God always accepts true repent then rewards it!

Welcome, dear friends! Grace and peace of God the Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you! Yesterday we talked about two kinds of sadness: 

• the sorrow of this world and the mourning for God .

 The sorrow of this world is focused on restoration of the lost blessings or status in society, while the mourning for God is seeking for the restoration of lost relationships with Him. Esau’s sorrow is an example of the first type. He sold his birthright for one meal, so Saul, who lost his kingdom. 

«…  lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, as Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal. For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.». (Hebrews 12:16-17).

 Tears do not guarantee salvation, while repentance always does, it guarantees forgiveness and freedom from sin. 

«Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh. Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel. As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours who is better than you. Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, Please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Yahweh». (1^st Samuel 15:24-31).

 While Saul was concerned only about preserving his honour before people, David sought completely different thing in his repentance – he was seeking the restoration of the lost relationships with God: 

«Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. Against you, and you only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight; that you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners shall be converted to you. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of your  righteousness. Lord, open my lips. My mouth shall declare your praise. For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar». (Psalm 50).

 Let’s have a look at another two examples from the Bible, those demonstrate true repentance, and changed hearts and the way of thinking as a result. 

• The woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). Jesus forgave that woman, but required her to change her way of life.

 

«Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”». (John  8:10-11).

 The Prodigal son (Luke 15). o   During his wandering the prodigal son put aside the truth about the consequences of his deeds (sin brings satisfaction, though the Bible says it’s temporary). o   The consequences of sin make the prodigal son sober. (Luke 15:14-17). The word of God can instruct a person and make him aware of his sins.  (2^nd Timothy 2:4-26). o   The prodigal son realised he had sinned against God and his own father. (Luke 15:18,21,25-32). When you truly repent, you realise that you have also sinned against other people. Therefore, true repentance includes confessing your sins before other people, those whom you have hurt or inflicted pain to. o   The prodigal son realised his indecent way of life. (Luke 15:19). o   The prodigal son dropped his sinful life and headed towards his father. (Luke 15:20). o   The prodigal son returned to his father, who was happy to meet his son again, and received forgiveness. As a result the relationships between the father and the son were restored. (Luke 15:20-24). When we repent God runs towards us! God always accepts true repent then rewards it! Let’s continue tomorrow! God bless you abundantly! Rufus Adjiboje, pastor