Stuck on Repentance

Okay, I know that anyone who has followed my blog as of late has noticed a theme. I am obsessed with the topic of repentance. As many of you know, our church has been and is pursuing two matters of church discipline. There is nothing easy about this process. I find myself torn up by the emotions concerning the two individuals involved, both of whom have "grown up" in the church, having been in the youth group when I was the youth pastor and sitting under my teaching as the teaching pastor. One of the members has already been put out of the church and the other will be placed under church discipline. While my personal feelings are often on the proverbial roller coaster, rolling up and down between the hills of being "too easy" on sin and the valleys of being "too hard" on it , I am grateful for a standard outside myself - the Word of God.

But as difficult as this all has been, I have come to appreciate this time. I find myself continually on my knees, realizing the depth and depravity of my own heart, recognizing my own need for confession of sin, of true repentance (that forsaking of sin and truly turning to serve God - 1 Thessalonians 1:9). I have seen such tremendously huge logs in my eye that need to be removed (Matthew 5:5). So then, while the circumstances have not been the most "enjoyable" they have nonetheless been helpful and healing to my soul.

I guess what I am trying to say is that this is actually an "exciting" process. When I say "exciting" it is not as in "happy" but - well, let's say, like a train wreck. So much is happening and there is this constant looking to and dependence upon the Lord for grace and for direction. What I find exciting is that in all of this has been the desire and attempt to take God at His Word and follow His will. So, in a national church climate that discourages such discipline, we will follow the Lord's directives. And how does this bring excitement? It brings excitement knowing that as we follow God's will in this matter, the Lord's blessing will follow.

And just what blessings are we looking for?

Let me say that first and foremost is the glory of God in this situation (Isaiah 48:11). O how I pray that God is exalted in this matter.

Second, we are looking for the pursuit of purity in the His church. The great goal of the Lord is to present His church "in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:27); and we participate in this process by prayer and the application of His Word. Consider this thought by Spurgeon concerning Christ and His Church:

In love He espoused His Church as a chaste virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of bondage.

That is a fascinating thought – that before the entrance of sin into the world, the chosen bride of Christ was spotless and blameless. Sin marred Christ’s bride and He has done something about it, providing redemption by His blood and cleansing by His Spirit.

Third, we are praying and hoping (not wishing but with great expectation) for the genuine repentance and reconciliation of all involved to God and to His people. We must remember the exhortation of Ephesians 4:1-3,

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Consider that last statement please; "being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Sin always destroys and disrupts the unity of the Spirit within the body of Christ. The application of diligence - that is of using all speed, effort, and earnestness to see the body strive together in faith and holiness, is such a necessary endeavor of each and every member of the body of Christ. What sets itself against this purpose must be rightly dealt with. But as such things are dealt with, God does set out about His work to cleanse and restore. May it be our earnest prayer that any person who is loved enough by a congregation to be placed under discipline, would respond to such love with utter humility, confession, and again reconciliation to God and to His people. But the key here, the great prayer, and the great need, is biblical repentance. But just what is biblical repentance? What does it look like? I came across the following that helps us answer these questions:

1. Repentance is taking full responsibility for the sin

2. Repentance is turning from the idol we serve to the true God

What do we mean by idols? How does that tie into sin? Sin is not just a transgression of a law of God. It involves a turning from God in unbelief and turning to something else as a "god.” When I sin I am saying to God, "I do not trust you. I do not believe your way is good and best. I do not believe you are wise.” In place of the true God I worship pleasure, a lover, a lie, my money, a career advancement, my reputation etc. We cannot worship God and sin. We cannot sin without worshipping idols. Deep in the heart of man there is a powerful pull of idolatry. We want to worship this other god because of the pleasure it brings us. That love for sin and out false lover can actually
keep us from repentance.

- Mark Lauterbach - The Transforming Community 142-144

Here we have both the basics of what is repentance as well as what keeps us from repentance. And so here is our prayer;

“Lord, help us to take responsibility for our sin, to acknowledge it, confess it and plead with God for deliverance from it. Help us forsake sin, to hate it and want nothing else but to follow You. O God, regardless of what is might cost us; enable us to give up anything and anybody that would take the place of priority and preeminence in our lives. Open our eyes to see things clearly, so as not to be duped into thinking that Christ is first in our lives if, in fact, He is not. Keep us from the tendency to self-justification of our actions, attitudes, and activities; counting them as not interfering with our walk with Christ when in fact they are.”

May our prayer echo the sentiment of the psalm of David who wrote:

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
(NKJV)

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed