"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:15
While I was growing up, the word repent used to really bother me. It made me conjure up images of people I deemed as holy rollers, bible thumpers, Jesus freaks...I always thought people like that were weird. What does the word repent mean? Simply, to recognize your sins and turn away from them, to make an attempt to sin no more. We'll never achieve being sinless, we are human. But each day if we try, we can get better at it. Being Christian means we get do-overs, I like do-overs.
Remember an earlier verse I talked of, in John?
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:7-11
Jesus showed compassion and forgiveness, and then asked her to go and sin no more, to repent. Whatever sin we have, whatever problem we have, we need to acknowledge it, then ask Him for help to turn things around for us.
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:7-11
Jesus showed compassion and forgiveness, and then asked her to go and sin no more, to repent. Whatever sin we have, whatever problem we have, we need to acknowledge it, then ask Him for help to turn things around for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment