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“The Gift of Repentance!”
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Leave a comment Study by Sherwin Scott
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17 (ESV)
According to Wikipedia, repentance is reviewing one’s actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by a commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. For a Christian, it is when the believer acknowledges and puts their trust in Jesus Christ, turning away from sin.
In Luke 13:3-5 Jesus warns that “…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish…” It is repeated for emphasis (v.5). But in reality, God is not willing that anyone should perish: ‘The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9 emphasis mine).
We cannot make ourselves repent by being sorry for the wrong things that we have done because true repentance is a gift from God: ‘…do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4 NKJV).
It is clearly God’s will that we receive, or we are granted, the gift of repentance, and we can go to God in believing prayer and request this gift. And because it is God’s will for us to repent of sins, the prayer will be answered, the request will be granted: ‘And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.’ (1 John 5:14-15 ESV).
In addition, we pray in Jesus’s name because fundamentally, He is the human who has repented on our behalf and in our place. Our repentance is only a share in Jesus’ repentance by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:4, Matthew 3:13-17) And Jesus tells us: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.“(John 14:13-14).
So we can pray with confidence for the gift of repentance, and it will be granted, BECAUSE, IN THE HUMANITY OF JESUS IT HAS ALREADY BEEN GRANTED TO US AS A GRACIOUS GIFT! Will you receive it and participate with Jesus?
Prayer
Eternal Father, thank you that I can come into your presence and let all of my requests be made known to you. Please grant me the gift of repentance. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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Once Greedy, Now Generous!
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Bible Verse: 2 Cor 8:1, 2 Cor 9:6-15
Introduction:
The grace of God works deeply into us so that it can also work out of us to benefit others. Grace
hoarded is grace squandered; in fact, it may be grace misunderstood or even unexperienced. God’s
gracious gifts are meant to be held loosely with generosity, not held onto tightly with greed. Our
motivation for living with generosity comes from God’s exceeding generosity to us in giving us the
fullness of His Son despite our total spiritual bankruptcy. Because we have been given the eternal
riches of His glory in Christ Jesus, we are compelled to live generously, not reluctantly, and with joy
and gratitude.
Theological Theme:
God-Father-Son-Holy-Spirit already owns all that we have. He has called us to be stewards of the wealth He entrusts to us.
Christ Connection:
In Jesus Christ, we have both a model and a motivation for generosity. Because God has been
merciful and generous to us by giving us His Son, we are empowered to be merciful and generous
toward others.
Missional Application:
God gives us wealth in order that we might share it with others in need, not out of a sense of guilt or
obligation but cheerfully and willingly.
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