Many of us know repentance is to turn away from sin which it is. The act of repentance is baptism. John the Baptist was preaching this, and Jesus Himself was baptized. Is there more to this repentance? Is it a one time thing or do we always repent? Lets plow through this topic.
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John the Baptist made a remarkable statement that later Paul would repeat. John told the religious leaders that came to question him, to bear fruit worthy of repentance. So John is saying that there is more to this repentance than just asking for forgiveness, its living forgiveness. This is how we are too live as well as to get to our goal, walking on this earth as He did.
Luke 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Acts 26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
There’s a verse that stood out for me regarding this plowing through to get to the high calling in our lives. Its 1 John 2:1. The verse start with, “My little children, these things I write to you.” John is writing regarding the previous verses. He is about to tell you the why behind those verses. You never start a chapter in a book like this which tells me that this is one big letter. If you stop at 1 John 1:10, the end of the chapter, and then start 1 John 2:1, you should be asking yourself, what things are you writing about? What are you referring too?
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
You will notice that I underlined “May,” and “And if.” This is what I was talking about earlier. This is the plow that we use, the forgiveness of sins, to get to our destination. I was getting a lot of resistance writing this article so someone doesn’t want you to know this. The enemy will place stumbling blocks in front of you to stop the Kingdom of God from coming out of you. If you happen to get caught in a stumbling block (sin), you go to Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and plow forward. This is why the armor of God has nothing covering your back as you plow forward. Does this make sense to you of why jesus told us to pray this part in the Lords prayer.
Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
It seems today that that some in the church keep the stumbling block (sin) alive and well when we are to push it aside and plow forward. The fruits worthy of repentance is, as you go forgive as you have been forgiven. Jesus’ authority on earth is to forgive sins. This is our authority as well.
Luke 5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. 20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
What frustrates me the most regarding the teaching that we are still sinners is that if you can’t receive His forgiveness, how will you ever forgive someone else. Also, it reminds me of those who came out of Egypt who would rather go back to Egypt and live in sin rather than receiving God’s promise land. Today our promise land is the Kingdom of God, but many don’t resist sin to enter. Jesus said this right after He told His disciples the Lord’s prayer.
Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
I hope that this will help you in your walk with Jesus. To see sin for what it really is, a stumbling block that can be moved aside so you can move closer and closer to your calling. be Blessed my friends
Philippians 313 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.