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.
How many times have you sent one of your younger children to their bedroom because of misbehavior? Sometimes you might hear them crying loudly on their bed, but when you peeked around the corner to check in on them, you could tell that it was just a ruse because they were playing a game at the same time! Crocodile tears are a hypocritical display of grief and sorrow, when someone will pretend to have feelings of contrition, but it is only meant to manipulate and deceive others.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
There is a huge difference between saying that you are sorry and actually bringing forth works that prove that you actually feel that way. That is the difference between heartfelt Godly sorrow and the sorrow of this world. If you really feel bad about what you have done, you are going to want to do something to correct the wrongs that you have committed, either towards God or others. A courtroom might impose this on a defendant and call it restitution, but in the Christian Life it’s not something that is forced upon you. Works of repentance happen because somebody is so sick about the wrongs that they have committed, that their heart compels them to reach out and make it right with others. Restitution is a matter of law, but works that are meet for repentance spring forth from a sincere and penitent heart.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 (KJB) 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. 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.
In the days of John the Baptist people were confessing their faults to him and getting baptized, but who shows up at the event? The religious leaders of the day, who had an outward appearance of piety, but did not possess those actual qualities in their hearts.
Matthew 3:1-12 (KJB) In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 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: 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. 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. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Genuine repentance is proven by one’s actions, because if you don’t have works of repentance, then you really don’t have charity in your heart towards God or others.
Matthew 21:28-32 (KJB) But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
The Apostle Paul preached that people needed to turn to God and bring forth works of repentance. If you don’t possess these heartfelt works, then the faith that you profess is a lie.
Acts 26:16-20 (KJB) But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 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.
People can claim to be sorry with their lips, but it is your works that really show how sorry you truly are. Actions speak louder than words and works of repentance are an outward display of an inward change of the heart.
Luke 19:1-10 (KJB) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
There is forgiveness found in the gospel of Christ, but it is only through our works that one can really show that they are walking in the true grace of God. Although he had been forgiven for his past, the Apostle Paul felt so bad about what he had done to the churches that he tried to start as many as he possibly could. That’s not earning one’s salvation, it’s feeling bad enough for those whom you have wronged, that you make the decision to do what is right towards them.
Godly sorrow will reach out to others that you have wronged, because if those activities never really happen in your life, then the only tears that you shed, were…….
…….Crocodile Tears
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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