Although I've lived immersed in the life of the church for most of my life, I must admit that I've seen very little repentance in the church. It seems to be something done only at the point of an initial salvation experience.
But think of it this way: the closer you get to a holy God, the more you become aware of your imperfections!
If that statement is true (and I believe it is), then the growing believer will find him/herself repenting with ever-increasing frequency.
Sorge writes:
"I so very much long to please Him and to know His will, so my spirit diligently searches the recesses of my heart to see if there might be anything in me for which I need to repent." He adds, "The only way to move forward in God is through repentance."For those of us who have grown past the blatant, outward sins, we then begin to explore the deeper recesses of our fallen nature. We move into the realm of thoughts, motives, feelings, responses and desires. Sins in these areas are far more subtle. It often takes silence, solitude, and the finger of God to point them out.
I once heard an evangelist state that he hadn't sinned in seventeen years
...........................................................Liar, liar, pants on fire!
The crafters of the Westminster Confession believed that we sin in thought, word, and deed everyday. I don't care to debate that here and now, but I do know this: I am "...prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love."
I have a sinful nature and I have an enemy of my soul. These two realities are turning me into A GOOD REPENTER! How about you?
No comments:
Post a Comment