselves before you in daily repentance. Let not our hearts grow hard from the deceitfulness of indwelling sin. Surround us by Your people who have Your Word ready upon their lips. Lead us by Your Spirit to avoid the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to live by Your grace without abusing it.
J
P.S.--For the few people I know read this blog, I wanted to invite your comments and/or reflections here. Some of my posts will not be worth your time. Hopefully, some will be used to provoke some thoughts, applications, or additional insight. Please feel free to share. I plan to continue posting regardless of comments. However, I was told the other day that I don't write in such a way as to invite comments. If you have insights into how I might do that better I welcome those too. Thanks for being apart of the ongoing conversations I am having with myself and with the Lord. I pray God uses it for His glory.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Greater love...Greater hate
"The more sanctified the person is, the more conformed he is to the image of his Savior, the more he must recoil against every lack of conformity to the holiness of God. The deeper his apprehension of the majesty of God, the greater the intensity of his love to God, the more persistent his yearning for the attainment of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, the more conscious will he be of the gravity of the sin which remains and the more poignant will be his detestation of it."--John Murray, Redemption--Accomplished and Applied (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1961), 144-45; as quoted by Jerry Bridges in The Discipline of Grace, (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2004), 104.
Praying that our love for God and hatred for sin increases each day,
Jonathan
Praying that our love for God and hatred for sin increases each day,
Jonathan
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