(EZEK 33:11-12) "SAY UNTO THEM, AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD GOD, I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED; BUT THAT THE WICKED TURN FROM HIS WAY AND LIVE: TURN YE, TURN YE FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS; FOR WHY WILL YE DIE, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL? {12} THEREFORE, THOU SON OF MAN, SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL NOT DELIVER HIM IN THE DAY OF HIS TRANSGRESSION: AS FOR THE WICKEDNESS OF THE WICKED, HE SHALL NOT FALL THEREBY IN THE DAY THAT HE TURNETH FROM HIS WICKEDNESS; NEITHER SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS BE ABLE TO LIVE FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE DAY THAT HE SINNETH."
Over the past several weeks we have looked at a number of choices that we, as believers, need to make in our lives in order to please God. We have seen how we need to choose to have right attitudes, to live with a real purpose, to have perseverance, and to truly live by faith. Tonight, I want us to see that another important choice for us is to choose repentance over guilt!
I. Preliminary Considerations.
A. Defintion of Repentance.
1. Repentance is not an emotion, but is an attitude that leads to a specific action.
2. It is an attitude that chooses to confront failure rather than to ignore it.
3. It is not just a one-time action concerning our salvation...it is an attitude that confronts and deals with failure in every area of our lives.
4. It isn't very popular today, because it requires us to honestly confront sin.
B. The Problem with Guilt.
1. Guilt is an emotion that can have devastating effects upon us.
2. It affects us physically, emotionally, and mentally.
a. Note the example of David.
(PSA 32:3-4) "WHEN I KEPT SILENCE, MY BONES WAXED OLD THROUGH MY ROARING ALL THE DAY LONG. {4} FOR DAY AND NIGHT THY HAND WAS HEAVY UPON ME: MY MOISTURE IS TURNED INTO THE DROUGHT OF SUMMER. SELAH."
b. Many psychiatrists and psychologists recognize that awareness of wrongdoing often produces prolonged feelings of remorse and self-condemnation.
c. Note the example of the physical affects of depression. ie. Tony Garton
(2 COR 7:10) "FOR GODLY SORROW WORKETH REPENTANCE TO SALVATION NOT TO BE REPENTED OF: BUT THE SORROW OF THE WORLD WORKETH DEATH."
3. Failure to repent means we carry guilt over our sin and suffer the consequences of it.
4. Guilt changes or often breaks our relationship with others.
5. For the believer it will cause us to avoid God out of fear of punishment.
(GEN 3:10) "AND HE SAID, I HEARD THY VOICE IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; AND I HID MYSELF."
II. Choosing an Attitude of Repentance.
A. Identify areas of failure. (where we fail to meet God's standards)
(PSA 139:23-24) "SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART: TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS: {24} AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING."
1. These could be our relationship with God.
2. Our relationship with our parents or brothers and sisters.
3. Our relationship with our husband or wife.
4. Our relationship with our children.
5. Our relationshp with others.
B. Acknowledge Our Failures to God.
1. Whether our guilt involves others or not, it certainly involves God.
2. All sin is against God.
(PSA 51:4) "AGAINST THEE, THEE ONLY, HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT: THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED WHEN THOU SPEAKEST, AND BE CLEAR WHEN THOU JUDGEST."
3. We must humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our sin and our need for forgiveness.
(1 JOHN 1:9) "IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."
C. Accept His Forgiveness.
1. The greatest truth in the verse we just read is that God always is faithful.
2. His forgiveness is unconditional.
3. The devil will try to convince us that God could never forgive us for what we have done, but God said just the opposite!
(PSA 32:1-2) "BLESSED IS HE WHOSE TRANSGRESSION IS FORGIVEN, WHOSE SIN IS COVERED. {2} BLESSED IS THE MAN UNTO WHOM THE LORD IMPUTETH NOT INIQUITY, AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO GUILE."
4. For the believer, there is no record kept of the debt that God erases!
(PSA 103:12) "AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HATH HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US."
D. Make restitution where necessary.
1. If we have wronged another person, it is necessary for us to seek that person's forgiveness.
(MAT 5:23-24) "THEREFORE IF THOU BRING THY GIFT TO THE ALTAR, AND THERE REMEMBEREST THAT THY BROTHER HATH OUGHT AGAINST THEE; {24} LEAVE THERE THY GIFT BEFORE THE ALTAR, AND GO THY WAY; FIRST BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER, AND THEN COME AND OFFER THY GIFT."
2. That isn't easy, but it is always best for us.
3. Perhaps monetary restitution is in order; like Zaccheus who realized that he had cheated many and sought to make things right with them.
E. The final step toward choosing repentance is the actual turning away from known sin.
1. It is possible to do all of the other things we have talked about and really not repent.
2. Repentance involves a turning away from evil.
3. It is a change of thinking that results in a change of direction in our lives.
4. When David asked for God's forgiveness he also asked that God do something else for him.
(PSA 51:10) "CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD; AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME."
Tonight the challenge for us is that we choose repentance over guilt. God has an answer for dealing with sin. It is confession, repentance, and forgiveness.