Who Do You Fear

Most Christians understand what repentance is. You might rightly say it is turning from sin. You may even go a step further and declare that it is a turning to Christ. This is absolutely correct. Not only is it correct, it is essential to salvation. Now, wait a minute, salvation is from faith alone! Again, you are right. Read this quote I stumbled upon from James Orr;
“Disputes have arisen in theology as to the priority of faith or repentance, but unnecessarily, for the two, rightly viewed, are but the positive and negative poles of the same state of the soul. There can be no evangelical faith which does not spring from a heart broken and contrite on account of sin; on the other hand, there can be no true repentance which has not the germ of faith in God, and hope in His mercy, in it. The Law alone would break the heart; the Gospel melts it. Repentance is the turning from sin; Gospel faith is the turning to Christ for salvation. The acts are inseparable.”

The reason I bring this up is that in my experience there is a tremendous amount of importance placed on faith, but in our Christian culture today repentance is very much secondary. It’s like faith is essential and you should, when it’s not inconvenient, live like Christ. James wrote that “Faith without works is dead”. A dead faith! This doesn’t mean start doing outward actions to prove your salvation, it means be introspective. What do you look like internally? Has there been a change? Your outward actions can be the result of genuine change, but they can also be a façade. On the inside, you are either more like Christ or you’re not. You either continue in the spirit of the flesh and reason like the world or you’ve been reborn and you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are constantly being changed into the image of the very Jesus you say you have faith in. Consider this familiar verse;
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Cor 13:5 NASB)

This test is essential! Repentance is essential, without it, what would you be testing? We are to be concerned with the state of our soul, not just once and not just on Sundays but, daily. If we are not growing, then we are dying. Let’s spur one another to more Christ centered lives.

I only write on this subject because I battle every day with my flesh. Actually some days I don’t battle at all, I just give in. When I stop to think, I realize what dangerous ground I am on.

Peace,

Harold