Weekly Devotional 9-15-14 Repentance That is of Saving Faith
Recently I was talking with a friend about repentance. He spoke of a prayer that many of his faith recite ritually with a belief that such a recital brings forgiveness of sin and restoration to a right standing before God. We talked about this for some time and agreed that such a prayer, recited no matter how many times, when prayed without sincerity, may bring a sense of relief from guilt, but does very little to bring actual forgiveness or restoration to a right standing with God. To repent means to turn from something to something, in this case, it means to turn from sin to God.
Jesus, by parable, instructed many who trusted in their own worth about the insincerity of prayer in this manner, “10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”(Luke 18:10-14 NKJV).
Repentance that is of the saving nature brings change. One who continually recites a prayer but then goes out and sins habitually in the same way is not sincere. The publican who prayed from the heart was sorrowful over his sin, was sincere, and sought forgiveness. A change had been wrought in this man’s heart (soul); not so with the Pharisee. That the publican went to his house justified is proof of saving repentance. Repentance, after all, is one of the things that the Holy Spirit brings about in the life of the one who has come to Jesus in faith.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power, The Work of God on Behalf of Man
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