Goodmorning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
How many times would you continue touching a hot wood stove until you finally learned not to do it anymore? A little child is growing and it can take them many times to learn how to do something correctly. When we become a Christian we are born again, becoming children all over again, but we too can also take some time to eventually learn to get things right. God provides us with the grace we need so that we can overcome problems in our lives and eventually serve him perfectly. This is truly the goal of a Christian. True repentance is like training wheels on a child’s bicycle. Eventually when you learn how to ride, you don’t need them anymore.
This reminds me of the Christian life.
God wants us to go on and to perfection, to the place in our lives where we don’t have to repent from dead works because they no longer exist. He wants us to attain perfection but it’s going to require practice and commitment, striving to do the will of God from our hearts. Just like other things in life, the more you practice something, the better that you will get at it. Like a violinist preparing for an upcoming orchestra concert, things require effort on your part if you truly want to achieve something. If somebody wants a paycheck, then they need to get out of bed and get to work. If somebody wants to paint their house, they need to pick up the paintbrush. If someone wants to live the Christian Life, they need to submit to the will of God.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,….
Each of us have been raised in different ways, but I had been taught since I was a very young child that I could never be perfect, and it was pointless to even try. Later on in life, I realized that this belief was completely contrary to the calling of God in Christ Jesus. The only thing it did was produce a lackadaisical lifestyle in me. It produced an underachiever. Perfection is simply getting good enough at something, that you don’t make a mistake anymore.
But some of us, including myself, are slow learners and it takes a few more attempts in our lives before we can do it perfectly. God wants us to be very forgiving with each other, so forgiving that he taught Peter to forgive others 70 x 7. How many attempts did it take you to learn how to ride your bike? Some might do it in six tries, while others did it in 3. For some, it takes even longer, but the important thing is to keep trying, and not giving up.
God’s grace is like a bridge that He gives us, to help us overcome sinful obstacles in our lives,… so that we can eventually get to the place where we don’t need to repent from that behavior anymore. This is how we become an overcomer, with a portion of God’s grace, and a willing heart that submits to His teachings. When combined together, these two things will result in an amazing transformation in someone’s life.
Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
The very first step of a repentant heart is someone who confesses fault, regretting something that they have done. This shows a willingness inside a person’s heart that they want to attempt to get things right. The Apostle Peter was chosen by Christ as one of his first disciples, yet the one that Jesus chose to build his church upon, sinned when he denied Christ before the crucifixion. He was filled with contrition and regret for what he had done, but even as an apostle, Jesus forgave him. Peter was even corrected by the Apostle Paul when he separated himself from the gentiles. Each of us can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need, so that we can go forth unto perfection, eventually getting to the point where we need not repent anymore. To overcome sin completely, one must possess Godly sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
This is the same sorrow that Peter was filled with when he denied Christ. It’s a sorrow that truly regrets something that you have done, with the intention of self-improvement and going on unto perfection. A person might be rebuked or corrected, but that doesn’t always mean that they will change. Lasting change happens because of true sorrow within a person’s heart. It’s a change that is motivated out of love for God and others. Although we have grace and mercy in the church, and may make mistakes along the way, the final result that we want to achieve is to completely overcome sin. We wanted to defeat it and go and sin no more. This is the final goal of the Christian Life.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid…….
God gives us grace for a purpose, so that we learn from the wrongs that we have committed, and change our ways. When you continue something it means to proceed with an activity without ceasing, while the desire of a Christian should be to terminate, stop, and discontinue sinful living. Sometimes this can be as simple as changing your habits, routines, or even your daily schedule. I’ve always felt that we are habitual creatures, who have a tendency at times to slip into bad routines. This is why we need to refocus on scripture. To meditate on the things of God and His calling for us, making the attempt to become a good and obedient child.
2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
Our beloved Apostle Paul received forgiveness for his sins, and look at what it did to him. He went through a complete transformation from a Jewish Pharisee to an apostle of Christ. This would never have happened without God’s grace, and his submission to God’s purpose in his life.
Just like Paul, we want to use God’s grace as an opportunity to please God, and someday, get to the point in our lives, when we can finally remove the….
……Training Wheels
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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