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God’s Call to Genuine Repentance

Do you believe in God, but do not feel you are living the way He would want you to?

Are you born again, but are stuck in the cycle of repeating the same sin over and over again?

If you are a believer but your lifestyle does not reflect a change from your old ways or the ways of the world to the new, maybe you are like the seeds on the rocky places that Jesus referred to in the parable of the seed:  “Behold, the sower went forth to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:  and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth:  and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them:  and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:3-8

Your initial response was truly sincere but the desires and wanton pleasures of the world and the challenges of your new Christian life were too strong. As the apostle Paul said:  “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Ephesians 4:21-24

If you are truly trying to live a Christian lifestyle but like most of us at times fall into a pattern repeating sin, the spiritual journey is long and sometimes hard. By God's grace you are saved. As the apostle Paul said:   “For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works that no man should glory (or boast).” Ephesians 2:8-9

This is only the beginning of the long road of your Christian walk. Nobody is reborn in Christ and immediately is a perfect sinless person. In fact there are no sinless people.  David said:    “God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt.  No one does good, not a single one!”  Psalms 53:2-3

But Jesus said:    “For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matthew 9:13

In His wonderful grace and mercy, Jesus Christ came not only to save sinners but to also extend to them the power of the Holy Spirit.

You ask, Where do I Start?

When you have finally asked this question you are on the right track. The first thing you have to do is  Pray, Pray, Pray...

You ask, How do I Pray?

If you are not used to Prayer, don't worry, God already knows what is in your heart. Fancy words are not necessary, just ask Jesus into your heart. Ask God to help you straighten out your life. Dedicate yourself to Christ and He will listen. Our God is faithful to those who call upon Him. The apostle John said: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  1 John 1:9

 It can’t be that Easy?

It's not, but most of the hard work has already been done for you by a humble man nearly 2000 years ago. The apostle John says:

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.  John 3:16-17

God has done his part. Jesus was crucified so your sins might be forgiven. Through God's grace and mercy you may be saved! The apostle Paul said:  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”    Romans 10:9-10

Salvation is an Inward Change that will Result in External Action.

This action is to change our sinful ways into Christ-like behavior. Instead of living to glorify the world or ourselves, you now live to glorify God. It takes faith in Christ as the answer to our sins, to accomplish this change.

Repentance and Faith are two Sides of the Same Coin.

The hard fact is that without faith and repentance there is no salvation. Trying harder is not the answer for without God's grace and mercy it is really impossible to break our sinful ways and we are incapable of cleaning up our lives. So what now?

Surrender is the Key To Genuine Repentance.

The apostle John said:  “ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:8-9

But you say, I have tried to change, but nothing I do seems to help!

When you are reborn in the spirit Christ dwells within you. Jesus said:  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

Again with much prayer, reading of the Word and with the help of the Holy Spirit you can overcome sin. Prayer and the Word are the essential cornerstones of a Christian's life. Through these you build a closer relationship with Christ. The closer you come to Christ in your everyday life the more you will begin to pattern your life after His.

We all sin. What is essential to a lifestyle worthy of Christ is to acknowledge this and do something about it. To break the cycle of sin you must have true heartfelt sorrow for your actions, but that is not all. It is easy to ask for forgiveness but without some real action or outward change in your behavior, saying you are sorry is meaningless. If you wrong someone and then tell them you're are sorry, great! But then you wrong them again and again. What would they think of your apology? If on the other hand, after your apology you showed them kindness and lasting friendship, their response would be very different.

Sins are very different and each requires a different change in you to break the cycle. Sins against your neighbor will require repentance but also you are called to repair the damage your sin caused whether physical or emotional. A sin against yourself, and there are many, calls for a different response. First repent, then avoid situations or behavior that will likely lead to repeating that sin.

In many cases you may need to seek help or counseling. In all sin, repent, and then take meaningful action to stop the cycle.

This all may not be as easy as it sounds. For most of us (and I most certainly include myself) are too weak in spirit to accomplish this journey alone. New believers or those that have known Christ all of their lives but have not been ready to fully commit need to be discipled. You need a spiritual mentor to guide you over and through the rocks to the fertile ground.

We are blessed to live in a predominately Christian country. There are many excellent bible based churches that have the facilities and resources to disciple you in your journey towards Christ. Please, find a church and go. Any of the major Christian denominations that take their authority directly from the bible and acknowledge Christ as their head can and will help.

You cannot do this alone!!

First, through prayer, call out to God and then involve yourself in a faith family.

If you do not know where to start in finding a church, please call us. We will be glad to locate a good bible based church close to your home that will welcome you with open arms.

Feed My Lambs Ministry        (870) 895-3338

This publication was made possible with the kind permission of Mike Yates, Minister of The Salem Church of Christ     Salem, Arkansas