Jim Kirby
Central to Christian theology and thinking is that God (holy by nature) views this world and its humanity as having fallen from the state of wholeness and oneness with Himself which existed in His creation. The fall of man resulted from the appearance and introduction of sin (unholy by nature) into the world. Foremost among the many results of that change was separation from God or spiritual death. It is this core problem of spiritual death, shared by all humanity, that God sought to remedy by the incarnation of Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Fundamental to the life and purpose of Jesus is the removal of the penalty of sin, spiritual death, by providing forgiveness through His own sacrificial death; the atonement necessary to satisfy the requirements of a just and holy God. Through Christ, mankind can be restored into a right standing, personal, and intimate relationship with the Creator. Also central to reformed Christian theology is that the provision of this restoration of mankind to God is the action of God alone, a gift, received by mankind through faith. Understandably, the illumination of this gift by the reformation theologians of the 16th century was the epiphany which brought a quantum leap forward in understanding the message of the New Covenant and its Messenger, Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This points to another pillar of Christian understanding, that God is good all the time, and that His thoughts and actions toward us result from His lovingkindness. In the very act of providing a remedy for sin, God also provided, through Christ Jesus, the path to abundant, rich and fulfilling life (zoe – Greek text) both in this world and eternally in the world to come. This demonstration of God’s love, grace and wisdom plays out in a much larger context as “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 3:10, NIV) The deeper understanding of these truths which came to light during the Reformation brought a reaction from those same rulers and authorities of which the apostle Paul spoke. Counterfeit to abundant life found in Christ, was the advancement of philosophies which sought to elevate humanity itself as the means to solve humanity’s systemic condition and symptomatic problems.
It was Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) the Enlightenment philosopher, who advanced the thought that humans are naturally and innately good and that it is “civilization” which turns man into a “beast.” This signaled the onset of profound changes in mankind’s perception of itself. Soon to follow were movements of Secularism, Humanism, Positivism, Nihilism, Existentialism, and Post-modernism. These various philosophies have an undercurrent of futility and hopelessness which bears out in an irrefutable failure of secular thinking to answer the very basic questions of life: where did I come from / who am I / why am here / what must I do / where will I go when I die, let alone produce the accomplished desire of a holistic individual nor thence a holistic society.
Changes also occurred in the political and economic spheres. The Progressive Era was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States from the 1890s to 1920s. While providing much benefit and improvement to our nation’s labor force, education, social and civil rights awareness, these advancements when combined with the continued development of secular philosophies, reinforced Rousseau’s thinking that we, ourselves, can improve our civilization. We can make of ourselves a great society by our own efforts fueled by a vision of what we can become, powered by the advancements of science and technology.
In 2002, the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) General Assembly unanimously adopted the Amsterdam Declaration 2002 which represents the official defining statement of World Humanism:
Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.
Our secular society finds itself in this 21st century with eyes fixed on the future with the self assurance that, in short order, we will be able to control our environment, correct our social ills, stretch our lifespans into eternal youth by the repair or replacement of any human body part and victory over death by disease through medical science. Some suggest that we will soon be able to short cut that process by the fusion of human and artificial intelligence. Many believe that we have sufficient wisdom and understanding to present peaceable diplomatic solutions to millennium-old conflicts and at the same time, rid our planet of the threat of global nuclear suicide. Blinded by the brightness of our future, the Biblical simplicity of our very nature is fading from view. The very idea that we are sinful by nature is rapidly becoming archaic. To continue to believe that we are by nature sinful would undermine our belief that civilization has developed to the point of self-sufficiency. Again, current secular thought holds that society can remedy its ills of alcohol/drugs, divorce, identity crises, crime, war, suicide, and school shootings, none of which are being “fixed”, all of which indicate sub-standard living – at least as far as what God intended life to be. Indeed, our own society has systematically removed an absolute standard set by God, and embraced Relativism, allowing it to arbitrarily decide such fundamental aspects of human existence such as gender or whether a fetus will see the light of day. However, not everyone is eager to embrace this brave new world.
There are those of us, a remnant, who still believe that there was, is, and always will be a sovereign, just, and holy God, and that we have all, every one of us, individually and collectively, fallen short of His original design and plan for us. That brings us back to history’s central figure, Jesus Christ. We can understand exactly what He thought about sin and the human condition. When Jesus began His public ministry, His first recorded words were, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near you!” He would not have said “repent” unless there was something to repent from….sins, and the accompanying mindset sins foster. Repent….to have an about face in one’s thinking….to confess our spiritual bankruptcy and utter inadequacy before a holy God. The word repentance comes to us in conjoining two Greek words (metaneo and epistrepho) which convey the thought of first turning away from sin (dangerous, since this can be somewhat accomplished simply by exercising the force of human will power) and turning to God (seeking his presence, power, and purpose). Repentance is the first step on the road to reconciliation to God, the first step on the path to zoe life. Confession of sin, actually acknowledging it as sin, is essential to receiving forgiveness. Once made, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9) Even the sin of self-sufficiency and humanity’s pride of life. (1 John 2:16)
Let the remnant stand on every roof top in rural America, climb atop skyscrapers across urban landscapes, cup our hands beside our mouths and shout aloud Christ’s own proclamation……….“Repent, for the kingdom of God is near you!” Should we not, at the very least, proclaim “Repent!” in our pews and from our pulpits
(Reaching the Unreached) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his insightful letter from the Birmingham jail cell that still rings true today.
So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an arch defender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s silent—and often even vocal—sanction of things as they are. But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.
How often do you hear this quote rather than “I have a dream.” Case in point.
Acts 17:30-31 (NKJV)
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
For me, that about says it all.
David 🙂
David, Hebrews 6 talks about moving on to maturity but first we had to leave behind some things. One of which was the doctrine of dead works. I found this when I wanted to understand what dead works were vs. evil or wicked works. This quote is from the Berean Bible Society:
“Twice in Paul’s epistles he refers to “dead works”. In Hebrews 6:1 he writes about “repentance from dead works”, while in Hebrews 9:14 he declares that the blood of Christ avails to “purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God”. “Mark well, these references are not to wicked works but to dead works. These “dead works” are the so-called “good works” (whether moral or ceremonial) which men did — and still do — to make themselves acceptable to God. They are “dead” because they are not the product of regeneration or spiritual life, but the mere attempt on the part of unregenerate sinners to justify themselves before God.”
This brought to my mind the self-justification phrase people use when they say, “I am not a bad person,” or “He was a good man and so he will go to Heaven.” If the Bereans are right, then it would follow that it is not enough to behave or look like a good Christian in order to be saved, but rather highlighted here, is the genuine need for repentance from things that seemed good or good enough to get someone into Heaven. I think one foundation principle of true repentance must be a person’s acknowledgement that nothing they could possibly do, however “good” would be sufficient to save their eternal souls. The scripture that says our righteousness is like filthy rags is a reminder that God’s holiness is so high above our own that even our best efforts or achievements fall so short of His, to the extent that all men can justifiably be concluded under sin and are thereby unworthy to stand before a holy God. The scripture says clearly, without holiness no man shall see God. Repentance is an affirmation of God’s holiness and our own good works as being completely dead and corrupt in comparison. It is an affront to God to even think we can approach Him without coming by way of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Though are sins be as scarlet, they shall be washed as white as snow. Repenting from our own dead works and confessing to the thoroughly cleansing power of the cross, is that turning from death to life in Jesus’s name and authority, namely Him being the soul’s sole author and finisher of salvation.
I appreciate the comments and interaction. Repentance is a key factor in our relationship with God and man. I think it would be easy to come up with a quick assessment of
our present state on humanity.The real problem is can we take the whole scriptures in context or do we pull parts of scripture out to fit the themes of the day.Most denominations are split offs and church division is common on a daily basis. They all seem to justify a stand on a particular emphasis and personality of God so it is hard to point out the error.Then we see relationships severed and bridges burned and the world looks at us as very schizophrenic.My contribution to this topic would be that we humbly ask God to show us how to see and hear and to show us the blind spots that continually keep hindering us from loving those around us.
2 Timothy 2:24-26
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Rense, For some reason the scripture citation you wrote lost the second half that talked about repentance, so I took the liberty of adding it to your comment. I thought it interesting to read, “If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” The first thing I realized was the fact that it was God the gives (action) repentance and that the individual must recover themselves, (response)… In further reflection, because it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance coupled with the scripture that every good gift comes from Him, it really underlined the fact that God can initiate, but we have to respond. The result of that response, “to repent” actually delivers us out of the snare of the devil, but it requires our apprehension of that forgiveness and putting it into play in our lives such that we really are made or set free. So, it is not enough to repent that saves or delivers us, but also our active response by delivering ourselves daily from the snares that are set to entrap us again. Also of note, we are either doing God’s will or we are wittingly or unwittingly doing the will of the devil. To me that translates that when we are doing our own will, and not God’s, we are actually falling into the snares that make us captive to the devil’s will. ie, there is no middle ground. I hear Jesus say, “He who is not for me is against me.”
The observed repetitive historical cycles of human history have a common pattern: Chaos is overcome by an interdependent warrior class; economic stability begins with the establishment of a grass-roots working class, is furthered by solidifying a builder class with overarching developing governance; reaches its zenith in a society with shared values supported on the shoulders of contributing class members; begins to decay as the unifying core values become blurred; becomes fragmented into at least two classes, the haves and have-nots (with serfdom lurking in the ominous smoke); becomes schismatic as the haves progressively seek to form a ‘perfect society’ and the have-nots respond to forces beyond their own control by first sinking into a welfare and entitlement mentality and in successive stages into a seething resentment fueled by lack and moving increasingly towards a willingness to take by force what has been deprived from them by a systematic development of a culture that enslaves. Historically at this point the have-nots begin sharpening pitchforks and wrapping oil-dipped cloths around 6′ wooden poles; today get their hands on ‘The Anarchist’s Cookbook’ and buy 9mm pistols and Bushmaster .223’s. As the have-nots prepare to bring chaos, the haves, “blinded by their future” (love that line, Jim!), press on towards their self-induced delusional goals of a golden age. The results are always the same. I apologize for the long-winded intro, and don’t know that I have anything really unique to offer to the discussion of repentance. No generation seems to learn from the previous generation’s mis-steps, despite emphatic voices proclaiming, “Never again!”
Hmm. Repentance – ‘a changing of the mind,’ more specifically ‘turning away from sin by/and turning towards God.’ The message of God through JtheB – “Repent, for the KOH is near” (its coming…) brings hope to the remnant, while seeming vaguely ominous to the oblivious. The message of God through Jesus the Messiah – “Repent, for the KOH is near” (here I AM) quickens the Spirit of those who ABC and receive, while seeming ludicrous to those destined, not for oblivion, but for outer darkness. As a new believer during the Jesus Movement (’70) I was arrested in my absorption of and consumption by the Holy Scriptures at Matt. 7:13-14, especially pondering just how “few there (will be) that find it.” “Repent and be baptized in the name… work out your salvation in fear and trembling… all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved…” (and on…).
I am so grateful to see the stirring in these blogs… makes me think that a ‘changing of the mind’ (repentance) might be swelling in the halls of the Aeropagus and might reach the inner court, at least as a disquieting outlier opinion.
Greg, your comments are very enlightening. I rejoice with you to see that the church is not leaving fundamental truths behind or taking them for granted. Repentance from dead works to me means works that are done to be seen of men that do not bring glory to our Father in Heaven, in that, those works are consumed upon the glory to the flesh. There is a sorrow that leads to repentance, but there is also a sorrow that does not. In learning about forgiveness from our current bible study material, we are learning that apologizing for a wrong done to someone is not the same as asking for forgiveness. There is a humility required when asking for forgiveness as opposed to admitting a fact. Humbling ourselves is the key to repentance and absolutely required to receive the grace of the free gift of salvation. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. To turn around and go in a new direction requires both the admission of having initially chosen the wrong direction, the present path, and the subsequent asking for the correct directions, the new path, to proceed. That is how I see repentance and forgiveness tied together. Forgiveness being the act of asking and receiving, and repentance being the acknowledgment of needing forgiveness. The two are inseparable on the new path set before all believers.
Greg, your comments on the cycles of history which repeat themselves was sobering. One must wonder where we as a nation are in that cycle. In the book of Judges we are shown another cycle; disobedience – foreign oppression – cries of distress – deliverance. Initially, I thought it might prove instructive to overlay one cycle upon the other, however I thought better of doing that. Here’s why. The cycle in the book of Judges applies to the chosen people of God. Interestingly, God used foreign nations (who were going through their own cycles of the type that you brought to mind) to cause the Israelites, His chosen people, to see the error and result of blending worship to the true God with the gods of the people around them. Repentance was part of the cries of distress which precipitated the deliverance. Now, the question is where do we see the church in America falling in one or both of these cycles?
Jim, when I hear the word “Repent,” my mind jumps to the cartoonish picture of a long-hair, scraggly, cut-off pants, honey-laced bearded, holey T-shirted, single-toothed, wild-eyed, barefoot, dude standing on a street corner holding a sign that says, “The End is Near! REPENT!” Also, in biblical times, the image of a John the Baptist in his camel hair coat, grasshopper legs in his teeth, bearded and barefoot, man yelling, “You vipers and hypocrites!” Then of course, Jesus saying, “So what went Ye out to the wilderness to hear? A broken reed?” Then Jesus set the record straight to all inquiries. He said no man born of woman was greater than John The Baptist. So Jim, my question or issue is, “How does that call to repentance look today? Are we, as Christians, supposed to be out in the streets, holding up signs declaring the end is in sight?” It seems to me that the church should not only be talking about repentance inside their own walls, but should also be out in the public calling for the unbeliever to turn from their sins, turn to Christ, and be baptized. But, I fear that so few Christians are out there with this very clarion call, that the church for the most part has become irrelevant even as it has become irreverent in terms of living in the godly fear of the Lord, announcing the Good News to the lost, and living a lifestyle that really depicts the differences between the saved and unsaved. How should we deliver/announce John The Baptist’s message of repentance to our world today without bringing the cartoon-like character to mind when we are trying to warn the world of the impending end of all things, the judgment to come, and the need to turn from our sins and turn towards and serve a most Holy God? I know we are to be like watchmen on the wall, warning of the oncoming enemy, and that if we do not sound the warning, and the city is overrun and destroyed, the blood of the lost will be on our hands. Pretty serious stuff.
Douglas, although you used colorful and humorous images, you have raised the question of how does calling others to repentance actually look. You take us from the theoretical to the practical, a necessary step. It’s helpful to note that John the Baptist was the last of the prophets in the Old Testament style. His life and message reaches back to Elijah, and at the same time, proclaims the coming of the Messenger of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ. His austere lifestyle was culturally acceptable to his audience, and drew from a long tradition of other Israelites whose prophetic utterances came from deep in the desert. However, the culture of our day would reject such an extreme image, which would probably erode the credibility of the message. John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, who, as we have stated, began His ministry with a call to repentance. However, we see in Jesus one who came full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) His dealings with all people was truthful and graceful, although His interaction with the Pharisees was a great deal stronger. Since we are to have the mind of Christ, and recognizing that Christ is being formed in us, our conduct should be Christ-like. This would also manifest as meekness, because Christ was meek, and humility, because we ourselves are to be repentant. One definition of meekness is “strength under control”. We may arm ourselves with the truth that others should repent, however, as we emulate Christ, our control over ourselves and our “old nature” tendency to become self-righteous would allow the grace and love of Christ to guide us.
Excellent response Jim. “However, we see in Jesus one who came full of grace and truth.” I see John the Baptist full of truth, but I do not see him as a particularly gracious man. When sharing the Gospel then, we do need to consider our culture and if certain behaviors might be considered offensive or bizarre, we should examine ourselves and our words for not just the truth, but also we should also check for the grace that characterized Jesus’s witness. Col 4:6 comes to mind. “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. I guess John The Baptist didn’t have the benefit of this scripture.
Amen Jim! And thank you for the following two sentences in particular: “Since we are to have the mind of Christ, and recognizing that Christ is being formed in us, our conduct should be Christ-like. This would also manifest as meekness, because Christ was meek, and humility, because we ourselves are to be repentant.”
To humbly follow Jim’s advice would, perhaps, prevent us from falling into the ever-present trap of being theologians who simply try to out-pontificate one another. I perceive that to be a real possibility in blogs such as this; therefore, I will keep my responses to a minimum. It will take more than blogging if we are to accomplish that for which we all yearn.
Jim has written an excellent historical survey of the secular history of man’s attempts at solving the “Sin Problem,” devoid of any notion that man’s solution to his problems lie totally outside of himself. And Glen’s succinct caveat is a perfect and fitting summary. We not only preach repentance, WE repent! If modern culture’s ills are to be cured, those who claim the name of Jesus Christ must start with the very act of repentance for which Jim so properly calls. It must all start with His People as in II Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from THEIR wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Every Christian must theoretically take a piece of chalk, draw a circle around him/herself and pray, “Lord send a revival and let it begin within this very circle.” And conclude with the very repentance which has been called for from “the world” with this prayer, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner. In the blessed name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.” All authentic repentance starts by praying for the man/woman in the mirror.
Don, our culture and society today has no problem looking into mirrors. What they hope to see is some self-assurance and self-affirmation of self-view. The mirror is currently being held up by a culture which increasingly insists that everyone be accepted for who and what they want to be. Our very laws are changing to require that. Just one honest look into the perfect law of God would show individuals what and who they really are. The brave new world in Christ Jesus of knowing who we are, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going begins with honesty before our Creator.
Jim, I never read anything so powerful as this call to repentance. I believe the Word which tells us that if judgment begins in the house of God, where will the sinner and the ungodly be found? We must preach repentance because the Kingdom of God is at hand. Let us all repent and look up for our redemption draws nigh!
Thanks, Glen. It’s true that judgement begins in the house of God. There’s a saying that come to mind…”as the leader goes, so goes the organization”. It is we, the pastors, who must lead the way.