‘What Is REAL Repentance?’

Well, first of all, good morning. And last time I mentioned saving a certain subject for another lecture—well, it seems the time has come. And, no, it’s not about money, even though today is income tax deadline, April 15. Rather, instead I’d like to, given the proximity of the annual memorial of the most solemn event in mankind’s history—Jesus Christ’s death, the Passover, this Sunday evening, I wanted to speak to you regarding real repentance. So if you want a title, it is “What Is Real Repentance?” What is real repentance?

And it’s very important to know because too many people just don’t understand it. They think they’ve repented, but they really haven’t. Even you and I may feel sorry from time to time for some of the things that we do—our sins, but have we really and truly repented? It is so vital to our future if we wish to be God’s children in His Family.

For the first scripture, let’s turn over to Matthew chapter 4, Matthew chapter 4. Some of us here, most of us here, have already been invited to a special ceremony tomorrow morning on the Sabbath, which is the baptism of one of our students, so we’re very excited about that. And, certainly, she would have had to go through this process, which is not really just a one time occurrence, but a lifelong process.

Matthew 4 verse 17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Now the first thing Jesus Christ told his audience was to repent. Later, we’ll see that Peter, Paul, John, James, etc., even if we don’t turn to those scriptures, they all preached the same message about the coming kingdom of God that Jesus Christ brought from His Father.

Jesus Christ said there was something to do, in addition to accepting Him as our personal Savior. And that is the word, repent. What does repent mean? Repent means to change, or convert. Change or convert. What is it exactly that Jesus Christ wants us to change or convert to? And change or convert from?

Let’s go over to Romans chapter 8, and you can hold a marker in this book, we’ll be returning to it I think. Romans chapter 8. [Verse 5]: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death, but to spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] SO then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

I just want to drop back to verse 7 there. “Our carnal minds,” the scripture tells us, “are enmity against God.” Enmity is a nice way of saying hatred. We really hate the ways of God. We may not even realize that sometimes we hate God himself. And we cannot be subject to the law of God, no matter how hard we try, apart from a relationship with God—His help.

Let’s continue here in Romans 8 verse 9. “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not eh Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” So, if anyone doesn’t have God’s Holy Spirit, he doesn’t belong to Jesus Christ, and it can’t get much plainer than this that he is not really a Christian, one who professes Christ, follows Christ.

And this change has a lot to do with the carnal minds which we’ve had since birth, which are, really again, at odds. Diametrically opposite of the way God wants us to think and use them. And they are not connected at all, at this point, with God’s Holy Spirit.

Let’s, staying here in Romans, go over to chapter 12. Romans 12, let’s look at verse 1. “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Some of you in the younger generation are familiar with the Transformer movies. I’ve only seen some of the promos for that, I’ve never watched them, but it’s something that changes totally from one state to another that’s almost completely unrecognizable from what it started out as. Well that changing of a mind, is a change in human nature—which we call human nature, which is really Satan’s nature—which is by nature, very, very selfish. And behind the selfishness of every individual lies the root cause of it all, and that is vanity. Vanity. We’re not going to turn to Ecclesiastes 1 verse 2, but it tells us there that all is vanity. And all of us, if we admit it, are full of vanity to some degree. We’re puffed up.

Still here in Romans, let’s go back to Romans chapter 8, picking up right where we left off after verse 19. Romans 8 verse 20 this time, “For the creature,” or creation, “was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope.” We’ve been made by God to be subject to vanity. And we live out these lives that are just brief, physio-chemical existences on this Earth. We’re too concerned about the opinions of friends, neighbors, relatives. We’re too wrapped up in this age, our failing society.

Mr. Armstrong stated many times that we’re way too materialistic. And the last time he said that was in the mid-80s, so you can just imagine how much worse it is now with all the gadgetry and the toys that we have to surround ourselves with.

Like most people we do live out lives in ways that is most likely to gain acceptance and approval. We are part of this world, we’ve actually absorbed it like a sponge, whether we like to admit it or not—its customs, its holidays, its practices and business, its school life, its religious life, you name it. And most people are ensnared by it, trapped into conformity with whatever is the way of the majority, following like sheep whichever way society leads, never questioning, like they should, whether others are right or wrong. And its vanity and human nature, selfishness, which drives individuals on and on, seeking, again, this acceptance.

Jesus Christ calls only a few of us now to release us from these shackles, these chains of society, its traditions and its pulls. And it does have a tremendous pull on us. It exerts a gravitational downward pull on us, like a whirlpool or quicksand. And fortunately I’ve never experienced either, or I may not be here to describe that to you.

Over in John, I believe it’s 18 verse 36, Jesus Christ said His kingdom was not of this world or else His servants would fight. And He was the messenger from God the Father of a much better kingdom, the soon-coming kingdom of God. A kingdom that would put down man-made government—that would rule this world. And you can also jot down Revelation chapter 2 verses 26 through 27. Revelation 2:26-27.

I mentioned John, let’s go over to John chapter 15, still holding our place here somewhat in Romans, in case we come back.

John chapter 15 [verse 18]: “If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

It’s hard to imagine us being hated for trying to follow Jesus Christ, trying to follow God the Father, but that’s what the Scripture says. And they did hate Jesus Christ enough to put Him to death. He’s saying that if we’re true Christians, our former friends, our relatives, society in general, will begin to hate us. They’ll have as much enmity and hatred toward us as they do toward God and His law. They hated Him, so should we be surprised they won’t be our biggest friends?

Matthew chapter 10; Matthew chapter 10. Everyone wants to be popular; everyone wants to have lots of influence in this world. Someone made a comment about one of the presidential candidates, what they loved about him was that he had no humility whatsoever. Isn’t that amazing? Full of himself; very puffed up. And I don’t think I have to put a name to that for you to know who I’m speaking about. Very rich and leading toward the Republican cause.

Matthew 10 and verse 34: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” So start following Jesus Christ as He lived, doing as He did, keeping God’s laws as He did, in our society, and our close friends, even our own relatives, will begin to resist us, persecute us, and yes, even hate us. And if you don’t believe me, just start observing the weekly Sabbath, if you haven’t already, and see what happens.

God wants us to discontinue any really close relationships with this world that are going to pull us down with it. And though we still must live in it, we are not to be part of it. And we are told that in 1 John 2 verses 15-17; 1 John 2:15-17.

In Luke 14, Jesus Christ sternly warns every prospective Christian to “count the cost” of being a true follower of Him, and He uses several analogies—such as building a new building, you wouldn’t start doing that unless you had sufficient funds; going to battle, you’d make sure you had all your armaments, your manpower, whatever you would need to fight. Many people in this world—thousands of them, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands—are led to “accept Jesus Christ” in a moment of remorseful emotion, I suppose, over past mistakes, they’re called altar calls, but many millions more don’t know what to do to really become a Christian.

Matthew chapter 7; Matthew 7. It sounds simple, but it’s really difficult to do, but it can be done. Matthew 7, let’s look at verse 21: “Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Earlier in chapter 4 we saw how Jesus Christ said we must repent. Here He’s telling us to do the will of God, expressed in His Word, the Bible. And John 17:17 tells us that God’s Word is truth. John 17:17. So we are liars if we don’t believe and obey it.

That same word, the Bible here, says that we must lay down our lives, be willing to die if necessary, for God. After we have been broken up, after our own human will has been totally shattered, that we become so disgusted with ourselves, we’re filled with abhorrence about our former actions, our old way of life, our old selves, which is that vanity in us. Then we may go through that process of believing, being baptized and receiving of God’s Holy Spirit.

And you’ll have a clue that you’re ready and you’ve reached this point if you start to feel like a burned out hunk of junk, a dirty pile of old rags, as Mr. Armstrong used to describe his condition, decades ago, when God was knocking him down from a very successful business career and bringing him into the ministry of the one true Church.

Immersion into a watery grave carries deep spiritual symbolism. It symbolizes an actual, literal burial of our old self, the way we have been our whole lives, and then the resurrection of the new person, now conquered in God, surrendered to God, meek, humble, childlike in our obedience and in our trust of Jesus Christ as our living Savior.

I was going to turn to couple more scriptures in Romans 6 and 7; may I just encourage you to read those two chapters in their entirety. Chapter 6 is called the baptismal chapter. And then chapter 7 shows that even after baptism, we’re still going to have this constant battle and fight on our hands against the spirit warring against the flesh. So if you want to look at those two sometime this Sabbath or this weekend that would be very nice and tying in with what we’re going to witness tomorrow.

Let’s turn over to Galatians chapter 2. I remember hearing years ago that this was one of Mr. Stephen Flurry’s favorite scriptures. I don’t think you have to limit yourself to just one. Maybe he has several more now and this has been edged out of the competition, I don’t know, but it’s still a very classic scripture, a memory scripture, a lot of depth just in this one verse.

Galatians chapter 2, and let’s look at verse 20. “I am crucified with Christ.” What a painful experience that would be to literally have to go through what He suffered. “Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me,” right inside of us. “And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Paul was a true Christian, a rare breed, one begotten by God’s Holy Spirit. And we can go through the same process after repenting, after trying to press out all of the air of vanity, and all of the uselessness of our being, and then being baptized, symbolizing that burial again, of our old carnal selves, just naturally hostile against God. Then that Holy Spirit, that precious seed, can be implanted into our minds and we can begin to change with that. Jesus Christ begins to motivate our thoughts, guide and direct our action. He actually lives His life all over again right inside of us, if we let Him. What a beautiful experience that is. And we don’t do it perfectly, but we strive for that. And we have to lean on Him for the power of the Holy Spirit, which can at least lead us, young people, until it is actually inside of us. And that’s the advantage you have here in this environment learning about God’s right ways.

God’s Spirit must enter into our carnal minds, to make them yielding, humble and obedient to God. Before they were hostile, antagonistic, resentful and even bitter toward God, whether we realized it or not. When we become true Christians we won’t blindly follow the customs or traditions of this world any longer. Instead we’ll be asking, What is God’s will? And begin to search the Bible to be sure we know what it is, without a doubt. Our outlook and our attitude will gradually become more and more like Jesus Christ. Before we just went with the flow; maybe we floated downstream with the rest of the salmon; we followed the crowd. But now we’re going to want to please God at every turn, even if it’s a difficult row that we have to hoe.

A Christian is a person who lives by every word of God. But most professing Christians don’t even know what they’re own Bibles say. That’s the tragedy. They don’t study the Bible, instead they just gullibly follow and accept what others say and believe, and make it their doctrine.

A true Christian is completely conquered by God, totally surrendered. Not 50 percent; not 77 percent; not 99.9 percent. But 100, almost 1,000 percent surrendered to God. Having our own selfish wills broken, we realize that we have sinned and sin is any action or even a thought that’s contrary to the laws of God. And I think even in the last lecture by Mr. Flurry, he touched on 1 John 3 verse 4; 1 John 3:4.

When we do stumble and fall we need to cry out to God and ask for that forgiveness that only He can grant. And we plead for the lifting of that death penalty, Romans 6 verse 23, that every sin, no matter how big or small, brings upon us. That’s Romans 6:23.

We must accept God’s promise of forgiveness, on faith, by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ—His death instead of our own, when we’re the ones that deserve it. A person then takes the ordinance of baptism, which shows God that he or she really means it; it’s an outward expression of their inward devotion toward God. After repentance, after baptism, the person then receives, as I said earlier, that small portion of God’s Holy Spirit, and it’s all done through the laying on of hands by God’s ministry. And without this baptismal ceremony, we can never become true Christians. There’s no other way; there’s no other shortcut; there’s no other scheme or plan that we can do to become truly Christians so that we may be saved in the future.

1 John chapter 2; 1 John 2, now I’m probably going to wish that we went to those scriptures there in Romans 6 and 7, but that’s okay. Maybe it’s time for me to show a little mercy here and let you out early.

1 John 2 and let’s look at verse 4: “He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” I mean, talk about plain speaking. Talk about not being politically correct. [Verse 5], “But whoso keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” So just as much as He can be in us, we can be in Him. It’s a very close, very dynamic, personal relationship that can produce a lot of fruit.

[Verse 6] “He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Too many people want to talk to talk; it’s a big stretch to walk the walk and really, really show it by our actions. A person who takes on that name of Jesus Christ will keep God’s laws, he’ll obey Him in every way, he’ll become a recipient of some of the greatest happiness and blessings that he could ever imagine. Although here again, here’s the proviso, the caveat, he will occasionally slip up. We are still human, we are converting, we are transforming more and more into something that’s going to be a different creation, but we still have to deal with the fact that we’re flesh and blood in the meantime.

1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 21: “For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.” I spoke on this here recently—it bears repeating. And then the first part of the next verse, “Who did no sin.” So, he did no sin. And to walk like Jesus Christ means we’re going to try, we’re going to strive to the best of our human ability, coupled now with God’s help and Spirit or divine ability to not sin.

Do we really desire to be just like Jesus Christ? It was Jesus Christ’s desire to be exactly like His Father and He accomplished that. If we have that desire, we’re going to strive, like anything, not to sin. We’re going to do anything we can to follow, obey, serve and imitate Christ, our example. It’s much easier to try to talk for God, to even work for God, than to give ourselves unconditionally in complete surrender to Him, and every thought, every action be dictated by what they decide is best for us, and not what we think. It’s easier to offer God a few activities, a little bit of our time and effort, than to totally give ourselves over to Him, carte blanche, to do with us what He will.

Despite our best efforts, we will only be sin free, 100 percent, at the return of Jesus Christ, if we are converted. Until then we must repeatedly repent until we’re made in God’s image and likeness at the right time that He chooses. We do that by presenting our bodies, as we read in Romans 12 verse 1 and 2, as living sacrifices. We’re worth more to God as living sacrifices. His death sacrifice was obviously a lot more than what our death could accomplish because of Him being the Creator of all human life.

And how do we become living sacrifices? We do that by presenting our bodies on a daily basis, and our minds on a daily basis, for His use and His purpose, the way He instructs, the way He desires. And like our Lamb, Jesus Christ, we lay our lives on the altar and leave them, not taking them back. Christ our Lamb went through with His supreme sacrifice for us nearly 2,000 years ago this week, within just a few days, a matter of hours. As difficult as it was, He did it with absolutely no regrets whatsoever because, why?, He loved us while we were yet sinners, we’re told in Romans 5, and I believe that’s verse 8; Romans 5 verse 8—a long, long, time before we ever dreamed or knew what repentance meant.