Concerning Repentance – part 48
Scripture Text: John 3:16–18
We cannot place our trust in works wrought by ourselves. Surely, this is evident to everyone. Who among us has been found faithful—even to his own intentions?
Concerning Repentance – part 47
Scripture Text: Matthew 11:28–30
Being sorry for our sin does not merit forgiveness. You probably heard a retort something like this at some point in your life: “Sorry doesn’t fix what you broke.”
Concerning Repentance – part 46
Scripture Text: Matthew 3:4–8
These are important distinctions. Faith is different than sorrow or contrition. It is also different from devotion or works of penance. Faith stands apart, believing in the Redeemer...
Concerning Repentance – part 45
Scripture Text: Luke 7:36–38, 48–50
In this passage, we see two kinds of sinners. One is dull in spirit, self-absorbed, and very capable of seeing the sin in others but unable to see it in himself. The second is overcome with sorrow over her sin.
Concerning Repentance – part 44
Scripture Text: 2 Samuel 12:13–14
When David was brought up short by the knowledge of his secret sin, he was contrite and confessed his sin. After his confession, the prophet Nathan spoke words of forgiveness from the Lord.
Concerning Repentance – part 43
Scripture Text: Genesis 3:6–8
After we take the tantalizing fruit of sin, a frightening self-consciousness overwhelms us. All we want to do is cover our sin and hide from God. This terror is contrition; and it is not enough.
Concerning Repentance – part 42
Scripture Text: Genesis 3:14–15
The promise, though veiled, goes all the way back to Genesis. That very first sin demanded the declaration of a Savior from the loving God. For from those tragic bites of forbidden fruit...
Concerning Repentance – part 41
Scripture Text: 1 John 4:15–17
How strange it must seem to a child, for the parent who loves, to also seem so angry. For the threat of an oncoming car does not concern the unknowing child who is chasing a ball into the street.
Concerning Repentance – part 40
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 2:2–6
Life and death are in God’s hands. And there is nothing that we can do to deliver ourselves from the grave. The foolish harden their hearts to this fact of life. But the wise are contrite.
Concerning Repentance – part 39
Scripture Text: Psalm 119:25–28
Our ways lead us to certain death. They are low and dusty, clinging to the world and sin. Yet, God is always calling us to the way of life.
Concerning Repentance – part 38
Scripture Text: Romans 7:24–8:2
We are in bondage to the flesh: these bodies of death with their natural inclinations that serve the law. We are bound by nature to sin “in thought, word, and deed.”
Concerning Repentance – part 37
Scripture Text: Habakkuk 2:1–4
It is the height of arrogance for someone to think that justification occurs through the human acts of contrition, devotion, or other acts of love or good works
Concerning Repentance – part 36
Scripture Text: Romans 6:2–4, 11
Paul speaks plainly about these two parts of repentance. He writes that we are dead to sin, this taking place through our baptism.
Concerning Repentance – part 35
Scripture Text: Mark 1:14–15
It is not enough to only believe the history of the gospel. One must have faith in the one who is the incarnate gospel. One must trust in Christ for the remission of sins.
Concerning Repentance – part 34
Scripture Text: Hebrews 9:11–15
To think of repentance in terms of contrition alone is to act in accordance with the law. This is unstable ground since it depends upon the person who is sorry for their sin.
Concerning Repentance – part 33
Scripture Text: 2 Chronicles 7:11–14
God has always been ready to forgive. Proof of his willingness is the ways he has provided for people to have faith and turn to him.
Concerning Repentance – part 32
Scripture Text: Luke 10:10–16
Here is one of the surest and most obvious ways that the Lord’s Prayer is answered. We pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Concerning Repentance – part 31
Scripture Text: Romans 10:13–17
The promise of divine grace is received through hearing the gospel. This hearing occurs in many ways. It is received through the reading of the Scripture, both individually and corporately.
Concerning Repentance – part 30
Scripture Text: Ephesians 2:18; 3:11–12
We cannot fear, love, and trust God without faith. In other words, we cannot keep even the first of the commandments without faith, let alone the rest of the law.
Concerning Repentance – part 29
Scripture Text: Romans 5:1–2
The witless child who does not believe his parents got him a birthday present, will never enjoy the gift. Perhaps he was sorry for having been a disobedient child but just could not accept that his parents loved him nonetheless.
Concerning Repentance – part 28
Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:39–11:2
If repentance is only a matter of sorrow for sin, then human nature tries to appease God. But we cannot appease God by any means.
Concerning Repentance – part 27
Scripture Text: Galatians 2:19–21
As long as we live in this flesh, we will experience all of these feelings. For the law will never cease to accuse us of sin.
Concerning Repentance – part 26
Scripture Text: Isaiah 38:14–15
We are very weak. Jesus reminds us if this fact of our human nature. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Concerning Repentance – part 25
Scripture Text: Luke 24:45–48
Simply stated, contrition is when a person, because of love or fear, stops defending sin and confesses it instead.
Concerning Repentance – part 24
Scripture Text: Proverbs 32:5
Repentance begins with a heart that is moved toward God’s mercy and then has faith that he forgives for Christ’s sake
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