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 share something with you.
Every night as we are sleeping, something happens. The Earth changes it’s mind. It changes its direction and decides to turn completely around, spinning on its axis. It undergoes its own conversion turning from darkness back to the light. In a way, it seems like the Earth has a change of heart, desiring only to feel the light shine upon its face once again. It’s an incredible and symbolic example of repentance that God displays to the entire world, each and every day.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Just like the Earth, God wants each of us to turn around. He wants us to turn from darkness to light. He wants us to turn from lies to the truth. He wants us to turn around completely on our axis.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
When we speak about darkness, we are talking about the darkness of sinful living. Sinfulness is disobedience and rebellion to the will of God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to a brand new life. He wants us to turn away from the way that we used to live, and walk according to His will. This is not only a change of direction, but a complete change of your mind to serve God from your heart.
Granted, each of us might make a mistake and regret certain things that we have done during our life, but grace is available from God in our time of need. Like a child who is trying to learn how to ride his bicycle, God helps us through His mercy so that we can get back up and try again, so that eventually we can learn to ride the bike perfectly, and never fall off it again.
If you never make the attempt to get back up on the bike again, you will never get down the road to the final destination. If you never make an attempt to turn from your sin, you will never be able to perform His perfect will. Christianity is about perfecting the soul, but you can never attain that if you never turn away from your sin by accepting biblical truth. This is why some will be damned, because they believe not the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-13 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
The apostle clearly teaches that in order to inherit salvation, we must go through the process of sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, because this is what genuine repentance is all about.
There are going to be results that happen in your life if you are truly repentant. You will be filled up with works that display a changed heart. Genuine grace, acting upon the heart, is going to result in a complete transformation from the way that you used to live in the past. The Apostle Paul credits God’s grace to the change in his life, but nonetheless, he was filled with works,….more works than the other apostles. The works and deeds that he was involved with, showed that he had submitted to the will of God, and allowed Him to work inside of his heart. If your faith doesn’t evidence any change or obedience to Christ, then it truly is dead.
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
A group of religious leaders came out to John the Baptist to partake of his baptism unto repentance, but it was only an outward show of religion. The reason why they came out to the Jordan was not because they had a change of heart. John explains that they needed outward evidence of an inward change. Repentance requires turning away from darkness to light.
Matthew 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
God wants to save us, but we have to make an effort to repent. In order for sins to be blotted out, we must change and do the will of God.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
It is a foregone conclusion that punishment for sin is coming, but God grants us a portion of divine grace so that we can take the opportunity now to turn from our sins and amend our ways. Those who don’t take advantage of this precious gift to repent and change, will certainly face His vehement wrath. God’s justice will punish sin, so He asks us to turn away from all of our iniquities, so that we can be saved from His fierce wrath, and live.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
God doesn’t desire sinners to perish, He wants them to repent.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Once again, faith without works is dead. Even the Apostle Paul preached to do works that showed you were truly repentant at heart. By works a man is justified, not by faith only, otherwise you’re no different than the religious leaders in the days of John the Baptist.
Acts 26:19-20 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Will you take advantage of God’s gift of Grace? Will you repent? Are you going to obey God and turn around from darkness to the light, just as the Earth does, spinning around each day…..
…..On its Axis
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.
Note: Any copies may be printed and freely distributed among those who have no internet service. There is no AI creative involvement in my writings, and must be left intact because they are very personal to me. These are not to be sold, and are made public only for the free benefit of Spiritual knowledge to those who are genuinely seeking the will of God.
tlkjbc.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 