Good morning and welcome in everybody. 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.
When I was young, and left for school each morning, I used to carry my lunch bag in one hand, and a large red and white leather pouch in the other. It had a draw string on it that would prevent all of my marbles from falling out. I had hundreds of marbles, most of them were medium sized, but sometimes you could find a few jumbos in the mix. It was a pretty long bus ride to school each day, so a few of us would play marbles to occupy our time. We played a pretty simple version of the game. All you did is pick out a handful of marbles out of your bag, hold them tightly in your fist, and the other person had to guess odd or even. If he was right, he got to keep them all, but if he was wrong he had to forfeit the same amount to you.
This reminds me the Christian Life.
When we played marbles, there were only two choices to pick from, odd or even. In regards to our eternal destination, we only have two options to choose from. Repent or perish.
Luke 13 ¹ There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
³ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
It’s clear from the teachings of scripture that those who desire eternal life must repent of their sins. Paradise is a place that is reserved for those who are righteous in their hearts. It is a Holy place, prepared by the Lord for His faithful and obedient children. Although each of us are sinners, through God’s mercy through Christ Jesus, we can become transformed into Saints and prepared for the world that is coming. Repentance is a process that begins by being convicted in your heart for the sinful way that you have lived your life. It is to recognize the error of your way, and to be filled with so much sorrow and regret for what you have done, that it causes you to approach God for forgiveness and then completely turn your life around. Sincere repentance will cause you to submit to the perfect will of God, transforming from a wretched sinner into a Saint.
One of the keys of true repentance is contrition. It is to be so upset and ashamed at yourself for what you have done, that you refuse to turn back to that disobedient lifestyle again. The Apostle Paul refers to it as Godly sorrow. It is a sincere inward grief for doing things that you know you shouldn’t have done, and feeling bad enough about it that it results in a permanent change.
2 Corinthians 7 ⁸ For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
There is a huge difference between Godly sorrow and the sorrow of the world, just as there is a huge difference between crocodile tears, and tears from the heart. One is sincere, while the other is not. Genuine sorrow will be filled with compunction, which is a feeling of great anxiety in your conscience, caused by doing evil things to others and causing them pain. It will have a great desire to repent of sin and to reconcile with those whom they have wronged.
Reconciliation with God or others can only happen when you feel inward grief for the way that you have treated them, and the humility to seek their forgiveness. People can say that they are sorry, or they can feel sorry, but when all is said and done, only one of them will lead to eternal life. To claim that you are sorry without making the attempt to reconcile with others is a lie. Reconciliation is not optional in the scriptures, it is mandatory, and the one thing that prevents this from happening is sinful pride. To truly repent of sin requires humility from the heart, because without it, you won’t feel bad enough about what you have done to admit fault to God, or to a brother in the church. You only have one of two options, you either repent or you perish.
“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;” Acts 3:19
It is contrition that leads somebody to a place of repentance. It is feeling bad enough about what you’ve done that you desire change. It is to feel so sick and grieved over your own sins that it results in a fervent desire to serve the Lord from the heart. John the Baptist was listening to private confessions, and baptizing people unto repentance, but many religious people showed up at his baptism, who were not really there to repent. Their hearts were not right with God, because there was no outward change in their lifestyles. They were very religious, but they were also very impenitent.
Matthew 3 ⁷ 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? ⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: ⁹ And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ¹⁰ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
When all is said and done, God wants us to change. But in order to be converted, it will require inner sorrow for what you have done wrong. It is only when you mourn because of the wicked things that you have done, that you can ever begin to overcome the sinful person that you once were.
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
For those of you who have never been baptized into the Christian Life, a great opportunity is presented to you through our precious Lord Jesus Christ. He can wash away all of your past sins when you place your faith and trust in Him. When I have baptized people, they needed to believe in Jesus with all of their heart and also recognize that they must abandon the old sinner that they were in their past. Once they are submerged underneath the waters of baptism, it is the beginning of a brand new life as a child of God. Repentance begins right there. It is putting to death the old sinful man that you were, in order to become a new creature of love towards God.
You are never too old to begin the Christian Life, it just comes down to two choices. Repent or perish. Which one will you choose? Will you pick odd or even, the next time that I reach down into….
……My Bag of Marbles
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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