Tuesday 23 March 2010

Repentance requires atonement

The whole idea of repentance very often trickles into a works-based mindset

'Father forgive me, i've done something wrong'
'Go my son and don't do it again'

and i keep doing this each time i have sinned, to pay my own price for the wrong

but actually this form of repentance could only work on a completely UNJUST God.. who does not care two-bits about anything

"Dad I'm sorry I stabbed my brother" - "No problem son, don't do it again"

It is completely heartless...

The true repentance coupled with faith is based on the fact that the wrongdoing is already paid for in full at the cross.

That the guilt of the sin is paid for already, and repentance/faith is a pleading for the healing blood to cover and to wash away the source of sin

'Father forgive me, i've done something wrong'
'Son, here is your Brother's body and His blood, paid in advance for your wrongdoing, eat and drink and be healed'

6 comments:

Rich Owen said...

Yep, agree. I pretty much have the same message here

http://www.cecleeds.co.uk/download.php?file=downloads/sermons/Misc/20100214pm_Rich%2BOwen_Luke%2B15%253A11-32_%2BEver%2BForgive%2BYourself%253F.mp3

Sin is something relational - doing violence to a relationship. Repentance is likewise relational - wanting God again, desiring that relationship again.

Thanks Dev

Anonymous said...

this with repentance and forgiveness struck me recently:

are we really to ask God to forgive us?

isn't that actually doubting our assurance? i.e. "please forgive me this sin, (good thing I had time to ask before I died suddenly and went to hell)"

shouldn't we 'just' repent, trust in Jesus and thank Him that we are forgiven?

repentance and trust in Jesus shows that we are born again. we were already forgiven a long time ago

asking for forgiveness is not the same thing as repenting - we can ask God to forgive us without repenting. all we need to do is repent and thank God for already forgiving us.

that is assurance

Rich Owen said...

interesting, but not with you on that one i'm afraid! the obvious point being that Jesus commands us to pray for forgiveness... daily.

be careful of over-systematizing :)

Anonymous said...

yes, you are probably right. otherwise, what do we make of the Lord's prayer?!
so I keep asking for forgiveness daily, but but i try not to disconnect from assurance while I do so...

Tim V-B said...

We've had our bodies washed clean, but our feet sometimes need a fresh cleansing.

Forgiveness is ours already. But we need a fresh cleansing.

John 13:10

yemsee said...

Luke 24:46-47 Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

only after the cross - does this message make full sense