THE JOY OF REPENTANCE
Sunday, March 2, 2025
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THE JOY OF REPENTANCE
The season before Passover is often regarded as a time for repentance. However, the call to repentance should never be confused with traditional religiosity which can be mere religious cover-up. Putting a mountain of ashes on your forehead and attending 100 church services is not necessarily repentance.
The call for true repentance goes out from the Father heart of God to every generation and individual, inviting us to turn around (t'shuva) and come home to the realm of His love and care. When we do this the Lord will empower us by His Spirit to do what is pleasing to Him. Responding to His invitation is the most important DECISION we will ever make.
The Repentance of the New Testament - to turn around and come home to God - is only possible if we realize that He has FULLY PAID the penalty for our sin and sins on the Cross. Unfortunately many do not know this and try to 'do penance' or multiply religious activity instead of 'repenting.'
Real repentance has nothing to do with religious activity. It is to deliberately choose to turn home to God and live in His care. In true repentance we lay down our independent, self-righteous, Adamic sin nature and receive the free gift of God’s love and God's Spirit as our life principle which empowers us to live by God's ways.
When we turn home to God on the basis of the Cross and resurrection, Father God disconnects us from our inherited Adamic sin-nature and gives us His own Holy Spirit and Life to dwell within us.
As believers, we are part of a great worldwide team inviting all to repent, turn around and come home to the goodness of God. We do not call them to condemnation but to turn home to the bright light of God's love, acceptance and forgiveness.
This time of the year gives all a fresh opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of repentance (t'shuva) and to RECEIVE everything a loving Father has made available for us through the Cross.
Questions:
1. Are you an ambassador for the Messiah, a part of God’s army of love inviting people to come home to the love of God through what Jesus has done?
2. Are you aligning your mind and ways (through the life of the Spirit) to the ways and assignments of God?
3. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to keep on changing you from glory to glory and conforming you more and more to the image and likeness of Jesus?
