THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE – 48 You Must Decide To Repent
“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14, KJV).
Loved ones, repentance means changing your mind and turning away from sin to return to God. It's a choice and a process of reordering your desires, confessing your actions to God, and aligning your life with His will. Man must choose to serve God. It is an active, deliberate purpose of the mind and will. That principle is beautifully illustrated in the book of Joshua.
God brought His people to the Jordan River, where He miraculously provided their crossing. However, immediately there was an obstacle. Jericho stood in their way. “And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho” (Joshua 6:2). By His grace, God gave it to them by a miracle, yet they complied with His instructions (cf. Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46), and by faith the walls fell (Hebrews 11:30; cf. Romans 10:17).
Then came Ai, a small city. However, because sin was in the camp, the army of Israel was defeated. “The children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel” (Joshua 7:1). Achan had defied God in taking of the spoils of Jericho. Israel had sinned through pride and overconfidence.
In Joshua 8:30-35, Joshua brought the people to the valley of Shechem. There he built an altar to God and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. The Law of God was there. The Ark of the Covenant was there. Joshua caused six of the tribes to take their place on the barren, rocky cliffs of Mount Ebal. The other six tribes took their place on Mount Gerizim, a mountain of green grass and trees.
It was to be an object lesson that hopefully Israel would never forget. In this setting, which formed a natural amphitheater, Joshua wrote and read the words of the law, in particular the blessings and cursings. All things were done according to the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 27 and 28. So, Israel was called upon to decide! Would it be misery, cursing, defeat, and death as represented by Mt. Ebal, or would it be mercy, blessing, and life as represented by Mt. Gerizim?
We are still called to decide. In the presence of God and His Word, by repentance or not, we decide whether it will be obedience and blessing, or disobedience and cursing. If you are in the valley of decision, we encourage you to obey Jesus and receive life and blessing by repenting of your sins (Luke 13:3, 5).
Unfortunately, we don't talk much about repentance now days! It often is a totally missing link in counseling. But sin has to be addressed before God can fully heal the soul. Repentance is not apologizing. Repentance is not sorrow because of the consequences of getting caught. There are at least four levels in Biblical repentance:
THE LEVEL OF ADMITTING. "So long" to the blame game (Genesis 3). It is not someone else's fault. It is not that I got caught. I am responsible for my life. I am accountable. I am self-indicted. I will not run, hide, or fight any more. I did it, period. Case closed (cf. Joshua 7:19-21).
THE LEVEL OF GUILT. Guilt is grasping the hurt I caused you. It is an ability to enter into the wounded's soul and share in his suffering. David was exceptional in this. He prayed, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…” (Psalm 51:4). David had sinned against Uriah, the Hittite, Bathsheba, and society (2 Samuel 11). But guilt involves God! Ultimately, it was God Who had been violated. God hates sin. He is the very opposite of sin. Our sins violate the very heart, integrity, and holiness of God. Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Therefore, in our heart, repentance must be a sorrow toward God for having sinned against God, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
THE LEVEL OF CONFESSION. Confession, too, has been deserted in our time. You do not confess simply because the evidence is public! You do not confess, as in plea bargaining. To confess is even more than admission. Confession involves dependency. It means, "I am at your mercy. I did it. I violated you. I confess it." A confession renders one helpless in the hands of another. Confession is the rumbling of a crumbling heart. Confession eliminates negotiation. Notice the confessions made by these few examples (Numbers 22:34; Judges 10:10; 2 Samuel 24:17; Nehemiah 1:6; Psalm 41:4).
THE LEVEL OF PROMISE. "Not only do I grasp your hurt, your position — I, too, hurt! I am genuinely sorry. I passionately never intend to do that again. I broke my heart, too. I am weak, lost, a wretched sinner" (cf. Romans 7:14-25). Peter commands, “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; cf. Acts 2:38).
Repentance is genuine honesty, in mind, heart, and will. Repentance is truthfulness. “30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
Through the free gift of God’s grace by Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 2:8; Revelation 1:5) and your obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 10:17; 16:26), salvation is offered.
Shared with you by Samuel A. Matthews, preaching with the Liberty NW church of Christ, meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. He is in control, so trust Him. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).