Repentance

Louis Berkhof describes the intellectual element of repentance as "a change of view, a recognition of sin as involving personal guilt, defilement, and helplessness." The emotional element is "a change of feeling, manifesting itself in sorrow for sin committed against a holy God." The volition (or cognitive) element is "a change of purpose, an inward turning away from sin, and a disposition to seek pardon and cleansing." (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 486) Each of those three elements is deficient (or small) apart from the others. Repentance is a response of the total person; therefore some speak of it as total surrender.

An intellectual = change of view, recognizing, guilt, helplessness
Emotional = change of feeling, sorrow
Cognitive = change of purpose, turning away, pardon and cleansing

All good human emotions; all excepted in most main stream church's
Personally, I believe that total surrender isn't all that easy. If it were, why would we ultimately need a Savior? Humanity quietly takes ownership of forgiveness because we first took ownership of the quilt. We have this view that repentance is some type of meritorious work that we initiate while God is obligated to respond. Basically belief that it works this way… We sin, we feel condemned, we recite the appropriate resolution and we’re all good. Plus, we’re at this point confident that we “won’t do that again.”

But we sometimes do and the process begins all over again.
Or, if we “don’t do it again, we, at times, secretly want to…
We are sinners saved by grace.

It seems pretty clear that true repentance from a religious point of view serves only one purpose and that only purpose is to remove the guilt and obtain the illusion of pardon we think we need. However, repentance looks quite differently when viewed from our position in Christ Jesus. Since Jesus died for our sins past, present and forever (Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2Corinthians 1:21-22 and 2Corinthians 5:5) and since God remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) why then is repentance important?

Now. I know what your thinking. And I totally agree… The bible clearly says in 1John 1:9 "if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,"

Errors ALWAYS occur when theology is built on one line of Scripture. If we read the entire chapter, we find that it's all about Jesus. Having seen that we can also see that repentance is about accepting Christ, not about asking for forgiveness every time we acknowledge our sin!
But, having said all that the simple fact remains that repentance is terribly important in our relationship with a holy and loving God.

The answer is a very deeply theological one.... It's so we won’t be like Popeye.

Remember Popeye? Popeye the sailor man? Popeye the Sailor Man was a cartoon fictional character, created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and theatrical and television animated cartoons. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip, Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929; Popeye became the strip's title in later years.

That makes him 76 years old and still going strong, thanks to Spinach!!

Luke 18:13 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

The publican (tax collector) clearly recognizes who and what he is. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness, but rather asks for mercy. His prayer reveals a man unworthy of forgiveness. He makes no excuse for his actions, he promises no “turning from” his sinful actions. He recognizes his inability to save Himself. He stands completely guilty before God and requests only mercy.

But not our friend Popeye.

Popeye’s description of himself is his excuse for his every action. “I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam.”

I'll bet you know a few Popeye’s don’t you?

You do if you’ve ever heard this… “Oh, that’s just the way I’m wired.” “What you see is what you get.” “I get that from my parents.”

Before our salvation, if we are honest, we would find every reason available to excuse our behavior or deny it. But now, as new creations in Christ, our desire for repentance is that safety mechanism God, by his grace, provided us through Jesus. We don’t need repentance we need only the desire to repent. Church, we can feel comfortable coming boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) because we eternally welcome.

Runaway Radical

Quite possibly my next read...

Travel the world, change lives, save souls. (Note: Results not typical.)

A young idealist heeds the call to radical obedience, gives away all of his belongings and shaking off the fetters of a complacent life, travels halfway around the world. There he discovers, among the poor and the fatherless of West Africa, that he has only surrendered to a new kind of captivity.

There is no doubt that young people today are fully invested in social and human rights issues. They start their own nonprofits, they run their own charities, they raise money for worthy causes. Books on saving the world abound, topping the bestsellers’ lists, fueling the drive to prove not only commitment to the world but devotion to God.

Now there is a new crop of books starting to emerge, detailing the consequences of trying to save a world that is not ours to save. But none of these books tell the story thatRunaway Radical tells; this is the first book to highlight the painful personal consequences of the new radicalism, documenting in heartbreaking detail what happens when a young person becomes entrapped instead of liberated by its call. His radical resolve now shaken, he returns home to rebuild his life and his faith.

Runaway Radical serves as an important and cautionary tale for all who lead and participate in compassion activism, in the art of doing good— both overseas and at home— amidst this new culture of radical Christian service.

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I Remember

I remember teaching faith and living by faith when I first came to know Jesus. There was never any doubt, for myself or my wife, that faith moved the hand of God. We experienced Gods love and provision in our lives and saw it manifest in the lives of people around us and today there is no difference.

I remember hearing "Name it and claim it" and "Blab it and grab it" from "religious" people. People who insisted that God's will for us was to eventually fulfill our needs solely on our religious track record. Penance and lack were the only real avenues to God. 

Preaching that God is testing us, leaving sickness and lack to cause us to "suffer" for Him while singing "Amazing Grace."

They continue preaching each Sunday that, somehow, suffering would cause Him to love us more. Some still hold to this position, some even preach that very same message each week and their church's are emptying.

Coming to the astonishing truth of God's grace and realizing the consequence of that grace, Gods unmerited forgiveness and love, brings with it the same (type of) response. "Oh, you're one of those 'grace' people (used to be 'one of those faith people') who preach Grace." "Don't you know you're giving people a 'license to sin'?" To which, my usual answer is, "I never needed a license to sin." "Where can I pick one up?" "Does that license protect me from punishment or the outcome of sin better than the cross of Jesus Christ?" "How much is this license?" "Was it purchased for me or do I get one at the DMV?" "Does this license sit at the right hand of the Father?" "Does it make intercession for me?" "Does it remove my sin as far as the east is from the west?" "Does it cause God to remember my sins no more?" "Is it stamped in the blood of my Savior?"

"No?"

"Then I don't need it, I'm imperfect and forgiven through Jesus through the grace of God."

That, for some anyway, usually shakes there thinking enough to see an opportunity for God to unveil all that is associated with grace, and then, we usually hug each other.

Christmas Re-Gift!

Perhaps you’ve heard or read this before. In the spirit of Christmas, I’m decided to “re-gift” it…

Several years ago in a large city in the far West, rumors spread that a certain Catholic woman was having visions of Jesus. The reports reached the archbishop. He decided to check her out. There is always a fine line between the authentic mystic and the lunatic fringe.

“Is it true, ma’am, that you have visions of Jesus?” asked the cleric. “Yes,” the woman replied simply. “Well, the next time you have a vision, I want you to ask Jesus to tell you the sins that I confessed in my last confession.” The woman was stunned. “Did I hear you right, bishop? You actually want me to ask Jesus to tell me the sins of your past?” “Exactly. Please call me if anything happens.”

Ten days later the woman notified her spiritual leader of a recent apparition. “Please come,” she said. Within the hour the archbishop arrived. He trusted eye-to-eye contact. “You just told me on the telephone that you actually had a vision of Jesus. Did you do what I asked?” “Yes, bishop, I asked Jesus to tell me the sins you confessed in your last confession.”

The bishop leaned forward with anticipation. His eyes narrowed. “What did Jesus say?” She took his hand and gazed deep into his eyes. “Bishop,” she said, “these are His exact words: ‘I CAN’T REMEMBER.’”

Manning, Brennan (2008-08-19). The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out (pp. 118-119). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Just Love Them All

Isn’t it true that we (you and I) “see ourselves” through the things that we associate with? In my case, I am a Christian, I love Led Zeppelin, Harley’s, dogs, friends, Doritos, my wife (not in this order), sarcasm, and a bunch of other things that increase or decrease in priority depending on my surroundings. We seek to show our identity by vainly clinging to other people, things, ideas, organizations, etc., We also self-justify through the things that we turn away from. I once believed that to maintain an independent, autonomous existence as a Pastor I had to be mindful of what I distanced myself from as well as what I attached myself to.

I dissociated with hip-hop music. Starbucks, homosexuals, drug addicts, alcoholics, lawyers, and all those people with the homeless signs on every street corner who insist on looking directly at me when they walk by. I can’t listen to hip-hop music because it threatens my identity as a music snob with sophisticated 60’s rock taste and, quite frankly, I can’t understand most of whatever it is they are saying.

Even Starbucks is too mainstream and thus threatens my identity as a counterculture, progressive, and independent thinker (hippie). I believed that as a Pastor I had to remain conscious of my every move so that I wouldn’t cause others to stumble even if they were walking (running) away from me screaming much of the time.

Lately, for whatever reason, God has decided to get my attention regarding my relationship with others, (all “others”). I just want to love someone nobody else truly wants to love. That sounds “sappy” but I don’t know any other way of saying it. The plain truth is as a Christian (and a Pastor) if I make demands on people to be “like” something so that God will love them then either the God I represent isn’t worth the effort or I am grossly misrepresenting Him.

Jesus left us with two new and improved commandments. Matthew 22:34-40 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

At times, it seems easier to take hold of a good looking goat, toss it up on the altar and sacrifice the crap out of it than to simply love my “garage band practicing all hours of the night” neighbor, and yet, loving, is exactly what God expects.

My part isn’t to make any determination as to the guilt or innocence of anyone. I’m not to be looking for enough evidence to hold them over for trial. My job is to love them all and let God sort them out. I sometimes find that's a very difficult thing to do.

Lately, as God continues to lovingly correct me whenever I justify my self righteousness through the sins of another I’m learning to better love as He loves regardless of what people bring to the table.

Merry Christmas

We are very close to celebrating Christmas, the holiday, the time of gift giving, and kinsfolk, and food, and decorations, and mistletoe. In just a few days we’ll unwrap our gifts, make a mess, and say, in one form or another, “Thank You, you shouldn’t have.”

Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (Which means Teacher). —John 20: 11-16

Mary, the forgiven whore, the sinner no one proved to be sinless enough to stone to death stands before her Savior, mankind’s savior, my savior, and perhaps thinks to herself, in one form or another “Thank You, you shouldn’t have.”

God, does not only exist when you recognize Him.

He is the God of the flood, the God of the manger, the God of the cross, the God of the resurrection.

Heaven is filled with forgiven sinners who stand before Him and proclaim, “Thank You, you shouldn’t have.”

Merry Christmas