Is there Repentance in New Covenant Teaching? The Answer to this question is ‘Yes!’ All throughout the New Testament from John the Baptist to the disciples, as the disciples were preaching the Gospel, the first thing that they taught was ‘Repent and Be baptised. Acts 2:38
Now we know that to Repent just means to turn around and to change your thinking, but there is also a recognizing on our part that we need forgiveness. In modern English we would say that we apologize and then we turn around.
Sin will always lead to death, so in order to receive our healing and freedom we need to step away from the sin. But we don’t have to be in constant repentance mode, as Christ’s blood was shed for our forgiveness, yet still, there IS a place for repentance in the new covenant teaching.
When we don’t fully understand how kingdom things work, one easy way to help put it into perspective is by relating it to your relationship with your spouse or your children. Since everything we experience is just a foreshadow of whats to come, we can see glimpses of the heart of God by relating it to our own heart of love for our personal family, for our spouses and our children. Oftentimes when we see the way our own human heart works, it can help us understand the Fathers love for us as HIS children.
For example, if I’m quick with my husband, after awhile I will generally feel a nudge to apologize to him. Then I would apologize and he would forgive me and we could release it and move on. When Chris and I apologize to each other it usually takes a minute or so. It doesn’t have to be this long, overly dramatic experience. God is also practical and we can be practical when it comes to our relationship with Him.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we know God can never be angry with us again. In fact, He’s chosen to place a cloud in between Himself and our sin so He can’t see it. Isa 44:22 This means we’re in the clear because of the blood of Jesus, and we believe that. But sometimes when we sin or make mistakes we can feel separated in our own Minds and thinking. This is why we need to apologize, just like any family would. We ask our loved one for forgiveness and we pursue unity continuously. We do the same thing with God. If we make a mistake, we apologize for our own sake, so we can live light in our hearts and minds, we clear the air, and then we release it so we can move forward.
I understand that some people may have an aversion to the idea of ‘Repentance’ and that is most likely due to making a connection with being overly apologetic, that could be due to the religious mindsets we sometimes have had in the past as believers where we feel we always have to be repenting when we’re in the presence of God, which also isn’t true or healthy. Again I would encourage you to think of your own family and how you would handle your own children in a situation like this. When I correct my sons who are still little, my heart is always that they are restored back into my arms as quickly as possible. Our youngest son likes to run away and hide after he’s gotten a correction. So I usually give him some time, but after awhile I search for him till I find him. I hold him in my arms and I kiss, cuddle and love him. I tell him about all the fun ideas I’ve been having of things we can do together. The distraction method is what I often use with my kids. I’ve found it more effective then compounding the situation by bringing up what’s over and done with already.
On the other hand, if I walked into a room and found our son so upset with himself because he was misbehaving, if he was blaming himself saying ‘Mommy why am I so Naughty?’ I would come and gather him into my arms and say ‘Honey, you’re Not Naughty, you’re So full of Goodness because you’re God’s Son. You made a mistake but we all make mistakes. Just Be Who you were born to be. There is So much goodness inside you! I see it everyday. I love You so much and I’ll never stop loving You.’
Isn’t this how we must seem to the Father sometimes? He’s probably thinking something similar to what we think when we’re in that same position. If we imagine ourselves in this scenario we can see how His heart must really want us to understand that we are HIS Sons and Daughters. He wants us to release the negative and false opinions of ourselves, and all that’s already been paid for by His blood, so that He is free to love us fully and so He can show us Who we were truly Created to be.
The other day I found myself thinking about this verse
Proverbs 28:13 He that covers his sin shall not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
I was meditating on the word ‘forsakes’ and the importance of forsaking things that are hurting us. And I realized that a lot of the problems we have is because we’re holding on when we’re supposed to be letting go. Sometimes it’s this false thinking that holding onto something is what we ‘want’, holding on to our own will or our own way, which may seem ‘good’ at the time, when it’s actually ‘letting go’ that is necessary.
The truth about freedom is it comes when we completely surrender our will and our way to the Lord. Not when we choose to hold on to what we ‘think’ we want.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end is destruction.
The best way to grow is actually to let go of our own thinking and our own way and surrender everything, our minds, opinions, our will, our way and our plans to Jesus.
So the heart of my message is this - There IS Repentance in the New Covenant message. However, it’s as quick and easy, as He wants to restore you as quickly as possible. Don’t beat yourself up and think you’re doing good. Receive the grace that’s freely given to you. Apologize and Forgive yourself and others (if necessary) so you can move forward easily and on to the greater things He has for you.
You can release yourself from these addictive cycles, from any chain, bondage or oppression if you choose to apologize, forgive, release and ‘Forsake’ this thing. Lay it down, because it’s hurting you and keeping you back, when Jesus wants you to move forward. And we know our God will abundantly pardon, but we can’t heal with a sword in our side. We have to pull out the thing that’s causing us the pain. So do it now. Don’t wait one more day.
He has the abundant life for you (John 10:10) but you’re going to have to choose it every day. Choose life each day, make wise decisions, spend time with believers and in the word daily. He will help you, but there are basics which are needed to grow spiritually. Don’t try and walk this road alone. We need each other to learn walk out our faith practically in real life.
And if you have a question, or need prayer, don’t hesitate to ask me. That’s the purpose of ministry, to be there for people so we can help you out of your tight spots through the Supernatural Power of Jesus. Just pop your questions or prayer requests in the comments and I will answer as soon as I can.
The purpose of this life is so we can learn and grow, and as we do, we share what God teaching us. This is the Power of our Testimony.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their Testimony.
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